Thread: Chicago Protesters demand end to deportations

Protesters demand end to deportations

Published August 16, 2011

Chicago – Pro-immigration reform activists protested on Tuesday in front of President Barack Obama's reelection campaign headquarters in Chicago and delivered 24,000 signatures demanding the end of the Secure Communities program, which has led to the deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants.

"Obama, we're not criminals but workers who demand respect," said Zoraida Avila at the sidewalk demonstration some 20 meters (yards) from the entrance to Two Prudential Plaza.

"It's not our fault that there are unsafe communities in this country," she added to applause and cheers from about 200 people who had gathered there for the event.

Earlier, the executive director of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities, Oscar Chacon, demanded "immediate executive action" from Obama to cancel the controversial program.

"Secure Communities doesn't contribute any tangible benefit to anyone, it has to disappear," he said.

"What makes the communities unsafe is the bad state of the economy," Chacon said, adding that the president should devote himself to creating good jobs.

Activists gathered first in front of the Chicago Cultural Center with signs reading - among other things - "Obama has deported more families than Bush" and "Enough, no more deportations," before marching two blocks along Michigan Avenue.

Before arriving at the Obama campaign HQ they were halted by the building's security guard.

Chacon and four other activists were given authorization to enter the building to deliver the petition on which signers had affirmed that "the decision to obligate all (states) to join Secure Communities is anti-democratic."

"Deporting innocents and breaking the trust between the police and immigrants will have a devastating effect on our communities," it added.

The Department of Homeland Security announced earlier this month that participation in S-COMM is obligatory, nullifying efforts by Illinois and other states to opt out of the program.

S-COMM requires local authorities to share with the federal government fingerprints and other biometric data taken from undocumented prisoners in local jails.

Like other activists at Tuesday's protests, Carlos Roa of Presente.org warned that Obama could lose the support of Latino voters in the 2012 election due to his lack of action.

Roa noted that during the 2008 campaign, Obama promised to get immigration reform under way during the first year of his mandate and that he would be "a friend to the Latino community."

More than 1 million undocumented immigrants have been deported since Obama took office in January 2009.

Illinois was one of the first states to cancel its participation in S-COMM, yet Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Wednesday in Chicago will hold a public audience to announce details of its expansion.

The Chicago rally was part of a "National Day of Action" that includes planned protests in Houston, Boston, Miami, Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2 ... z1VEPn2Y6Z

"Obama, we're not criminals but workers who demand respect," said Zoraida Avila..."

Demand respect? Where is the respect for the citizen whos job you stole? You have no right to demand anything!!!

Respect my nation, its sovereignty, its laws, and people and you will get respect in return. As it is you have done nothing but DISRESPECT us at every turn and you deserve "ZERO!" respect in return...

Get the heck out, is all I have to say.

"What makes the communities unsafe is the bad state of the economy," Chacon said, adding that the president should devote himself to creating good jobs.

No mister Lopez or whatever your name is this week, what makes our neighborhoods unsafe is millions of illegal unknown invaders!

You know this was put on by Moveon(dot)org.

North Carolina Turn out.


About a dozen people rallied outside the Mecklenburg County Democratic Party headquarters near uptown to protest the Secure Communities program to identify illegal immigrants. April Bethea -

I didn't see anything in the Houston Chronicle, Florida Independent or the Boston Herald about the rallies. They ran articles about it was going to happen and then didn't cover the actual rally? Wonder why?!?!?!?!?!

This was a bit funny, San Antonio, TX covered the GA rally but not the Houston, TX rally.

Georgia rally protests of ICE fingerprint program
KATE BRUMBACK, Associated Press
Updated 02:51 p.m., Tuesday, August 16, 2011
ATLANTA (AP) — Chanting and waving signs, about a dozen people on Tuesday protested a program that gives federal immigration authorities access to fingerprints, which could lead to more deportations.

http://www.macon.com/2011/08/16/1667540 ... print.html

FAIL

Dixie

Wish I had a dollar for each time I've seen that word 'demand.'

Just another example of how our lax enforcement emboldens lawbreakers.

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http://www.alipac.us/article-6499--0-0.html

RELATED

Federal Policy Resulting in Wave of Deportations Draws Protests
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/us/po ... .html?_r=1


In Chicago on Tuesday, a protest against policies leading to deportations.

All illegal aliens must be deported. Part of the huge debt we have is due to the fact that we provide social services to illegal aliens. That is why we have to deport all illegal aliens. We do not want to pay for their needs. Deport all illegals now.