Thread: N.C. - Undocumented workers hope to exit shadows

11:56 PM, Aug 30, 2012
Written by Romando Dixson
Citizen-Times.com

Call attention to their plight, fight for reform


The No Papers No Fear Ride For Justice delegation left Phoenix on July 29 with the ultimate destination of the Democratic National Convention. / Special to the Citizen-Times

ASHEVILLE — Organize, and live without fear.

A national group of undocumented immigrants are conveying that message in a cross-country bus trip, which made a stop Thursday evening in Asheville. The No Papers No Fear Ride For Justice delegation left Phoenix on July 29 with the ultimate destination of the Democratic National Convention.

The bus holds about 30 people, although different undocumented immigrants have joined and left since the trip began. Martin Unzueta, 58, of Chicago, joined the tour last weekend in Atlanta.

“We want to be heard by the politicians,” Unzueta said. “We are not criminals. We’re hard workers here in the United States. We work. We pay taxes. And we don’t have rights. We are fighting for our rights.”

The traveling undocumented immigrants have been sharing their stories of living in the shadows and supporting immigrant communities throughout the country. About 100 people gathered for food, story-telling and encouragement at the Western North Carolina Community Health Services Fellowship Hall on Haywood Road.

Loida Ginocchio-Silva, a local undocumented immigrant, said she is working for immigration reform that puts people first.

“Immigration laws right now are impractical,” Ginocchio-Silva said. “They only make sense for people who have money and who have a lot of resources. It just doesn’t make sense.”

Unzueta said the bus tour shows that organization, education and courage can go a long way. The words “No Papers No Fear” are painted on the bus with “Journey For Justice” underneath. On the other side, the same words are in Spanish.

“Why immigration doesn’t come get us?” Unzueta asked. “Because we are organized and because we have big support from all around the United States.”

Some undocumented immigrants on Thursday shared their stories of encounters with law enforcement, including a few of the people who were detained May 15 in Jackson County by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in connection with traffic checkpoints set up by the Sheriff’s Office.

The No Papers No Fear group plans to visit the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office today.

“We’re tired of checkpoints targeting our communities,” Ginocchio-Silva said. “People should have the right to move freely and to live a life with dignity and without fear.”

After leaving the Haywood Road location, many of the undocumented immigrants and their supporters went to Shogun Buffet Hibachi Grill and Sushi, 1000 Brevard Road, for a rally. Shogun was the site of an immigration raid that led to the detention of 12 restaurant workers.

The group plans to go to Raleigh before attending the DNC next week in Charlotte.

http://www.citizen-times.com/article...text|Frontpage

Someone need to pull that bus over....

The bus holds about 30 people, although different undocumented immigrants have joined and left since the trip began.

I guess they just hop off when they get close to their destination. Sounds like they have their own little bus company to transport illegals around.

It is the entitlement attitude of these people that is so insulting. No one in this country owes them anything for free, which seems to be all that they are here for, all they do is whine "gimmee" and "take care of me" when most people in this country are having a hard time taking care of themselves and their families. We can not afford to support every third world country in the hemisphere through remittances that are earned under the table and non taxed that take away from our tax base. We are fed up with the added burden of supporting their poor that come here and exploit our laws and culture. JMO

“We want to be heard by the politicians,” Unzueta said. “We are not criminals. We’re hard workers here in the United States. We work. We pay taxes. And we don’t have rights. We are fighting for our rights.”

We have heard more than enough from you people! You can shout it from the rooftops that you are not criminals, it is still a lie. You are hard workers here in the US? You have stolen jobs that belong to the American people. You keep demanding rights from a country that doesn't belong to you.

"Loida Ginocchio-Silva, a local undocumented immigrant, said she is working for immigration reform that puts people first."

Your only interest is in putting illegals first. This is so wrong!

“We’re tired of checkpoints targeting our communities,” Ginocchio-Silva said. “People should have the right to move freely and to live a life with dignity and without fear.”

Then do things the right way! We have laws that you choose to ignore. You want an entire country to change to suit your needs.

“We want to be heard by the politicians,” Unzueta said. “We are not criminals. We’re hard workers here in the United States. We work. We pay taxes. And we don’t have rights. We are fighting for our rights.”

Really, on an ITIN with thousands of dollars claimed in false child care credits or on a stolen social security number. Everything they do is criminal from the time they crawl across the border in the dead of night. JMO

My entire adult life I've functioned in America with a driver's license, social security number, been able to apply for credit, buy homes, vote and receive medical treatment. (Oops, now I use a medicare card, too) However, how any "papers" am I going to need soon because of amnesty and these people who took that to be a open invitation to use America for what should have been funds from their uncle's piggy bank?

That's right, illegal aliens have no fear of our existing border and immigration laws being enforced because they know that traitors hold the high ground in the American government and will provide them all the cover and assistance they need for their invasion.

W