Thread: Immigration rights backers marching on

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercuryn ... 425385.htm

Posted on Sat, Sep. 02, 2006

Immigration rights backers marching on

By Jessie Mangaliman
Mercury News

Immigrants and their advocates in the Bay Area and across the country will hit the streets once more on Labor Day in their latest effort to push for legislation that would give millions of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

Local organizers -- a coalition from labor, immigrant advocacy and church groups -- say they hope to match the turnout at rallies in May, when 125,000 marched for immigrant rights in San Jose. Massive rallies in other U.S. cities at the time prompted organizers to call it ``the new civil rights movement.''

But without the official backing of major labor unions and other national groups, Monday's march is likely to be a smaller affair, organized primarily by local immigrant groups seeking to send a last-ditch message to Congress before it adjourns in the fall. It's not clear if Congress will take up two immigration reform bills next week.

San Jose police said they expect 20,000 to 25,000 people to participate, about the same as the first immigrants' march in April. Police in San Francisco estimate 3,000 to 5,000 will march there.

``We are encouraging union members to attend, but we're not an official sponsor,'' said Salvador Bustamante, regional vice president for Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union in San Jose, which helped draw thousands of workers in the two marches.

Bustamante said he plans to march in San Jose on Monday, with individual SEIU members. At a Friday news conference, day-workers from Mountain View, San Mateo and Redwood City announced they will participate.

An ``Anti-Illegal Immigration Rally'' counterprotest will be held Monday morning on Cypress Avenue, near San Tomas Expressway in San Jose, organized by www.illegalimmigrantprotest.com, which held similar protests in May.

Marches are also planned in Los Angeles, Chicago and Phoenix. Thursday, another march is scheduled in Washington, D.C.

``We are energized and we'd like to keep going because it's really important to work together,'' said Maria Marroquin, director of the Worker Center at Calvary Church in Mountain View, one of the San Jose march's organizers.

For the past week, Jose Sandoval, organizer of the San Jose rally, has been handing out fliers in Spanish and English to shoppers at Mi Pueblo Plaza on King Road. He's also been collecting supporter signatures on a large banner that marchers will carry to San Jose City Hall. Local Spanish radio stations have also promoted the event, he said.

Opponents of congressional legislation that would give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship doubt the effectiveness of the marches.

``We're not anti-immigrant,'' said Roberta Allen, organizer of the counterprotest planned on Labor Day. ``We're anti-illegal immigrant. We've got laws in place. They need to abide by those rules and laws.''

``Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote,'' is a theme that immigrant marchers are invoking, in a clear political signal to legislators considering immigration reform bills. HR 4437, an enforcement-focused bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives in April, would make it a federal felony to live in the United States illegally. SB 2611, a bill approved by the U.S. Senate in May, would beef up border security while giving legal status to illegal immigrants already here. Eventually it would provide a path to citizenship.

With the elections coming in November, opponents and supporters of both bills said it is unlikely that Congress will negotiate a combination of the two bills this session.

Still, immigrants and their advocates said a Labor Day march could send a powerful message.

``We are continuing our mobilization,'' said Terrence Valen, organizational director for the Filipino Community Center in San Francisco. ``We're reminding Congress that there's an immigrant rights movement asking for just and humane immigration laws.''

During the march in San Jose, workers from immigrant groups will register eligible voters as part of a campaign to mobilize the immigrant vote, said Martha Campos, program director for Services, Immigrant Rights and Education Network. The San Jose group recently launched a campaign to increase political participation among immigrants.

El Comite de Padres Unidos, an East Bay group, and Voluntarios de la Comunidad in San Jose also will register voters.

``It's important to be present at the march, but it's not just about marching,'' Campos said. ``Mobilizing the vote is an effective way to get the immigrant voice heard.''

``It's important to be present at the march, but it's not just about marching,'' Campos said. ``Mobilizing the vote is an effective way to get the immigrant voice heard.''

We have heard and listned and just don't agree......Amnesty NO. Continued marching and DEMANDING isn't changing anyones mind.

The marches are actually drawing attention to those Americans who are unaware of how serious a problem this is. It angers people who see criminals marching in the streets demanding rights they have no business demanding. It is actually helping our side

Originally Posted by steelerbabe

The marches are actually drawing attention to those Americans who are unaware of how serious a problem this is. It angers people who see criminals marching in the streets demanding rights they have no business demanding. It is actually helping our side

Steelerbabe, you are so right. I have had many people tell me they weren't too interested in the immigration debate until the day w/o an illegal happened. Now these same people are steaming mad and want something done about it.
I say let 'em march. Its only going to make more and more Americans madder than hell.