Thread: Day without an immigrant gets mixed reaction

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Day Without an Immigrant gets mixed reaction in Napa
By JULISSA McKINNON AND CRISTINA DE LEON-MENJIVAR, Register Staff Writers
Tuesday, May 2, 2006 1:14 AM PDT
Mario Medina works seven days a week, usually from the 6:30 a.m. start of the breakfast run until he shuts down his "Tacos Michoacn" truck around 11 p.m.

Monday marked a rare day of respite for the 30-year-old entrepreneur who joined thousands of people in Napa County -- and hundreds of thousands across the nation -- in a day-long economic boycott in support of immigrant rights.

"To unite ourselves with the rest of the Latino community, we're not doing any business today," Medina said in Spanish, taking a break from hosing down one of his two trucks' aluminum-plated interior in his back yard. "It's a financial sacrifice but we want to show the government we're more than manual labor, we also produce economic goods."

Several Napans said, however, the boycott only alienated them further from the immigrant population.



Steve May, a 38-year-old bartender at Napa Bowl, said Mexican nationals who work here are treated better than Americans who work in Mexico.

"Two of my friends have businesses down there and they're not allowed to hire Americans," said May while lunching at Soscol Cafe.

Tom Dudum, sitting a few stools away, said he is frustrated because there are more pressing issues facing the nation, like runaway gas prices, the war in Iraq, and the ever-elusive Osama bin Laden.

"The only reason this is happening is we're getting close to the election. It's what government does," said Dudum, a 44-year-old who develops Napa property. "They change the focus to distract people from the real issues."

As Javier, the cafe's head cook and owner, served up a club sandwich to Dudum, a customer walked in and cheerfully called to Javier in Spanish: "Why are you working? It's Monday, you're supposed to be off," said Brian Silver, a cafe regular.

Javier, who declined to comment about Monday's boycott, just smiled, shrugged, and kept grilling hamburgers.

Silver, a 63-year-old attorney, said he thinks the boycott will have little political impact because the Latino community as a whole has failed to turn out and vote.

"I welcome anything that sensitizes them to the democratic process," Silver said. "But I don't think this is the best way to win the hearts and minds of the public."

Attendance was down dramatically at local schools.

Marlene Hernandez, 16, a junior at Napa High, said that in her fourth-period class only four people showed. The rest of her classes weren't that different.

"As they saw that no one was there (students) started leaving," Hernandez said. "I went to school because I wanted to see the difference (in attendance)."

Hernandez said she believes some teachers "pretended like nothing was wrong," while one offered extra credit for the four students who showed up to class.

On and off the job

At Gillwoods Cafe in Napa Town Center, owner Ed Gill said his business was open Monday. Gill said he gave his employees the option to take the day off, but that no one took him up on the offer.

Gill posted a sign on the front door that showed support of immigrants and less punitive forms of immigration reform.

"All of our workers wanted to work, so we decided to put up the sign (in support)," Gill said. "We recognize there are issues that need to be dealt with, and without the cooperation of immigrants we would not be open today."

Andrea Ruiz, 26, who busses tables at Gillwoods, said she couldn't afford the day off.

"I have a 6-year-old son, and I have to take care of him," said Ruiz, who is from Costa Rica.

Jonas Reyes, 35, runs the kitchen at Gillwoods. He has worked at the cafe for 14 years. Boycotting, he said, is not the answer to the immigration debate.

"We thought about it, but it's not the solution," Reyes said.

At Embassy Suites on California Boulevard, the majority of housekeepers took the day off. But representatives said that they were not negatively affected by the absence of their workers. At Travelodge on Coombs Street, it was a different story. All the housekeepers worked.

"We have dedicated employees," said manager Gary Dent, who offered employees the option of not working Monday. "Here, we work as a family, we've all been together for so long."

Blanca Hurtado said two out of 20 workers who package and ship wine from a local Napa warehouse worked Monday. She was not one of them.

Hurtado, a 37-year-old mother of two, said she chose to surrender a day's wages even though she won't be affected by changes in immigration laws.

"Everything would have stayed calm until the government proposed to treat immigrants like criminals. That was the beginning of the struggle," Hurtado said. "I am a citizen. But I know many people who don't have their papers who need and deserve to stay here."

She was also one of several people who protested the government's recent immigration proposal by not working Monday, but still utilized government assistance that day. Monday afternoon Hurtado brought her 6-year-old daughter to get some cavities filled at Clinic Ol, a non-profit health clinic partially funded partially with government dollars.

Miguel Flores, a 35-year-old landscaper who boycotted work also brought his young daughter in for a teeth cleaning.

"We pay taxes for all these services," said Flores. "And how many Americans are there who don't work or who are homeless? I know they're in their own country. But I'm paying for their services too."

Susana de La Cruz, who works cleaning Clinic Ol, came to the clinic Monday after her 1-year-old cut his thumb. Along with her husband, who works in the fields, de La Cruz took the day off.

While the 22-year-old woman participated in the day of protest, she said she is deserving of government-provided services.

"We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage," she said.

Susana de La Cruz, who works cleaning Clinic Ol, came to the clinic Monday after her 1-year-old cut his thumb. Along with her husband, who works in the fields, de La Cruz took the day off.

While the 22-year-old woman participated in the day of protest, she said she is deserving of government-provided services.

"We also pay taxes, and we have to take advantage," she said

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I think some of these illegals are so ignorant and ill-informed that they think the sales tax they pay on purchases equivocates to "paying taxes."

Mophead,
You're exactly right. To many of them, sales tax is "paying taxes." The ones that do "pay" federal taxes with a TIN or falsely with a soc. sec. number stolen from someone else get refunds. Why? Because they claim something like 10 dependents, work for bottom end wages and qualify for all the tax credits, like the EIC. Think about it? If an illegal was actually "paying" their taxes correctly and found in April that they owed the US government $1000 for all the wonderful things our country provides free of charge to their family--do you really think they would pay it? I sincerely doubt it. So, they not only don't pay taxes, when they do "pay" federal and state income tax they get money back. They think we're the biggest bunch of suckers to ever come along! That's why they're inviting all their buddies to cross our border--we truly are the goose that lays golden eggs--for illegals anyways.

Originally Posted by concernedmother

Mophead,
You're exactly right. To many of them, sales tax is "paying taxes." The ones that do "pay" federal taxes with a TIN or falsely with a soc. sec. number stolen from someone else get refunds. Why? Because they claim something like 10 dependents, work for bottom end wages and qualify for all the tax credits, like the EIC. Think about it? If an illegal was actually "paying" their taxes correctly and found in April that they owed the US government $1000 for all the wonderful things our country provides free of charge to their family--do you really think they would pay it? I sincerely doubt it. So, they not only don't pay taxes, when they do "pay" federal and state income tax they get money back. They think we're the biggest bunch of suckers to ever come along! That's why they're inviting all their buddies to cross our border--we truly are the goose that lays golden eggs--for illegals anyways.

Notice how they're all saying the same phrases i.e. "we pay taxes," "this is about dignity," etc. ad nauseum.

They're being fed these lines and they've memorized them very well.

Most of the American public, however, can see beyond the smoke screens!

We sent for our Social Security statements recently to make certain no one else was using the numbers. Fortunately, the earnings reported were ours and ours only!

"Everything would have stayed calm until the government proposed to treat immigrants like criminals. That was the beginning of the struggle," Hurtado said. "I am a citizen. But I know many people who don't have their papers who need and deserve to stay here."

She was also one of several people who protested the government's recent immigration proposal by not working Monday, but still utilized government assistance that day. Monday afternoon Hurtado brought her 6-year-old daughter to get some cavities filled at Clinic Ol, a non-profit health clinic partially funded partially with government dollars.

Miguel Flores, a 35-year-old landscaper who boycotted work also brought his young daughter in for a teeth cleaning.

"We pay taxes for all these services," said Flores. "And how many Americans are there who don't work or who are homeless? I know they're in their own country. But I'm paying for their services too."

I don't think anyone that is here 'illegally' DESERVES to stay here -- the ones who have waited for years to get here deserve to stay if they abide by the law.

many of these people had never seen a doctor in their life til they came to the United States, now they get all their healthcare for FREE