Thread: IL-Stop deportations, marchers urge at immigration rally

Stop deportations, marchers urge at immigration rally
About 2,000 at event, seek change to 'broken system'

With most of Washington concentrating on economic policies and health care, reforming immigration isn't a priority. Marchers at an immigration rights rally Monday in Chicago hope to change that and called on President Obama and Congress to act or face political trouble at election time.

The march from the Near West Side culminated in a rally at Federal Plaza downtown, where speakers demanded that Obama end deportations that bust families. Longer term, they want Congress to legalize undocumented workers and their families currently in the United States.

The Labor Day crowd of about 2,000 people was smaller than those in past immigration rallies. But the feelings remained strong, with the deportation issue eliciting sadness and anger.

Among the marchers was Rosa Perez of Pilsen, who said her husband was deported in February as he attempted to get a green card. Through an interpreter, Perez said the government's action has caused hardship for herself and her six children.

Her 17-year-old son, Luis, said he has dropped out of school to support the family. "My father worked at building patios. Now, my brother works and I work because we have to replace my father," he said.

"The system is broken and it's not humane," said Beatriz Sandoval of the Southwest Side, an immigration attorney. Especially unjust, she said, is the deportation of undocumented students who came to the U.S. as young children. Some don't learn their citizenship status until they apply for college, she said.

Speakers at the rally called on the crowd to support an Oct. 13 march in Washington, D.C. But organizers disagreed on how to apply political pressure on Democrats, the party seen as friendlier to the cause.

The Rev. Walter "Slim" Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church, 2716 W. Division, said the immigration movement is discussing third-party candidacies in next year's elections that could tilt close races toward Republicans. Coleman, who is prominent on immigration issues, said such a candidate might be found for the U.S. Senate in Illinois.

But Jorge Mujica, an organizer of the rally, said a Senate candidacy is beyond the group's reach. Challenges might come in local races, with Mujica saying he plans to run in the Democratic primary next March against U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski in the 3rd Congressional District.

"Lipinski is very anti-immigrant, even though 75,000 immigrants live in his district," said Mujica, a Berwyn resident and a leader of the March 10 Coalition, named after the date of a huge rally downtown in 2006.

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1...mmig08.article

Sorry, I forgot to add this: Check out the comments! There are a ton of them.

Through an interpreter, Perez said the government's action has caused hardship for herself and her six children.

Guess what Rosa? It's a hardship on me and other taxpayers to provide for you and your six children. And hey! You might want to learn English.

What exactly is inhumane about getting a free ticket back to the old country, courtesy of US taxpayers?
And the stupidity of this whole argument is that we do not deport LEGAL immigrants, but rather ILLEGAL ALIENS. I guess these folks no-speakedy Ingles no good enuf to define what is meant by our laws.