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Border plan gets mixed reaction from region Latinos


BY MATTHEW VAN DUSEN
mvandusen@nwitimes.com
219.462.5151

This story ran on nwitimes.com on Monday, May 15, 2006 12:31 AM CDT

Prominent Northwest Indiana Latinos said Sunday they support efforts to strengthen the U.S.-Mexican border, but one local business owner described President Bush's anticipated plan to deploy thousands of National Guard troops there as "drastic."

Debbie Bolanos, the owner of Galaxy Travel in East Chicago, said she was shocked to see how many immigrants rallied on May 1, and said their numbers should be curbed through a guest worker program and more manpower on the border.

But "to go as far as to have troops come in," she said, "that's a very drastic step."

A member of the Northwest Indiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, Bolanos said the current debate about immigration is divisive, and people fail to grasp that most immigrants just want a better life and education for their children. She said many politicians are simply afraid of the number of immigrants.

Edward Peralta, the founder of Hispanic Voices, a local nonprofit that advocates for Latinos, said he is also concerned about the security of the borders, particularly the possibility that terrorists could sneak into the United States.

But he believes that the U.S.- Canadian border also needs attention from the government.

"What's good for the southern border should be good for the northern border," said Peralta.

Peralta said he would reserve judgment on Bush's plan until he hears the all the details.