Thread: CA: Immigrants across U.S. try to revive stalled reform bill

Immigrants across U.S. try to revive stalled reform bill

Thursday, June 14, 2007

- Juliana Barbassa, Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - As President George W. Bush pressed lawmakers to get immigration reform back on track, immigrants across the U.S. were marching, praying, writing lawmakers and hitting the road for Washington in a desperate push to revive the stalled measure.

Before the bill collapsed in the U.S. Senate last week, most immigrants agreed it was flawed. But seeing a rare opportunity for change slipping away - and recognizing it may not come again for years - many insisted they would not let it go without a fight.

The immigrants' rallying cry echoed Bush's words to divided Republicans: "The status quo is unacceptable."

"There was a lot of frustration that politics got in the way of sound, necessary public policy," said Jerry Gonzalez of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, a statewide organization whose 4,000 members are calling their senators seeking reforms. "The time is now. They need to act. They have to."

A caravan departed Wednesday from Los Angeles after a prayer from Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony, a longtime supporter of immigrant rights. Renan "El Cucuy" Almendarez Coello, a popular Spanish-language radio host, also was on hand to send off the "Dreams Across America" caravan.

"We have all come for the American dream," Coello said. "Go for it!"

Organized by the Catholic Church, unions and community groups, the caravan includes several dozen legal immigrants who will cross the country by train while making stops to tell their stories of coming to the United States. The trip was scheduled to finish in Washington on June 19.

"I came here and started from scratch," said Jules Boyele, 40, who fled civil war in his native Congo 17 years ago. "And any immigrant who is willing to work hard and make a difference. ... I'm going to fight for those people."

On Sunday, a separate Washington-bound caravan led by Eduardo "Piolin" Sotelo, host of the nationally syndicated radio show "Piolin por la Manana," left Los Angeles and is picking up immigrants along the way who are eager to tell their stories to legislators.

In the spring of 2006, Sotelo and Coello used their popularity to rally hundreds of thousands of people to march for reform in California and across the nation.

Now Sotelo is collecting letters asking for a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States. He is broadcasting his appeal from cities along the way, and expects to have about 1 million letters by the time he gets to Washington on Thursday.

"If someone's already proved they're working hard for this great nation and for his family, and he's proved he's a good human being, why not live legally here in this country?" Sotelo said. "We're waiting for a positive answer from our senators."

Immigrants whose families were separated during immigration raids are hanging all their hopes on the possibility of comprehensive reform.

Tony Wasilewski, a Polish immigrant living on the outskirts of Chicago, saw his wife deported to Poland on June 8. She took with her the couple's 6-year-old American-born son fearing he was too young to be away from her.

The separation turned a good life into a nightmare, Wasilewski said, his voice breaking as he told his story.

"I want to bring my family back to America, and I want to protect families that are in the process of deportation," he said. "I'm going there to try to talk to our leaders, our congressmen, our senators. We need a change."

Wasilewski is also joining a caravan of about 100 immigrants, clergy and other supporters on a 10-city tour that culminates with a June 20 rally in Washington.

After the letters are written and phone calls made, many immigrants turn to God. On Sunday, Catholic dioceses around the country took part in a day of prayer for immigration reform. Bishop Oscar Solis led Mass at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in downtown Los Angeles, drawing 250 worshippers.

In Atlanta, immigrant groups are calling for an interfaith day of prayer on June 21. And in Miami, immigrants, faith groups and advocates are holding nightly vigils praying for lawmakers to put aside their political differences.

The family of Romualdo Gonzalez arrived in the U.S. from Honduras but fled the small town of Alice, Texas, out of fear they would be caught in immigration raids. They left behind everything - their catering business and their furniture, carrying only their clothes.

They found refuge with a Honduran immigrant group in Miami, and are living in their offices, joining in nightly prayer with dozens of others.

"We're asking God ... that Bush can convince the senators to pass comprehensive reform," Gonzalez said. "We have no alternatives."

Hundreds of miles away in Chicago, Wasilewski, the Polish janitor, felt the same.

"I'm waiting for a miracle," Wasilewski said.

http://www.ledger-dispatch.com/news/new ... p?c=217078

Tony Wasilewski, a Polish immigrant living on the outskirts of Chicago, saw his wife deported to Poland on June 8. She took with her the couple's 6-year-old American-born son fearing he was too young to be away from her.

The separation turned a good life into a nightmare, Wasilewski said, his voice breaking as he told his story.

"I want to bring my family back to America, and I want to protect families that are in the process of deportation," he said. "I'm going there to try to talk to our leaders, our congressmen, our senators. We need a change."

Why is it always about them, their unhappiness, their nightmare that results from their lawlessness and not about their full knowledge of consequences of their unlawful entry? The mindset and sense of entitlement just boggles the mind. What about the millions who have obeyed the laws and are being pushed to the back of the line as a result of people like this guy?

"We have all come for the American dream," Coello said. "Go for it!"

I don't understand why they (and we) can't get it through their/our heads that if "all" can come for the American dream, then there will be no American dream to come for. Maybe that lack of basic practicality and wisdom is why there are apparently no dreams to be had in the places they are coming from.

They have come to America by sneaking over the borders ILLEGALLY at 3,000 a day, 1,000,000 a year!

THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN AN INVASION CO-SPONSORED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF MEXICO AND THE U.S.!

Keep coming and there will be 5,000 a day and this country will be Mexico!

And their dream includes free health care and food stamps at our expense, as well as taking jobs we where doing until they undercut us .