Family focus of immigrant forum
By Andre Salles
STAFF WRITER
BATAVIA — To cap off a four-day march from Chicago to Batavia and an impassioned rally in front of U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert's local office on Monday, supporters of immigration reform held a town hall meeting to discuss the issues Tuesday at the United Methodist Church of Batavia.
The meeting was organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, a group from Chicago that has helped put together many rallies and demonstrations outside Hastert's North River Street office here in recent years. It was titled "Broken Borders, Broken Families."
Juan Salgado, the president of the immigrant rights group, called on the speaker to move more quickly with comprehensive immigration reform.
"The American people are with us," he said. "Dennis Hastert must choose.
Is he a problem-solver or an opportunist?"
A recurring theme of Tuesday's meeting was family — specifically, the families that are separated when one or more members are deported, or do not survive the several-day trip across the desert after crossing the Mexican border.
Brenda Benitez, a 12-year-old Chicago resident, spoke about her mother, who was sent back to Mexico while four months pregnant with Brenda's brother. Her mother is now back in the United States, on a one-year visa, and Brenda, a U.S.-born citizen, said she plans to exercise her right to vote when she turns 18.
"I will be the voice of my parents and my community," she said, "and I will make sure when I vote that it's for someone who will benefit the community and all immigrants."
'Take in the stranger'
The Rev. Hector Garfias, of St. Francis de Asis Lutheran Church in Aurora, made an impassioned plea to take in immigrants as Jesus took in all people.
"When we say God bless America, I hope we are talking about the same God, the one who told us to take in the stranger," he said.
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat, outlined his vision of comprehensive immigration reform, one that includes securing the borders. It also includes identification cards for all immigrants, which would allow prospective employers to check their status before offering them jobs.
Gutierrez said that stricter regulations, including a six-year path to citizenship, would stop immigrants from coming to the country illegally.
"What's so liberal about that? Nothing," he said. "But it's fair, avoids the problems we already have, and will allow the 10 (million) to 12 million people already here to adjust their status immediately."
Hastert camp: Border first
Hastert spokesman Brad Hahn defended the speaker's focus on border security, saying that legislation under consideration also would reward employers for making good-faith efforts to verify citizenship.
"Border security is the first priority," Hahn said. "Until that is addressed, the other points are moot. The Senate bill is basically amnesty. The congressman opposes amnesty, but we help people every day in this office become citizens."
Hahn said he is sympathetic to the strong opinions and emotions on both sides of the immigration debate, but he was critical of the methods employed by rally organizers.
"The dialogue needs to focus on the best way to move forward," he said. "It's not a question of who can plan the biggest rally or who can make the most noise. These decisions have a profound effect on the future of our country, and we need to make sure we do it right."
But for Salgado, the issue is more personal, and — as was stated repeatedly Tuesday — about families torn apart by deportation.
"This is about mothers and fathers and children," he said. "It's about people in the United States looking for a better life for their families. What is a mother to do when asked to leave her child behind?"
09/06/06
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