March planned to protest Irving's immigration stance

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08:08 PM CDT on Tuesday, October 9, 2007
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
bformby@dallasnews.com

Hispanic activists are planning a march Saturday to protest the Irving Police Department's use of a controversial program that turns illegal immigrants who have been arrested over to federal officials for deportation proceedings.

"We think it's excessive and needs to be looked at," said Jose Galvez, a rally organizer.

The march is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday and will begin at the corner of Rock Island Road and Main Street and move west along Rock Island to City Hall. A rally will follow.

Mr. Galvez, a Farmers Branch resident who ran unsuccessfully this year for a City Council seat there, said the march will be peaceful. He expects 400 to 1,200 people from North Texas to participate.

The march will come less than a month after more than 1,000 protesters rallied at Irving City Hall and called for an end to the city's use of the Criminal Alien Program.

The program provides around-the-clock communication with federal authorities. Irving officials say that they aren't deporting anyone but rather working with federal officials in a program open to all cities. Police have turned over more than 1,600 people to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the last year.

Last month, Mexican Consul Enrique Hubbard Urrea warned immigrants from his country to avoid the suburb.

For more information about the rally, call 214-524-1741.