Thread: Immigrant group plans long walk to Batavia

Immigrant groups plan long walk to Batavia

August 8, 2006

BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA Staff Reporter




Immigrant rights advocates plan to walk 47 miles of city and suburban sidewalks to become a moving reminder that "La lucha sigue" -- the struggle continues -- for comprehensive immigration reform.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, along with organizers of recent Chicago immigration marches, are planning the Immigrant Workers Justice Walk from Chinatown to House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's Batavia office over Labor Day weekend. They're demanding legalization for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S.

'We want to end hypocrisy'



Joshua Hoyt, ICIRR executive director, says the millions of immigrants who contribute to the U.S. economy's prosperity need relief.

"We want to end the hypocrisy of not including people who give their sweat and hard work for our American dream," Hoyt said. "There's no more appropriate time to do that than on this holiday that celebrates hard work."

Marchers are tentatively scheduled to step off from Chinatown at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, and arrive at Hastert's office in Batavia around 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 4.

Hastert spokesman Brad Hahn said he wasn't sure whether the speaker would be there to receive them.

"He understands the depth of emotion on all sides of this issue, and he encourages people to move above emotion and come together to move forward," Hahn said. "This is not about who can yell the loudest or attract the most people to a rally. The real activity is what's going on to try to secure our borders and get legislation passed. That's where the focus should be."

Gabe Gonzalez, regional organizer for the Center for Community Change, is gearing up for a logistical labyrinth. He plans on as many as 500 people to march from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, with supporters joining in intermittently along the route.

So far, no firm commitments have been made by communities along the proposed route for marchers' eating, bathroom or sleeping needs.

"We're trying to hook up with churches and mosques [along the route] to allow us room to sleep and hopefully a shower in the morning," said Gonzalez, "and we'll work with the police departments to be orderly and safe.

"A whole lot of this is really up in the air," Gonzalez said. "I know we're only twenty-something days days away and there's a lot to be resolved, but we have faith."

ecepeda@suntimes.com

Attention immigrant rights advocates, here's your new path to walk on labor day. Start in Nogales AZ, and head south. Stop when you are 47 miles past the border. YOU'RE HOME!

'We want to end hypocrisy'

So stop being hypocrites and go home.

to become a moving reminder that "La lucha sigue" -- the struggle continues

the BS more like it!