Thread: CO: Day laborer dispute brings out protesters from both side

Friday, June 27, 2008

Day laborer dispute brings out protesters from both sides
Minutemen chapter balks at those employing illegal aliens

By Adam Goldstein
The Aurora Sentinel

Friday, June 27, 2008


AURORA | Members of the Colorado Minuteman Civil Defense Corps chapter took to the streets in Original Aurora early this morning, waving signs and snapping photos of cars stopping to pick up day laborers. The incident drew protests from day laborers under fire in the area and their proponents.

The approximately 25 Minuteman representatives who gathered on corners between East Colfax and East 16th avenues in Aurora Friday morning voiced protests about illegal immigration, responding to crowds of day laborers who typically gather in the area early weekday mornings seeking work.

"It is against the law to hire illegal immigrants," said Connie Traux, a Minuteman member. "We don't have a problem with day laborers, but with employers hiring illegals."

The local members of the civilian patrol group gathered on the major intersections in the area, including Colfax Avenue and Dayton Street, 16th Avenue and Dayton Street and Colfax Avenue and Dallas Street.

The Minuteman representatives carried signs with phrases like, "Hiring illegals? It's a crime! We're watching." Meanwhile, the gathered day laborers and representatives from El Centro Humanitario Para Los Trabajadores, a workers' advocate organization based in Denver, responded to the Minuteman protests with their own signs, decorated with slogans like "We are community, too" and "Day laborers are part of the community."

Directors from El Centro have been trying to establish a facility in Aurora since December, a process that has stalled with questions of location and slow negotiations with the city council.

Commander. Jack Daluz of the Aurora Police Department said that the Minuteman members arrived at about 7 a.m., a time when day laborers typically begin to gather on the street. Daluz said the Minuteman protest was peaceful.

"We've had no complaints from anybody," Daluz said. "They were gentleman."

The day laborers that lingered near city park after the Minuteman protestors had left, however, said that they were interfering with peoples' right to work.

"They were harassing employers and trying to intimidate workers," said Jesus Orrantia, a project director at El Centro Humanitario in Denver. Orrantia and the day laborers said that Minuteman protesters had approached potential employers with cameras, saying it was illegal to hire workers from the crowd assembled on the street.

"The constitution says, 'We the people,' not 'We the citizens,'" Orrantia said.

www.aurorasentinel.com

"The constitution says, 'We the people,' not 'We the citizens,'" Orrantia said.

THIS IS OUT OF CONTEXT. IT IS "WE THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES" NOT WE THE PEOPLE OF MEXICO.

The day laborers that lingered near city park after the Minuteman protestors had left, however, said that they were interfering with peoples' right to work.

Illegal aliens have no rights to work in the US, it is explicitly illegal to work in the US without the proper documents issued by the US government.

Day laborers are part of the community

If these day laborers are in our country illegally, they most certainly are NOT a part of our community -- the community of law abiding, taxpaying citizens from all backgrounds.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

We the People of the United States should not be interpreted to any body that happens to be on our soil. Common sense dictates it refers to the citizens. Angers me how illegals can try to spin our Constitution.

"They were harassing employers and trying to intimidate workers,"

Only if illegal.

Dixie

ACTION ITEM!!! PASS IT ON!!!

Please consider writing Aurora an email telling them what you think about having a Day Laborer site in Aurora:

From: buzzm1
To: etauer@auroragov.org; dwallace@auroragov.org; rrpeters@auroragov.org; LBeer@auroragov.org; mmarkert@auroragov.org; ssandstr@auroragov.org; rbroom@auroragov.org; bfitzger@auroragov.org; rfrazier@auroragov.org; shogan@auroragov.org; bpierce@auroragov.org
Subject: Day Laborers
Date: Sat, 28 Jun 2008 3:51 am
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mayor Ed Tauer
Deborah Wallace – Ward I
Renie Peterson – Ward II
Larry Beer – Ward III
Molly Markert – Ward IV
Sue Sandstrom – Ward V
Robert (Bob) E. Broom – Ward VI
Bob FitzGerald – At Large
Ryan Frazier – At Large
Steve Hogan – At Large
Brad Pierce – At Large

Dear Mayor, and City Council,

I strenuously object to any consideration of a Day Laborer site, let alone the very presence of illegal immigrant day laborers.

Illegal immigrants broke the law when they entered our United States; they have absolutely no right to be here. They end up taking jobs that rightfully belong to taxpaying Americans.

It is against the law, of our United States, for anyone to employ an illegal immigrant. Also the unscrupulous employers pay them cash, and so, no taxes are paid, through their employment. The contactors who hire them are mostly working under the table, and so, by promoting a day laborer center, the city would be contributing to the breaking of multiple tax, and employment, laws.

The last thing Aurora needs is a growing population of illegal immigrants burdening our already limited resources. We don't want an additional burden on our community.

Sincerely,
name removed (Buzzm1)
A very concerned citizen

Stand Up For America!!

I will e-mail them "Buzzm1" thanks for the information!!



Thank you "Jean" I was thinking the same thing when I was reading....the nerve of these people to come here and try to change what our Constitution says is to include invaders is unbelievable and very troubling that they can get away with it.

Originally Posted by jean

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

We the People of the United States should not be interpreted to any body that happens to be on our soil. Common sense dictates it refers to the citizens. Angers me how illegals can try to spin our Constitution.

Thanks SOSADFORUS, we can make a difference!!


thank you for your note.

Ryan L. Frazier
City Councilman, At-Large
Aurora, Colorado
Email: rfrazier@auroragov.org
Direct: 303-739-7518
Executive Assistant: 303-739-7015
'Non Sibi Sed Populus'