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Sunday, June 4, 2006
Last modified Sunday, June 4, 2006 2:20 AM MDT

Frustrations voiced again: Immigration critics come together at rally in Palominas

BY GENTRY BRASWELL

HERALD/REVIEW

PALOMINAS — Another group has formed out of frustration regarding U.S. immigration policy, and the Palominas Trading Post on Highway 92 provided the arena for its political venting Saturday.

The new group, S.O.S. Borders, is described as a more moderate organization by co-director Kimberly Fletcher. It has a philosophy based on common-sense need for border security, she said.

Fletcher’s group organized the rally at which leaders and participants in many already well-known organizations such as the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, American Border Patrol, the new-but-growing Mothers Against Illegal Aliens organization, Eagle Forum and Desert Visions spoke.

The rally was called Hands Along the Border.

No counterprotesters were immediately evident at the rally.

Dale Stoner, pastor of the Palominas First Assembly of God Church, said a prayer as the speakers lined up for the podium. Dozens gathered, giving cheers whenever immigration opinions and statements struck their fancy.

The speakers directed many strong words toward U.S. lawmakers, President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox.

Fletcher, who is from Ohio, kicked the event off with harsh warnings about poor illegal immigration policy. She feels the U.S. Congress is “making it more convenient” for illegal immigrants to stay in the United States, and critiqued the content of President Bush’s recent speech about illegal immigration.

“Where he failed in his speech was not showing both sides of the issue,” Fletcher said.

She used an overflowing bathtub as a metaphor for the illegal immigration problem, wherein one ought to turn off the water before getting a mop.

“We can talk about the second problem when the first problem has been addressed,” Fletcher said. “I want to call on our leaders. Stop confusing the issue.”

Congressional candidate Randy Graf noted none of his competitors for retiring Rep. Jim Kolbe’s seat were apparently present at the rally. The Republican reiterated his criticism of proposed amnesty programs and the need to secure the Southwestern border.

Anyone at the rally who had not visited the Minuteman group’s wall being erected a few miles south of the Palominas Trading Post along the U.S.-Mexico border should take a look, Graf said.

Signs with statements about immigration also were part of the rally. A protest sign near the podium read “Illegal aliens + schools = leprosy! chagas! tuberculosis! hepatitis! AIDS!” Another sign read “Open Borders = the Death of U.S.”

Mesa resident J.T. Ready traveled to Palominas with an opinion and said he considers the big increase in public awareness about the immigration problem to be a victory.

Ready suggested his brothers who’ve served in Afghanistan should’ve been deployed on the home soil, defending the U.S. border.

“Before 9/11, people didn’t understand what the urgency was, but now you can’t turn on the TV or radio when someone isn’t talking about immigration. This is a major, major victory,” Ready said.

Guest speaker Yeh Ling-Ling, a legal immigrant who is the director of the Diversity Alliance for a Sustainable America, discussed potential impacts of poor immigration policy that Americans might not yet have considered.

“Do we have an unlimited amount of energy to support this explosion of population?” she asked.

Ling-Ling argued the current deficit in education quality at U.S. public schools is largely a result of illegal immigration, and she suggested the same for the U.S. healthcare problems.

“As we well know, Mexico has actively encouraged illegal immigration into the United States,” she said.

Ling-Ling suggested the constant, exponential increase of the foreign population in the Southwest might lead to the United States eventually losing the region to secession.

“Mexico is using both legal and illegal immigration to influence our policy and for eventual national expansion,” she said.

National Minuteman Civil Defense Corps Director Al Garza said he is a U.S. citizen despite his ethnic background. And he said he is not prepared to give his country away.

“I’m Italian, Spanish and Mexican and I’m very proud of all three, but I’m equally proud to be an American,” Garza said.

Generations of his family have fought overseas for the United States since World War I. “And I’ll be damned if we’re going to give it away,” he said.

“They are fighting a war, a silent war, but we are on to them. Whatever it takes, we’re going to stop it. Mr. Fox, I got news for you, pal. We’re on to you,” said Garza, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran.

He also issued a message to illegal immigrants coming from Mexico.

“If you want to do the jobs that Americans won’t do, then do them, but we don’t require 20 million of you,” he said.

Cindy Kolb, president of Desert Vision and the local resident, talked about task of the U.S. Border Patrol, which she said “protects the country with one hand tied behind their back, and their mouth taped. Washington shuts them up.”

Minuteman volunteer Bill Dore issued his solution to the porous border.

“If Mr. Bush was really serious about securing this border, he could do it overnight. All he would have to do is sign an executive order,” he said.

Fletcher, who is also the president of Homemakers for America, called the Mexican president a dictator.

“He’s getting rid of his undesirables, and his giving them a booklet on how to do it,” she said.

Other speakers Saturday morning included MAIA President Michelle Dallacroce and American Border Patrol President Glenn Spencer.

“The Border Patrol is designed to fail. This is the challenge you face,” Spencer said. “This is very subtle.”

At the end of the event, the participants formed a human-wall.

REPORTER Gentry Braswell can be reached at 515-4680.