http://www.orovillemr.com/news/bayarea/ci_3481248

Article Launched: 02/06/2006 12:56:00 PM

Migrant group marches to protest what it calls "anti-migrant" legislation
By Ian Thomas - CORRESPONDENT


A Bay Area group that supports immigrant workers and opposes citizens who take it upon themselves to patrol the US border with Mexico held a rally Sunday in San Francisco's Mission District to welcome a caravan of migrant worker activists on a 25 city national tour.
From San Francisco, the group will travel to Sacramento, then on, across the country, eventually to the nation's capitol where they will lobby legislators to oppose the proposed Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005 or HR 4437. That bill would expand enforcement of undocumented border crossings and toughen penalties for people who cross illegally, along with people who aid or house them. The bill passed the House and is set to go to the Senate. The human rights groups call it "anti-migrant" legislation.

The March for Migrants tour, sponsored by Gente Unida, the Border Angels, and other human rights organizations, began Feb. 2 on the US/Mexico border in San Ysidro, Calif. The caravan of eight cars and about 20 people stopped in San Francisco where they were hosted by the Bay Area Coalition to Fight the Minutemen and about 100 supporters. After a rally at the 24th Street BART station, the group marched down Mission Street chanting "Todo escucha, estamos en la lucha" or "Listen everyone, we are in the fight."

"If they (the Senate) pass this racist, right wing rhetoric then we (The Border Angels) will continue to leave food and water for people crossing the desert, even if they criminalize us," said Enrique Morones, a spokesperson for the Border Angels and the March for Migrants.

The Bay Area Coalition to Fight the Minutemen was formed in June of 2005 in response to the Minutemen Project's actions and its stated goal of "doing the jobs Congress won't do" by monitoring undocumented crossings of the border. Last August and September, the local coalition sent two separate caravans of Bay Area-based members to the California/Mexico border to protest the Minutemen Project, according to Scott Campbell, 24, of Oakland, an organizer for the group.

A lone voice of opposition to the rally trumpeted steadily as various speakers engaged the crowd through a megaphone. "It angers me that you people complain about US government corruption when we need to look at the corruption of Latin American governments too; we need to protect our borders because we are in a war on terrorism," said Alfredo Najera, 32, of San Francisco. He told the crowd he was a Republican.

A brief yelling match with expletive exchanges occurred between Najera and two protesters without incident.

The March for Migrants tour plans rallies and vigils at locations in 25 cities including universities, the California state capitol in Sacramento, and the nation's capitol, Washington, DC. They also hope to raise awareness about what they consider the assassination of Guillermo Martinez Rodriguez, 20, by the United States Border Patrol on Dec. 30 while he was attempting to cross the border at Tijuana, Mexico.

Organizers are calling for a boycott of Wisconsin cheese because Wisconsin's Republican Congressman James Sensenbrenner is the bill's author. They also plan to protest outside Lou Dobbs' CNN show "Broken Borders" in Atlanta on Feb. 13. Dobbs is a strong supporter of the Minutemen project.

"Our goal is to bring attention to the fact that over 400 people are known to have died crossing the border this year and to help people all over the country realize that these Mexicans, Latinos, and migrants are people just trying to enter the United States to work and support their families, don't be afraid of them," said Danny Morales, 70, of Riverside who was traveling with the caravan.