Marchers Rally In Winter Haven for Immigration Rights

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... G/60422008

Published Saturday, April 22, 2006
Saturday, April 22, 2006

Marchers Rally In Winter Haven for Immigration Rights

By Iza Montalvo & Yesenia Mojarro


WINTER HAVEN - Polk County's first major immigrants rights march drew more than 1,200 people Saturday in a peaceful display that filled the sidewalk along State Road 17 in Winter Haven.

The marchers, waving American flags and carrying signs, walked three miles from Cypress Gardens Boulevard to Inman Park at S.R. 17 and Havendale Boulevard.

"`We are not criminals, we are immigrants,'' one sign read. ``We harvest the fruit you eat, we clean your house, but we can't live here?'' read another.

As they marched along U.S. 17, some people driving by honked their horns in support.

Others shouted derogatory words at the marchers or stuck their arms out of a car window to give them thumbs down.

Many immigrants shouted ``Si se puede!''(Yes we can), the slogan of the late farmworkers' leader Cesar Chavez, who unionized many U.S. migrant laborers from the 1950s to 1970s.

A Ledger reporter counted more than 1,200 participants at the ``Building Bridges with Unity'' rally. Organizers said most of the walkers were legal immigrants from Mexico. About 20 percent of the marchers were illegal immigrants, estimated Daniel Barajas of Auburndale, one of the participants.

Immigrant advocates and some of the event organizers said attendance might have been undercut by the crackdown on illegal immigrants earlier this week. That included a raid Wednesday at a manufacturing plant in South Polk County where 38 illegal immigrants were taken into custody and later released.

Juan Mojica, one of the organizers and coordinator for Inmigrantes Latinos Unidos de la Florida (United Latino Immigrants of Florida) in Lake Wales, a national immigrant-rights organization, said many immigrants were scared that they might be picked up by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Saturday's protest was organized by ILUF and the Farmworkers' Ministry in Auburndale. They invited participation from other organizations in Apopka, Orlando, Tampa and Ocala, Mojica said.

At 8:45 a.m., hundreds of people began gathering at the Chain of Lakes complex on Cypress Gardens Boulevard.

Georgina Tinoco of Dundee, who is from El Salvador, joined the march with her mother, Margarita Casillas, who uses a wheelchair.

``This country needs Latinos and Latinos also need this country. There are also other illegal immigrants in this country from European nations, but they don't get caught by Immigration because they are light skinned and blend in. These immigration proposals will also affect them,'' Tinoco said.

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This country needs Latinos and Latinos also need this country. There are also other illegal immigrants in this country from European nations, but they don't get caught by Immigration because they are light skinned and blend in. These immigration proposals will also affect them,'' Tinoco said.

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I am SO SICK of hearing about the WHITES THAT BLEND IN...and don't get caught. There's illegals here of every color from all over. I don't NEED the services of any of them if they are here illegially. Unfortunatly most of the illegals from other countries want to be here for more than just a job and they aren't trying to destroy our way of life, but they are here illegally and have to abide by the law as well. Besides, why should they care about the rights and status of illegal aliens of pale european skin when they plan to get rid of us all anyway. Heck, there's chinese, korean, and god only knows how many other countries. There is no angle to soften my heart on this topic. :evil: