Thread: Immigration movement sputters

May 1, 2008


Immigration movement sputters

by Pedro Morales

Two years ago about 75,000 people paraded the streets of Fort Myers in "La Gran Marcha," The Great March, a pro-immigration rally considered a triumphant moment for Hispanics in Southwest Florida.

On this May Day, however, Lee County's Hispanic leaders are lamenting the loss of that day's solidarity, the loss of bravery and mostly the loss of an optimism of better days to come.

"In my opinion there hasn't been much change. To the contrary, life has gotten much more difficult," said Rev. Israel Suarez, an immigration reform activist. "The only thing that march did was let people know there were a lot of illegal immigrants here."

More than 200 events are planned today nationwide from Seattle to Miami as activists and civil rights leaders hope to revive the stagnant debate in time for the presidential election.

No rallies, however, are planned for Southwest Florida, where the sagging economy, specifically the collapsing construction industry, has dealt an unforeseen blow to an immigration movement that peaked on April 10, 2006, when people from all regions of Florida peacefully marched up Ortiz Avenue.

The scope of the pro-immigrant rights movement has seen significant change in two years.

More than 1 million people nationwide marched in the name of immigrant rights in 2006. Fueled by a blitz of coverage in churches and Spanish language media, many united to fight a bill that proposed making it a felony for all illegal immigrants to live in the United States.

With no single piece of legislation to rally around in 2007, numbers shrank and the message branched off.

In Southwest Florida a cutback in labor jobs over the past year has forced illegal immigrants out of the region, as detailed in a News-Press report in March in which churches, businesses and other organizations described dwindling Hispanic participation.

There are no statistics that track the number of undocumented immigrants.

"People are going back to their country, or going to find work in other places," said Gloria Hernandez, director of the Immokalee-based Immigrants United For Freedom, who is focusing her efforts on immigrant voter registration drives.

The illegal immigrants who stay don't have it any easier. Job opportunities are limited and the threat of foreclosure is perpetual, she said.

"Some people are just trying to save money, preparing for the worst," Hernandez said. "They don't go out, they prefer to stay at home."

This was not the way marchers had envisioned the future two years ago, said Leonardo Garcia, executive director of the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

"The economy put immigration second," Garcia said. "The economy has Hispanics, it has everyone, trembling."

Indeed, reform hasn't resonated with voters in primary elections who overwhelmingly list the economy as their top concern. Immigration legislation has stalled and been defeated in the Senate. Presidential candidates have not extensively addressed the contentious issue.

"Folks are staying away from the immigration debate, it's a touchy subject," said Luis Gutierrez, executive director of Chicago-based Latinos Progresando. "Some don't want to talk about it, unless it's 'build a fence."'

www.news-press.com

We got ya on the run amigos!

W

"People are going back to their country, or going to find work in other places," said Gloria Hernandez, director of the Immokalee-based Immigrants United For Freedom, who is focusing her efforts on immigrant voter registration drives.


Immigrant voter registration drives?? Could she define that further? Immigrants who are now citizens or//////

Our city had 11 buses leave full last year. I just heard on the radio that this year they may have three. And our town is 70% Latino.

"In my opinion there hasn't been much change. To the contrary, life has gotten much more difficult," said Rev. Israel Suarez, an immigration reform activist. "The only thing that march did was let people know there were a lot of illegal immigrants here."

I can't believe someone actually figured that out!