Thread: CA: Immigrants, supporters rally in downtown

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... ?track=rss

Immigrants, supporters rally in downtown
By Anna Gorman, Times Staff Writer
11:59 AM PDT, March 25, 2007

Hundreds of immigrants and their supporters rallied today at the Los Angeles Sports Arena to push for immigration reform and an end to work site raids and deportations.

"The government has to listen to us," said Raymundo Aguilar, 40, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. "We aren't just a few, we are millions."

The event, which featured mariachi music and speeches by politicians, marks the one-year anniversary of the massive march in the streets of Los Angeles. It also comes just a week after legislation was proposed that would offer illegal immigrants a pass to citizenship.

Participants carried American flags and waved banners saying "We want immigration reform now." They chanted "Si, se pueda," or "Yes, we can."

Though the mood was hopeful, several said the rally lacked the same energy and numbers as last year's protests. They expressed frustration that immigration reform had still not occurred.

"We marched, we voted, and nothing," said Lida Vidal, 34, who came here illegally 17 years ago from Mexico. "I still don't have papers."

Another group was gathering at La Placita, the historic adobe church across from Olvera Street, before heading to the downtown federal building to protest immigration raids.

The planned speakers at the Sports Arena event include Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) and Representative Hilda Solis (D-El Monte). A separate group of anti-illegal immigration advocates is scheduled to hold a counter protest downtown today.

Immigration Marches in Downtown LA, Both Sides
Soumada Khan, KTLA



March 25, 2007, 8:50 AM PDT

Two marches representing both sides of the immigration issue are taking place in downtown Los Angeles today.

Members of the March 25 Coalition and the nonprofit Hermandad Mexicana Nacional say they want reforms that will enable illegal immigrants to stay in this county, more visas for family members and a guest-worker program, among other things.

A human chain formed by immigration activists will encircle the Federal Building in Los Angeles today because protesters say they want to bring attention to policies that make it hard to become a legal resident.

The demonstration is timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the protest last year in which as many as 500,000 people surrounded L-A City Hall.

Organizers say the march is expected to draw at least 500 people.

Meanwhile at noon, longtime anti-poverty activist Ted Hayes and The Crispus Attucks Brigade, along with several other anti-immigration groups including The Minuteman Project, will rally at Olympic and Broadway for an hour before setting out for their own march.

The demonstration has been dubbed "March 25th Coalition II Civil Rights March To Stop Ethnic Cleansing of American Black U.S. Citizens" by Hayes, who is black.

"Last year, March 25th , we saw tens of thousands of citizens from other countries marching in our streets demanding civil rights, waving flags of foreign countries and we are coming back this year, this Sunday, March 25th to say no way," Hayes said in a video he distributed to media and posted on YouTube.com. "U.S. civil rights belong to American citizens."

The march is expected to draw "at least 500 people," including anti- illegal immigration groups such as The Minuteman Project and The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, "Save our State and "You Don't Speak For Me."

Hayes has called on the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus to attend.

About 175 police officers will keep watch over the demonstrations.

http://ktla.trb.com/news/ktla-immigrati ... tla-home-1

Though the mood was hopeful, several said the rally lacked the same energy and numbers as last year's protests. They expressed frustration that immigration reform had still not occurred.

Well that's good news that the numbers of foreign flag waving folks that were hollering they're going to kick our ass are down this year. Turning out in the streets behind radical, racist separatists bent on militancy was a bad plan wasn't it? Americans don't like that.

Excuse me?
Who's GOVERNMENT is this twerp referring to?

"The government has to listen to us," said Raymundo Aguilar, 40, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.

Originally Posted by 2ndamendsis

Excuse me?
Who's GOVERNMENT is this twerp referring to?

"The government has to listen to us," said Raymundo Aguilar, 40, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico.

How about this one:

Though the mood was hopeful, several said the rally lacked the same energy and numbers as last year's protests. They expressed frustration that immigration reform had still not occurred.

"We marched, we voted, and nothing," said Lida Vidal, 34, who came here illegally 17 years ago from Mexico. "I still don't have papers."

He voted and still doesn't have papers after being here 17 years?

At what point does this madness end and these arrogant self important morons get deported back to their chaotic, delusional existences? They are considered dirt in their own homelands yet we are supposed to hand them America on a silver platter?

Speaking of foreign flags, what's that I see waving in the background

The times reporter must have missed it.

http://www.dailycomet.com/apps/pbcs.dll ... /703253354

March 25. 2007 3:21PM

Dueling LA immigration rallies mark anniversary of massive march

By ANA BEATRIZ CHOLO
Associated Press Writer
Advertisement

Dueling immigration rallies Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of a massive pro-immigrant demonstration that jammed streets with a half-million protesters.

Sunday's rallies didn't come close to bringing the crowds of the event it commemorated. About 500 immigrant rights activists marched to downtown's Federal Building calling for immigration reform as a smaller group of anti-illegal immigration demonstrators demanded stiffer enforcement of U.S. borders.

The pro-immigrant crowd was too thin to encircle the Federal Building as planned. But despite the lower than anticipated turnout, rally organizer Marta Rojas said last year's event launched an important movement.

"The government is starting to listen," she said. "They are starting to see the strength of the immigrants. Legal and not-legal people are coming out."

The 2006 march followed legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that would make it a felony to enter the U.S. illegally.

Some demonstrators Sunday carried signs reading "Legalization now" and "We are workers, not terrorists."

Jefferson Azevedo, a Brazilian immigrant, said he didn't consider any immigrant illegal.

"We all know this is Mexican land," he said. "They didn't cross the border. The border crossed them."

An earlier pro-immigrant rally at the Los Angeles Sports Arena was set to include speeches from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, a few hundred demonstrators from anti-illegal immigration groups, including Save Our State and the Minuteman Project, held signs reading "Civil Rights in Mexico" and "No amnesty for illegals."

Esther Lofton, 76, said she was representing "my community, the black community" of Watts - an area that has seen a surge of Hispanic immigrants in the past decade. Lofton said she is against illegal immigration regardless of race.

"I'm not out here just fighting Hispanics," she said, penned in a downtown corner with other protesters by police. "I'm out here fighting illegal immigration. This is my first march, but I hope to get something started."

Some pro-immigrant activists taunted the group from across the street.

"We marched, we voted, and nothing," said Lida Vidal, 34, who came here illegally 17 years ago from Mexico. "I still don't have papers."

Hmmm..........wonder how many other criminal aliens voted?

Jefferson Azevedo, a Brazilian immigrant, said he didn't consider any immigrant illegal.

"We all know this is Mexican land," he said. "They didn't cross the border. The border crossed them."

Geez, now the Mexican criminal aliens have convinced the Brazilian criminal aliens that they are on land that belongs to Mexico. I wonder if the Mexican criminal aliens have promised the Brazilian's a plot of land, 2 mules, and some planting seed for speaking for them?

Some pro-immigrant activists taunted the group from across the street.

If it had been the other way around the media would have fallen all over themselves to spread the word.

I have the news on and it is going almost uncovered unless I am missing something. I saw maybe 50 people there forming a human chain. Honestly it looks like almost nothing. I wonder if they are reserving their efforts for the anti-illegal march also being held today. I have no idea when. I hope it remains peaceful and I hope there is a huge turnout for it!
Maybe the illegals finally got the message that they better not come out in the streets protesting. They might get arrested and deported. I have read in many articles that they are no longer so smug and are feeling afraid!