May Day crowds call for immigration reform
Tyche Hendricks, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, May 1, 2009


(05-01) 14:32 PDT SAN FRANCISCO - -- Hundreds of immigrants and their allies braved the rain today in San Francisco to join a spirited march, calling for an end to immigration raids and legalization for the nation's estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants.

Warning, you are about to read an exaggeration!!!!
They were among tens of thousands of others across the country who turned out for events intended to keep the pressure on President Barack Obama and Washington policy makers for an immigration overhaul this year. Pro-immigrant marches took place in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Washington DC, among many other cities. In the Bay Area, events were planned for San Jose, Oakland, Santa Rosa, Napa and Martinez.

Initial reports indicated smaller turnouts than last year, possibly because would-be attendees were concerned about the swine flu outbreak. California public health officials said Thursday, however, that there was no need for people to avoid public gatherings.

With banners and flags from the United States and many other nations, the San Francisco crowd stepped to the rhythm of marching bands and the sound of an Aztec conch shell horn. Some chanted in English and Spanish, "The people united will never be defeated."

Two people who attended the march from Dolores Park to City Hall were Guadalupe Carreño, 15, and her brother Ivan, 14. The children, who were born and raised in San Francisco, watched their father handcuffed and deported to Mexico in January. Their mother, who has lived in the city for two decades, is also under deportation orders.

The teenagers and their mother spoke out this morning at an event at their high school, June Jordan School for Equity, where teachers and other families have rallied to support them.

Guadalupe, a straight-A student who aims to become a child psychologist, said she hoped the march would call attention to the plight of families like hers.

"I want to help people realize that immigrants are just regular people and not criminals," she said. "My parents pay taxes, they're homeowners, they've attended every one of my parent-teacher conferences and talked about how to work toward scholarships to go to college."

Principal Matt Alexander said he has watched Guadalupe and Ivan struggle with fear in the months since their father was deported.

"Undocumented immigrants are not hermits: they have children, they're woven into the fabric of the community," Alexander said. "It's much more complex than saying, 'Did someone follow the rules 20 years ago?' I don't know what should happen with immigration policy, but I can tell you the impact on them."

President Obama has made statements that he supports immigration reform and plans to address the topic later this month.

Critics of President Obama's stance on immigration say that granting amnesty to illegal immigrants such as the Carreño's parents undermines the rule of law. Workplace and residential raids to arrest and remove people in the country without authorization are necessary, they say, even if they causes upheaval for U.S.-born children.

San Francisco Supervisor David Campos, addressing the crowd at Dolores Park, said the country needs a new immigration policy. "We need to give people who make very important contributions to our society the chance to formally become members of it," He said. "It's important for immigrant communities to send that message loud and clear to Washington, D.C."

E-mail Tyche Hendricks at thendricks@sfchronicle.com

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