Thread: IL: Group vows boycott of Waukegan businesses re: 287g sob..

If you go to the link there is a poll asking if the boycott will succed or not. Please take a moment to vote. Thank you.

Group vows boycott of Waukegan businesses


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July 3, 2007

By JUDY MASTERSON jmasterson@scn1.com

WAUKEGAN -- Latino activists say they will begin a boycott of Waukegan businesses if the City Council does not back off its efforts to obtain from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the power to prosecute undocumented felons. I was at the meeting and there were many threats and demands.

Members of the Waukegan chapters of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement and Centro Sin Fronteras rallied in front of City Hall two hours before the council meeting Monday night chanting "Stop the raids! Stop the deportations!" and carrying signs reading "Liberty and Justice for All." Emma Lozano was there and brought up Elvira...

Protestors packed the City Council chambers Monday night. A parade of about two dozen speakers made their views known to the City Council during the public comment period.

In addition to the police ICE issue, speaker spoke out against the city's tow ordinance, and building code "harassment." An independent police review board was also requested.

"287(g) drives immigrants into the shadows," said one speaker. "My husband is afraid to go to work to support my family."

Jackie Herrera, who lives in Chicago but grew up in Waukegan, said, "With laws like this, crimes go unreported, and victims (of domestic violence) will stay quiet because (police) will be questioning them about their immigration status." She admitted her husband was illegal.

"We're going to start a selective boycott of selective businesses that support 287(g)," Margaret Carrasco told the council.

"I am the face of a broken family," said Zurita Otero, whose husband was deported. "I need my other half. You cannot do this. You cannot break up families like that."

After public comment, the City Council went right to its regular agenda without comment.

"We want them to drop the application now," said Jose Guzman, referring to the city's application to ICE to use provision 287(g) to aid in deporting suspected felons.

Accompanied by his sister Celia Gonzales, whose son Roberto Gonzalez died in January 2006 after police used force to subdue him in his home, Guzman said the death was evidence that police are capable of abusing their authority.

"More people are going to get killed by the police and there will be more abuse," Guzman said. "We don't want to boycott. We want to work together. But they don't want to work together."

Waukegan Police Chief Bill Biang said Gonzalez's death is no predictor of future police behavior should the city use 287(g).

"We are certainly sympathetic to Mr. Guzman and his nephew," Biang said. "We were trying to save his life. The coroner said he died from lethal levels of drugs in his system, not from anything the police did."

A one-time restaurant cook who came to Waukegan illegally in 1970 before gaining citizenship, Guzman said he has worked for the election of Democrats on the council, including aldermen John Balen, Larry TenPas and the Mayor Dick Hyde.

"He doesn't care if Waukegan goes down," Guzman said of Hyde. "All he cares about is condos by the lake."

Hyde refused to back down on the application to ICE during a packed meeting at Holy Family Parish last week and in an earlier meeting with Guzman and other activists. But he did pledge that the city would not use 287(g) to deport unlicensed drivers, immigrants without legal identification or those found guilty of minor offenses including traffic violations.

Guzman said Hyde promised in a meeting at Holy Family after his nephew was killed that he would "leave working people alone."

"But that's not true," Guzman said pointing to the city ordinance under which police continue to seize the vehicles of those without driver's licenses and insurance.

Guzman said people are paying up to $2,000 in various fines and other costs to get their vehicles back.

"The only one who can resolve the (illegal immigration) problem is the federal governments of the U.S., Mexico and Central American countries, the big corporations and investment companies," Guzman said. "All workers should be unionized. As long as people are hungry, they are going to keep coming here."

Correspondent Craig Peterson contributed to this report.

"287(g) drives immigrants into the shadows," said one speaker. "My husband is afraid to go to work to support my family."

There is such a strong sense of entitlement without any corresponding accountability.

Guzman said people are paying up to $2,000 in various fines and other costs to get their vehicles back.

And when you drive without a licence or insurance you should be thankful your not getting sent off to jail or deported on top of that! These people just don't understand that in America we have laws! They truely believe they should be able to do whatever suits them!

A boycott by these illegals against businesses might just win sympathy & support for the businesses. Wouldn't you support them just to thwart the illegals' efforts?

"287(g) drives immigrants into the shadows," said one speaker. "My husband is afraid to go to work to support my family."

Good. He should be afraid to go to work. He's an illegal alien with no right to be working in this country.


"We're going to start a selective boycott of selective businesses that support 287(g)," Margaret Carrasco told the council.


[b]Does it really matter? They typically patronize only Hispanic owned businesses anyway. And, during their other "boycotts" all anybody noticed was available parking and less crowded stores with shorter lines. I also didn't hear anyone complaining and stores reported no great loss.

"I am the face of a broken family," said Zurita Otero, whose husband was deported. "I need my other half. You cannot do this. You cannot break up families like that."

Again, she's free to go join him. And yes, Zurita, we can do this and we will do this. Any questions?


After public comment, the City Council went right to its regular agenda without comment.

[b]And they should continue to not comment. They owe these criminals and thugs no explanation for anything

"But that's not true," Guzman said pointing to the city ordinance under which police continue to seize the vehicles of those without driver's licenses and insurance.

Guzman said people are paying up to $2,000 in various fines and other costs to get their vehicles back.

Once again, their argument that the laws which apply to everyone else should not apply to them. And why, if they are losing their vehicles for no licenses and insurance are they able to pick them up from the impound yard? As far as I know, in every other state, to get your car out of impound you need license, reg. and ins.,especially if not having those things was part of the violation for which your car was seized.



I really hope that the City doesn't give in to these bullies.
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They just refuse to believe that they are breaking the law by even being here. They need to simply leave!