Thread: NC: Latinos lobby for reform

Published: May 02, 2007 12:30 AM
Modified: May 02, 2007 03:58 AM

Latinos lobby for reform

By Frank Norton, Staff Writer
RALEIGH - Two blocks from where immigrant laborers were working on a downtown high-rise, several hundred people chanted and picketed outside the Capitol late Tuesday afternoon to support immigrant workers and federal reforms to favor them.

"We're here because we're looking for comprehensive immigration reform," said Marisol Jimenez McGee, a lobbyist for El Pueblo, one of the organizing groups. "We have a chaotic, deadly immigration system, and we need to fix it now."

Earlier Tuesday on what was being termed Latino Legislative Day, the Most Rev. Michael F. Burbidge, bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, urged the General Assembly to leave immigration issues to Congress. In remarks to Latino advocates, Burbidge called on lawmakers to suspend all proposed state legislation related to immigration.

He said the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is campaigning "to find a just and humane solution to this issue" and noted that, while it doesn't condone unlawful entry or circumventing immigration laws, it supports reform.

"They have shown themselves to be hard workers and possess strong family values," Burbidge said in a statement released by the diocese. "I am here to voice my support for them."

The Raleigh events, organized by El Pueblo, the N.C. Justice Center and the N.C. Latino Coalition, were part of demonstrations across the country one year after 1 million people boycotted work and school. The nationwide turnout was much lower this year as fear of a backlash from immigration authorities and frustration over a lack of progress kept many at home, The Associated Press reported.

Bill Gheen, president of Raleigh-based Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, said this year's protests lack strength for a different reason: "The momentum is now for enforcement, not amnesty," he told The Associated Press.

About 400,000 illegal immigrants live in North Carolina, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, a national nonpartisan research group.

Among other things, activists are lobbying for driver's licenses being allowed for all immigrants, regardless of legal status, and against efforts to involve state and local police in enforcement of federal immigration laws.

But Gheen told The Associated Press that North Carolina is one of the nation's most open states for illegal immigrants because of lax laws for driver's licenses and weak enforcement.

Late Tuesday afternoon, members of African-American community groups chanted in support of immigrants' rights.

"We are here in solidarity with you," said Jarvis Hall of the NAACP's political committee for North Carolina. Jarvis was one of several black leaders invited to speak to a crowd of mostly Mexican immigrants. They erupted in cheers each time an event coordinator translated Jarvis' words.

"Working people are not criminals," Jarvis told the crowd.

After last year's protests, lawmakers in Congress tabled most reform bills. Since then, bipartisan proposals for illegal immigrants have turned more conservative.

"We're excited about today," Gheen said, curiously echoing the sentiment of the demonstrators he denounces. "We hope that more Americans will realize what's going on with illegal immigration."

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/569904.html

Late Tuesday afternoon, members of African-American community groups chanted in support of immigrants' rights.

"We are here in solidarity with you," said Jarvis Hall of the NAACP's political committee for North Carolina. Jarvis was one of several black leaders invited to speak to a crowd of mostly Mexican immigrants. They erupted in cheers each time an event coordinator translated Jarvis' words.

I'll never understand this because several studies have shown that the African-American community is being forced to suffer the most from illegal immigration.