Published: July 3, 2010
Updated: 7:19 p.m.

Hundreds rally against illegal immigrants

By ERIKA I. RITCHIE
THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO With a rally cry to stop illegal immigration, to equally apply the law to all, and to promote free enterprise, the SJC Americans used the July Fourth weekend to discuss what they think being American is about.

"We want to celebrate the wonderful country we live in and voice our freedom of speech," said group co-founder Orrie Brown. "We want to give people hints on what they can do to stand up and protect our freedoms."

Eldon Alexander, one of several speakers at the San Juan Capistrano Tea Party rally talks to a group of about 350 people. The group believes in a free market, a limited government and less taxes. They are also opposed to illegal immigration.MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The three-hour rally was held in San Juan's Historic Town Center Park and drew about 350 people. People sat on beach chairs and blankets – many with picnic baskets – cheering comments made by speakers that included Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, Cheryl Burns, a community activist from San Juan Capistrano, and Ted Hilton, a San Diego activist who supports the proposed California Taxpayer Protection Act that targets sanctuary cities.

Calvert said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to go, and reminded the group of President Obama's call for comprehensive immigration reform earlier this week.

"I doubt there will be much traction heading into November for amnesty but the plan may be to bring up a bill during the lame-duck session after the election," Calvert said. "This would mean that after many Democrats are thrown out of office, Obama and Pelosi, with the help of elected officials no longer accountable to their constituents, will force through legislation to provide citizenship to 12 million people whose first action was to break our laws."

Calvert said he supports building a double-layered fence along the entire southern border and has been pushing for all employers to adopt E-Verify, the government program that verifies a job applicant's eligibility to work. He said when Americans are out of work any available jobs should go to American citizens and legal residents.

"Our nation is truly a land of immigrants, but is a land of legal – not illegal – immigrants," he said.

Deborah Craig, 40, from Mission Viejo liked what the speakers said, including a warning about an influx of Muslim terrorist groups at local universities.

"I came here to meet people who are concerned about illegal immigration and the trend that the country is taking toward socialism," she said. "It's encouraging that others are stepping up to do something. Instead of going to fireworks and barbecues, you're participating in the American experience."

While the event was mostly peaceful, a small group of anti-TEA party protestors gathered at the back of the park to engage in political discussion with the TEA party activists.

Alex Galindo, 23, from San Juan Capistrano, said the reception from the TEA party supporters was not friendly.

"It's gone exactly as I expected," the Saddleback College sophomore said. "I was arguing about the North America Free Trade Agreement and how it asks migrant workers to obey two unjust laws. Those would be the current immigration policy and the North America Free Trade Agreement. Only one person agreed with me.

Galindo said the rally's speakers had nothing important to say.
Adrian Castillo, 22, who met Galindo at the TEA party event, said he has felt discrimination since he was a child in elementary school.
"I want people in South County to know there is an opposition and that it's not just old, white, rich people," he said.

Galindo later got into an argument with members of the American third Position, a group based out of Westminster that wants to halt all immigration and expel illegal immigrants, after they started taking pictures of Galindo and his friends.

Mitch Stevens, 37, a member of the American third Position, said he and nine others came to the TEA party rally to pass out fliers and to hear what the San Juan group had to say.

"I think they are good even though they represent a conservative agenda," Stevens said. "We support a protectionist agenda, which means protecting America by enacting tariffs on foreign goods which compete with American industry. We oppose mass immigration and oppose our monetary system. We are just regular folks here out of curiosity."

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/people-2 ... rican.html