Thread: Hempstead rally decries House-passed bill

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Hempstead rally decries House-passed bill co-sponsored by Rep. Peter King as an “un-American” law

BY BART JONES
STAFF WRITER

February 23, 2006

Joining protests that have spread around the country, nearly 100 immigrants, advocates, union leaders and politicians gathered outside Hempstead Town Hall yesterday to denounce what they called the harshest piece of anti-immigrant legislation in decades.

They said the proposed legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford), would turn undocumented immigrants into felons, send church workers and others who assist them to jail, and erect a 698-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"We're here on George Washington's birthday to demonstrate our moral outrage against this un-American bill," said Luis Valenzuela, executive director of the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, an immigrant advocacy group. "Our founding father would be turning over in his grave if he knew what was happening."

Supporters call the 257-page bill a reasonable step to attack an out-of-control problem that has led to an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants -- including about 100,000 on Long Island.

The bill, filed by Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), passed the House in December by a 239-182 vote and is expected to be debated in the Senate in coming weeks. King has said it would allow, for instance, Pentagon technology to be used for border enforcement and permit "deputizing" local police as immigration agents.

He denies it would lead to jail for church workers or others who assist or hire undocumented immigrants, saying similar laws have been on the books for decades and are aimed at people such as smugglers. Still, he has said he is willing to retool that part of the bill.

"It's the strongest, most comprehensive enforcement bill we have seen in a generation or more," said Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based think tank that favors stricter limits on immigration. "It goes about 70 percent of the way to getting us to actually enforcing the law, if it were ever implemented."

But the protesters, who included Hempstead Village Deputy Mayor Henry Conyers, said the bill would do nothing to reduce illegal immigration and that it was merely red meat being thrown to anti-immigrant sectors. They also disputed King's contention it would not open church workers and others to prosecution. Some carried signs saying, "My grandmother is not a criminal" and "We are a country of immigrants."

"This will just push people deeper into the shadows," said Edison Severino of the Manhattan-based Local 78 of the Asbestos, Lead and Hazardous Waste Laborers. He added that "I would be a criminal for having members [of the union] who are undocumented. If you have a maid in your house or someone who takes care of your children who happens to be an undocumented immigrant, you'd be a criminal, too."

Protesters said the root of the problem is that the United States labor market requires 500,000 low-skilled immigrant workers a year but provides only 5,000 visas for them. King has said he is not opposed to reconsidering the visa system but believes border enforcement must come first.

The bill is provoking street protests among immigrants and activists from Boston to Miami to California. In Philadelphia, some restaurant workers stayed home on Valentine's Day. The same day, the foreign ministers of Mexico, Colombia, Panama and El Salvador flew to Washington to meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and voice alarm over the bill.

This will just push people deeper into the shadows," said Edison Severino of the Manhattan-based Local 78 of the Asbestos, Lead and Hazardous Waste Laborers. He added that "I would be a criminal for having members [of the union] who are undocumented.

I hate to tell you Edison, that you are a criminal in my book and don't give me the BS of these are jobs, that Americans won't do. I know, that Americans will do these jobs. I have an Asbestos Project Designer License and Management License. So guess what buddy, all the workers I have had under me. Have all been American Citizens. Then don't tell me well these people work in the Haz Mat field. Well, 20 years here in the Haz Mat business. All American Citizens working with the world deadliest Chemicals. So don't tell me you can't have American Citizens. I know, when we would need 2 people, we would get several hundred applications, from American Citizens willing to do the dirty work. So Edison, I say you better start changing your ways. So In Final yes Edison you are a Criminal

According to federal law, he is a criminal.

"We're here on George Washington's birthday to demonstrate our moral outrage against this un-American bill," said Luis Valenzuela, executive director of the Long Island Immigrant Alliance, an immigrant advocacy group. "Our founding father would be turning over in his grave if he knew what was happening."

Well, unlike Valenzuela apparently, I won't claim to have known George Washington personally or have had the benefit of a séance with President Washington. But, I do recall reading that George Washington had a bunch of what would amount to present day illegal aliens (called squatters then) thrown off of his property. So, that would indicate that George Washington wasn't all that fond of illegal aliens. I think George Washington and most of the other founding fathers would be considerably more miffed with us for not protecting the borders of and preserving the country the founding fathers sacrificed to create. Once again, the opposition resorts to distortion, deception, and propaganda to trick us into giving them what they want rather than basing their desires on anything rational. George Washington would have known the difference, I'm pretty sure.

But the protesters, who included Hempstead Village Deputy Mayor Henry Conyers, said the bill would do nothing to reduce illegal immigration and that it was merely red meat being thrown to anti-immigrant sectors. They also disputed King's contention it would not open church workers and others to prosecution. Some carried signs saying, "My grandmother is not a criminal" and "We are a country of immigrants."

We are a country of immigrants. And, once again, they resort to pointless and inaccurate clichés that would have nothing to do with anything even if they were accurate. A nation that survives doesn't base national policy on silly cliches. Also, notice the use of the anti-immigrant word rather than the more accurate anti-immigration word, let alone in this case, probably the most accurate term would be anti-illegal immigration. Anybody who is for what they want, is pro-immigration, anybody opposed is anti-immigrant, according to them. In reality, accurate use of those terms probably would require switching them around because those opposed are generally opposed to the process; those in favor generally have specific immigrants in mind. It's all just more deceit and propaganda on their part.