Thread: LA immigrant advocates denounce Bush's guest worker proposal

LA immigrant advocates denounce Bush's guest worker proposal

By PAUL CHAVEZ, Associated Press Writer

Wednesday, February 1, 2006


(02-01) 16:16 PST Los Angeles (AP) --


Leaders of immigrant advocacy groups Wednesday denounced President Bush's brief mention of a guest worker program during his State of the Union address, saying it would separate families and is unrealistic.


Two former workers of the Bracero Program — the U.S. guest worker system with Mexico from 1942 to 1964 — also said no new program should be started until all former guest workers collect unpaid retirement funds.


Bush devoted less than 100 words to immigration out of a 50-minute speech Tuesday night, but it was enough to rankle immigrant advocates.


About a dozen advocates gathered to criticize Bush's proposal at La Placita, the oldest Roman Catholic church in the city, in front of a large mural of the Virgin de Guadalupe. The church has declared itself a sanctuary for all immigrants.


Of the 11 million illegal immigrants in the country, very few would come forward to enroll in a temporary program that could lead to their deportation, said Angela Sanbrano, executive director of the Central American Resource Center.


"His program is not realistic and it does not reflect the values of the American people," Sanbrano said. "It would lead to the separation of families."


The advocates called for immigration reform that would provide permanent residency for immigrants already in the United States and a path for eventual U.S. citizenship.


The U.S. Senate is expected to take up immigration legislation in the coming weeks.


Felipe Aguirre, a city councilman in Maywood, said a guest worker program wouldn't address the issues faced by undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for years.


Many undocumented immigrants receive paychecks with Social Security and unemployment insurance withholdings, but cannot use those benefits, Aguirre said.


"We have to change the concept of being illegal," Aguirre said. "People are people and are here for a reason."


Aguirre said that 55 percent of residents in his city, located about five miles south of downtown Los Angeles, were born in a foreign country. Ninety-six percent of the city's 28,000 residents are Hispanic, according to U.S. Census data.


Joaquin Perez, 75, of Oaxaca, Mexico, said a new guest worker program shouldn't be started until all of the ex-guest workers, known as "braceros," receive their retirement funds.


About 10 percent of Bracero Program paychecks were withheld for savings and pension funds that were supposed to be paid in Mexico, as an incentive for migrants to return. The money, however, disappeared and a Mexican government investigation found no trace of it.


Perez, who said he picked cotton in Texas and fruit in California in the 1950s under the program, has become a legal U.S. resident. He said the Mexican government's offer of a one-time payment of $3,500 was far short of the money deducted and he doesn't want to return to Mexico to collect it.


"If they don't solve this problem, we can't agree with another one," Perez said in Spanish. "First they have to solve our problem."

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f ... 627S32.DTL

About 10 percent of Bracero Program paychecks were withheld for savings and pension funds that were supposed to be paid in Mexico, as an incentive for migrants to return. The money, however, disappeared and a Mexican government investigation found no trace of it.

I'll bet it's in that Lock Box where they keep our Social Security funds.

"If they don't solve this problem, we can't agree with another one," Perez said in Spanish. "First they have to solve our problem."

He's been here since the 50's and he still speaks Spanish!

"His program is not realistic and it does not reflect the values of the American people," Sanbrano said. "It would lead to the separation of families."

Screw you, pal! You're taking way too much for granted talking like that. Take what you get and shut the hell up.

"We have to change the concept of being illegal," Aguirre said. "People are people and are here for a reason."

So the concept will now be that breaking the law is not illegal, because people are people.

Okay, these people who have broken the law but are not to be considered illegal are here for what reason?

"His program is not realistic and it does not reflect the values of the American people," Sanbrano said. "It would lead to the separation of families."


The advocates called for immigration reform that would provide permanent residency for immigrants already in the United States and a path for eventual U.S. citizenship.

Oh, the reason is not that they want to participate in a guest worker program after all. They want a path to citizenship. Gee, I wonder if this comes as a revelation to Mr. Bush.

About 10 percent of Bracero Program paychecks were withheld for savings and pension funds that were supposed to be paid in Mexico, as an incentive for migrants to return. The money, however, disappeared and a Mexican government investigation found no trace of it.

Well now that is hard to believe that in a government so noted for it's integrity as Mexico this money would be misplaced without a trace.

"His program is not realistic and it does not reflect the values of the American people," Sanbrano said. "It would lead to the separation of families."

I thought they already were separated.

If not, then who did they send that $20 billion to last year?

Originally Posted by Darlene

[b]LA immigrant advocates denounce

Leaders of immigrant advocacy groups Wednesday denounced President Bush's brief mention of a guest worker program during his State of the Union address, saying it would separate families and is unrealistic.

He is right, it won't work, so let's just forget the guest worker thing, and deport all illegal aliens and anchor babies under age 18. That would keep their families together.

"We have to change the concept of being illegal," Aguirre said. "People are people and are here for a reason."

Yes, they are here for a reason, to steal from Americans and legal immigrants. That is the concept you need to grasp.