Thread: Immigration march targets Hastert

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/cust ... i-news-hed

Immigration march targets Hastert

By Oscar Avila
Tribune staff reporter

August 7, 2006, 8:00 PM CDT

Organizers of two major Chicago immigrant marches upped the ante Monday, announcing a four-day walk from Chinatown to the western suburb of Batavia—about 40 miles—that they hoped would pressure U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert to move the immigration debate forward.

Participants will begin their walk Sept. 1 and culminate their journey on Labor Day, Sept. 4, at Hastert's district office. There, they plan to hold an immigration hearing, which they say will differ from committee hearings that Hastert has organized.

Those hearings have featured supporters of a House bill that would drastically toughen immigration enforcement. Immigrant advocates have complained about not getting equal time, and other lawmakers have organized competing hearings featuring backers of a Senate bill that would offer legalization and a program to import temporary workers.

Members of the March 10 Committee, a local group named for the date of the first major Chicago march, are pushing for a bill that would legalize all the nation's 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants. The group, which includes labor unions, religious leaders and civil-rights advocates, —also wants to streamline the process to help legal immigrants bring in relatives.

At a news conference Monday in Chinatown, supporters said they hope the Immigrant Workers Justice Walk will recharge the push to provide legal avenues for immigrants, including those here working illegally.

"They deserve a piece of the American dream for themselves and their children," said Toure Muhammad, an official with the Service Employees International Union Local 1.

Hastert has said he is not trying to quash the immigration issue and still hopes to get a bill to President Bush by the end of the year. A Hastert spokesman could not be reached for comment late Monday.

Artemio Arreola, a member of the March 10 Committee, said he did not want to predict how many would take part in the walk. He noted that organizers have underestimated the number of participants before marches in March and May that drew hundreds of thousands to the Loop.

Organizers, however, expect most participants only to walk for a few hours as the march passes through their neighborhoods. The march will move west from Chinatown to Pilsen and Little Village before snaking through Cicero, Berwyn, Elmhurst, West Chicago and about 20 other suburbs. Several "feeder marches" will begin in Joliet, St. Charles and other suburbs to head directly to Batavia.

Organizers are asking for volunteers to donate food, water and lodging.

Rev. Claudio Holzer, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Church, in Melrose Park, said his church will make about 500 meals and provide a place to rest. Other churches will provide places to sleep in school gymnasiums, he said.

The walk has garnered support from a diverse coalition, including representatives from the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and the Chinese American Service League.

oavila@tribune.com

"They deserve a piece of the American dream for themselves and their children," said Toure Muhammad, an official with the Service Employees International Union Local 1.

Why do they deserve it?

"Every nonstatus immigrant who is working here adds value to American production and deserves al the rights of citizenship"

-Nativo Lopez

Originally Posted by Richard

"Every nonstatus immigrant who is working here adds value to American production and deserves al the rights of citizenship"

-Nativo Lopez

So your point is?

There, they plan to hold an immigration hearing, which they say will differ from committee hearings that Hastert has organized.

Dixie

Where did these "foreigners" get the idea that American's OWE them anything? I'd like to know where they get their ideas, who's telling them America is a floor mat, go ahead and wipe your feet on them?

Richard wrote:

"Every nonstatus immigrant who is working here adds value to American production and deserves al the rights of citizenship"

-Nativo Lopez

Every non status immigrant who has come here illegally deserves to be deported along with their anchors.
-NewMexican

LOL at richard, most Americans don't want you ppl here.
"Every nonstatus immigrant who is working here adds value to American production and deserves al the rights of citizenship"

-Nativo Lopez I say deport all non status illegal aliens in this country. I would rather pay for yoyu to be deported, than pay for your kids/anchor babies to go to school here. To use my tax dollars on your ER health care. DEPORT DEPORT DEPORT. then i will be a happy United States Citizen.