Immigrant rights rally may lack key figures
Backlash is foe to the cause, they say
BY NIRAJ WARIKOO • FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER • May 1, 2008



A divide in the Latino community over political strategy may lead to a smaller rally today for immigrant rights.



Some key figures in the past two protests are backing out of this year's rally, organizers say, over concerns that such rallies are creating a political backlash against their cause and might be counterproductive.

Moreover, there are worries that such a rally will hurt Latino-owned businesses and civic groups.

"There's a division," said Jose Cuello, an associate history professor at Wayne State University who is helping to organize this year's rally.

Last May 1, about 15,000 Latinos marched through southwest Detroit to support immigrants. And the year before, police estimated that 50,000 rallied, making it one of the biggest political protests in Detroit in recent years.

Still, Cuello said many are planning to march today from Patton Park to Clark Park to highlight what they see as attacks on legal and illegal immigrants.

The number of deportations of illegal immigrants in Michigan and Ohio, jumped 39% from fiscal year 2006 to 2007, and 85% since 2005, according to figures from the Department of Homeland Security.

The effects can be felt in places such as southwest Detroit, where immigration raids during the past year have unnerved some families.

This year, WSDS-AM (1480) -- the Spanish-language radio station based in Ypsilanti -- is not participating in this year's protest.

"It's not the time," said Alex Resendez, director of the station known as La Explosiva. The station has concern about the tone of the rally. And, given the poor economy, it doesn't want to hamper small businesses in southwest Detroit by asking them to close for the day, which happened last year.

La Explosiva's decision may have an impact because many Mexican immigrants in Michigan listen to the radio station for news and political issues. La Explosiva heavily promoted the past two rallies and had a truck at the events, leading the crowd in chants.

Still, the rally will go on, said organizer Rosendo Delgado, a coordinator with Latinos Unidos, a Detroit group helping to organize the event.

"We want to raise awareness," Delgado said.

Contact NIRAJ WARIKOO at 248-351-2998 or warikoo@freepress.com.



http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/arti ... /1007/NEWS