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  1. #1
    Senior Member PatrioticMe's Avatar
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    Immigration rights advocates focus on families

    At an evangelical church in Norcross, Ga., last month, the audience heard from children affected by the crackdown on illegal immigration. Organizers are planning a rally in Washington to pressure President Obama to prioritize comprehensive immigration reform.
    Children left behind by deported parents have become the new face of the campaign. Borrowing a page from the civil rights movement, supporters have taken their cause to churches.
    By Dahleen Glanton
    March 10, 2009
    Reporting from Norcross, Ga. -- On a recent afternoon, 15-year-old Marlon Parras stood on stage in front of 3,000 people and talked about the hardships he and his 13-year-old sister have faced since their parents were deported to Guatemala.

    He wept as he spoke of his parents' decision to leave them, both American citizens, with relatives and church members so they could continue their education in suburban Atlanta.



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    "This is not a family," Marlon told the crowd. "This is not fair."

    Two years after an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws failed in Congress, Latino leaders have revitalized the effort -- positioning children who were left behind when their parents were deported as the new face of the movement. The campaign is designed to pressure President Obama to make comprehensive immigration reform a priority.

    Borrowing a page from the civil rights movement of the 1960s, supporters of immigration rights have taken their cause to churches, drawing upon the growing population of evangelical Latinos, who are strong advocates of family values. Nearly 1 in 6 Latinos in the U.S. identify themselves as evangelicals, according to the Pew Hispanic Center. Only Roman Catholics make up a larger group.


    "We want to make sure President Barack Obama understands that while [the economy] . . . needs his attention, we want him to keep his promise to address comprehensive immigration reform during the first year of his first term," said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who has organized rallies in 17 cities. "Our families are the cornerstone of our society, and we want to protect those families."

    The mostly Latino audience that packed the large evangelical church in Norcross prayed, sang spirituals and heard from families -- including the Parrases -- that have been torn apart.

    Their stories are designed to focus attention on what community leaders said was the most tragic consequence of the crackdown on illegal immigration: the breakup of families. It is a problem that Latino leaders have said affects up to 5 million children, most of whom were born in the U.S. and therefore are citizens.

    During tough economic times, it may be difficult to gain public support for legislation that could provide legal citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants.

    Still, Gutierrez -- who shared the church stage with Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights icon -- brought the effort deep into conservative territory, where many support plans to secure the borders rather than grant widespread citizenship. Georgia has one of the fastest-growing illegal immigrant populations in the nation, rising to about 490,000 in 2008 from 228,000 in 2000, according to state estimates.

    But Latino leaders are hoping that concern and empathy for broken families will galvanize their community and draw the support of others. Organizers are gathering thousands of petitions and plan a rally in Washington in July.

    "When you have a 15-year-old American citizen speak very emotionally and eloquently about his pain, most Americans will say, 'We didn't know the system was that broken,' " said Gutierrez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' immigration task force. "Americans do support the basic premise that children should not be held accountable for the actions of adults."

    Latinos turned out 2 to 1 for Obama over Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in the 2008 presidential election, and helped him capture key battleground states such as New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Florida. Now they want him to honor his campaign promise.

    "We understand that Mr. Obama is in a difficult position," said the Rev. Miguel Rivera, president of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, which represents 20,000 churches in 34 states. "Latinos supported him because they were extremely disappointed with Republicans and the ultra-conservative right wing evangelical movement. So it is important that he make immigration reform a priority."

    Michael Franc, vice president for government relations for the conservative Heritage Foundation, said overhauling immigration laws was a divisive subject among Democrats as well as Republicans.

    "They hate it. It's radioactive on both sides of the aisle," Franc said. "There was a schism on the Democratic side during the last immigration debate, but because the Republicans were so vocal in their opposition, no one noticed the Democrats' reluctance."

    When people are out of work and struggling to keep their families together, there is less sympathy for illegal immigrants, he said. A tight job market and the competition for jobs provided in the federal stimulus package also could influence public perceptions about immigration.

    "If you are trying to reach out to newer audiences and expand the pro-immigration reform level of support, it is easier to feel sympathy for the horror stories coming into your living room on your TV screen when things are going well for everybody," Franc said. "If you have a job, the story of those kids pulls on your heartstrings, but it is perceived differently when you are wondering how you are going to pay your bills because the economy is tanking."

    Still, Latino leaders are highlighting the stories of people like Tanyia Lopez, 12, whose mother was deported to Honduras last year, leaving her and her four younger siblings, including a chronically ill 2-year-old. Their 16-year-old aunt dropped out of high school to care for them full time. They recently faced eviction because their grandmother lost her job. They have depended on their church for survival.

    "The little ones don't understand what happened to our mom," Tanyia said, adding that they have no money to join her in Honduras. "We all miss her and we want to be together."

    dglanton@tribune.com

    http://www.latimes.com/news/printeditio ... 2820.story
    Last edited by Jean; 08-28-2013 at 06:18 PM.

  2. #2
    Senior Member ReggieMay's Avatar
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    I think what would really get them sympathy is to march in the streets holding signs written in Spanish. That would really make those meanie Americans feel sorry for them.
    "A Nation of sheep will beget a government of Wolves" -Edward R. Murrow

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  3. #3
    Senior Member PatrioticMe's Avatar
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    "When you have a 15-year-old American citizen speak very emotionally and eloquently about his pain, most Americans will say, 'We didn't know the system was that broken,' " said Gutierrez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' immigration task force. "Americans do support the basic premise that children should not be held accountable for the actions of adults."

    Why does this idiot, and others like him, keep trying to tell us what we believe and what we think? Is he so accustomed to dealing with ignorant, mindless blobs who have no independent thought that he thinks he can tell us all what we think and feel?

    Every single website I've been to in the last almost 3 years reading what Americans are saying, NONE of us believe this crap. Children suffer all the time for bad choices their parents make. That's nothing new. What is relatively new is that we now have illegals here who think that should be different for their "human shields". It's a shame, true enough, but the blame lies completely with the stupid parents.

  4. #4
    Senior Member miguelina's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PatrioticMe
    "When you have a 15-year-old American citizen speak very emotionally and eloquently about his pain, most Americans will say, 'We didn't know the system was that broken,' " said Gutierrez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' immigration task force. "Americans do support the basic premise that children should not be held accountable for the actions of adults."

    Why does this idiot, and others like him, keep trying to tell us what we believe and what we think? Is he so accustomed to dealing with ignorant, mindless blobs who have no independent thought that he thinks he can tell us all what we think and feel?

    Every single website I've been to in the last almost 3 years reading what Americans are saying, NONE of us believe this crap. Children suffer all the time for bad choices their parents make. That's nothing new. What is relatively new is that we now have illegals here who think that should be different for their "human shields". It's a shame, true enough, but the blame lies completely with the stupid parents.
    Right on PatrioticMe! When I see a 15 year old "citizen" ABANDONED by his/her illegal alien parent(s), whining and putting the blame on us, my sentiments are not sympathy. Far from it! Their convoluted logic pisses me off. Good, decent people don't abandon their kids. Their refusal to take responsibility for their own actions is supposed to make me feel sorry for them?!?! In a pig's eye!

    GET OUT!
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)
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  5. #5
    Senior Member PatrioticMe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by miguelina
    Quote Originally Posted by PatrioticMe
    "When you have a 15-year-old American citizen speak very emotionally and eloquently about his pain, most Americans will say, 'We didn't know the system was that broken,' " said Gutierrez, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus' immigration task force. "Americans do support the basic premise that children should not be held accountable for the actions of adults."

    Why does this idiot, and others like him, keep trying to tell us what we believe and what we think? Is he so accustomed to dealing with ignorant, mindless blobs who have no independent thought that he thinks he can tell us all what we think and feel?

    Every single website I've been to in the last almost 3 years reading what Americans are saying, NONE of us believe this crap. Children suffer all the time for bad choices their parents make. That's nothing new. What is relatively new is that we now have illegals here who think that should be different for their "human shields". It's a shame, true enough, but the blame lies completely with the stupid parents.
    Right on PatrioticMe! When I see a 15 year old "citizen" ABANDONED by his/her illegal alien parent(s), whining and putting the blame on us, my sentiments are not sympathy. Far from it! Their convoluted logic pisses me off. Good, decent people don't abandon their kids. Their refusal to take responsibility for their own actions is supposed to make me feel sorry for them?!?! In a pig's eye!

    GET OUT!
    I noticed that the article said most people who attended this BS session were Latino. How many of them were legal and how many were here illegally is anyone's guess, but I would guess more were not in our nation legally. The ones who were may have family and friends who are here illegally. They're the only people buying this bull and they're just hoping the rest of us are...a pretty futile hope. NO ONE who loves this nation and wants to see it continue to be the (still) greatest nation on the planet buys this crap.

    Luis Gutter-whatevr-his-name-is is only going to do what Bush did when he took his "trip"around the nation to try to convince us that dumping social security was "best" for us....he's going to piss off even more Americans.

  6. #6
    ELE
    ELE is offline
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    It is so wrong to separate families.

    Yes, the poor children must not be separated from their parents, they must go back to Mexico and/or their home country with their illegal parents. It is the humane thing to do.
    Join our efforts to Secure America's Borders and End Illegal Immigration by Joining ALIPAC's E-Mail Alerts network (CLICK HERE)

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