Thread: Dozens rally at Border Patrol post to support migrants

December 11, 2008


Dozens rally at Border Patrol post to support migrants

Gary McLendon
Staff writer

Nearly 60 people from organizations across the state rallied Wednesday in front of the U.S. Border Patrol Station in Irondequoit against laws affecting migrant farm workers.

The rally was held to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.

"We are not protesting the individual border patrol agents. It's their methodologies and their mandate," said rally organizer John Ghertner of Sodus, Wayne County.

Protesters say that while trying to enforce the law, agents are rounding up migrants through warrantless raids, and using racial profiling and questioning.

U.S. Border Patrol Buffalo sector spokesman A.J. Price, via phone from Grand Island, said to the contrary, the most common comment the border patrol hears is that its agents are acting in a professional manner.

"We actually think it's a positive. It means they are doing their jobs better," he said. "We're catching more people who are in the U.S. illegally."

Price said the Buffalo sector (Buffalo, Erie, Pa., Niagara Falls, Rochester, Oswego and Wellesley Island) has hired more than 100 agents in the past two years, and apprehended more than 3,000 illegal immigrants, 900 more than a year ago.

"They (migrants) are overstaying their visas, coming over the border illegally, or violating the law while here, invalidating their legal immigration status," he said.

Protesters also discussed equal rights for farm workers.

Migrant farm work is dangerous, with workers facing the dangers of chemical exposure, unsafe work equipment and transportation, and squalid living conditions.

"They are not safe at work. They are not safe at home. They are not safe in-between home and work. Where are they safe? They are not safe anywhere," said lawyer Michael Bersani of Geneva. "A lot of people that are undocumented think they don't have any rights. We're talking about human rights."

In addition, said protesters, the economic reality of farm work — there are not enough local people to do the difficult, low-paying work of harvesting fruit and vegetables and working on dairy farms — creates the need to enforce workers' rights.

"To spend the money to arrest and deport them is not helpful to anybody," Bersani said. "... There are local institutions like dollar stores, clothing stores and Laundromats that depend on people for their enterprise. They are not getting that business now."

GMCLENDN@DemocratandChronicle.com

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"To spend the money to arrest and deport them is not helpful to anybody," Bersani said. "...

It's helpful to me because one they're here I have to spend the money to support them.

"They (migrants) are overstaying their visas, coming over the border illegally, or violating the law while here, invalidating their legal immigration status," he said.

At least someone get it.

"They are not safe at work. They are not safe at home. They are not safe in-between home and work. Where are they safe? They are not safe anywhere," said lawyer Michael Bersani of Geneva. "A lot of people that are undocumented think they don't have any rights. We're talking about human rights."

They'd be safe in their home countries. ICE is very humane, they want to return them to their home countries and stop their exploitation. How's that for humane?

Oh and "human rights" does not mean breaking laws to enter and squat in other countries. Nor does it guarantee them a job. They can demand human rights in their birth countries. The protesters should accompany them, just to make sure their "human rights" are addressed.