Thread: Opposing sides take immigration-rights case to Hastert's off

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Opposing sides take immigration-rights case to Hastert's office

By Matt Hanley
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS

BATAVIA — Batavia is not necessarily home to a lot of protests, even modest ones like Sunday's. So there was just a bit of tension in anticipation of a downtown debate over immigration issues.

The inspiration for Sunday's rally was a recent hot topic within an already heated debate: the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, a Senate bill that would help undocumented high school students get access to benefits offered to other residents.

For those in favor, the DREAM Act is a chance to improve the conditions of second-generation immigrants by providing a path toward citizenship.

"We are a dream of inclusion, of education," said Joshua Hoyt of the Illinois Coalition for the Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

To those against – around 30 people on Sunday– the DREAM Act is another nightmare that will cost taxpayers money by allowing illegal immigrants to take advantage of programs reserved for citizens.

"We are adamantly opposed to this act," said Rick Jones, a member of the "Minutemen," an anti-illegal immigration group.

Although vastly outnumbered, the anti-immigration group got a head start by heading out to the busy corner of Wilson and River streets with signs pointed at passing traffic. Their impact was hard to gauge: many honks seemed to support, but then there was the driver who stopped his pickup truck in the middle of a left turn, opened the door, stuck up his middle finger, then sped away.

One man came to the protest, his first, because at his construction job, he claims illegal immigrants have become a problem. The St. Charles resident refused to give his name.

"The more jobs go to illegals, you can't communicate," he said. "It eventually becomes a safety issue."

By 2:20 p.m., plenty of other brand-new protesters had gathered on the opposite side of yellow barriers set up by police. Calling their rally a "peace vigil," the group organized by the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights was made up mostly of students from all over the Midwest who were attending a weekend leadership conference.

With well over 300 people, the group marched to 27 N. River St. – Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert's office – carrying 467 small wooden crosses, each inscribed with the name of a person who allegedly died while trying to cross the Mexican-U.S. border.

The point was to show the great lengths immigrants will go to find job and educational opportunities in the United States.

Students and educators talked about the possible benefits they see in the DREAM Act, which is sponsored by Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin. The act would give undocumented students the in-state tuition breaks offered to other residents at state schools, as well as allowing those students to apply for legal status if they have "good moral character" and have lived in the country for five years.

"Congressman Hastert, you can be the hero that supports the DREAM Act," said Gonzalo Arroyo, a member of Family Focus in Aurora, who spoke at the rally. "We all – documented and undocumented – contribute to our economy."

The DREAM Act group left their crosses and a giant symbolic diploma at Hastert's door, presumably to be picked up this morning by the staffer tasked with unlocking the office.

Scheduling of the leadership conference created some irony since the target of the protest, Hastert's Batavia office, was closed for the weekend. Still, both groups felt their message got through.

"Oh, he'll hear us," Jones said. "When there's voters out, he'll find out about it."

carrying 467 small wooden crosses, each inscribed with the name of a person who allegedly died while trying to cross the Mexican-U.S. border.

And If when I go on my Shark Dives, and get eating by one of the Sharks. Is it the American Peoples fault that I have chosen to do so. Well, heck NO. It is my own fault for taken the Risk. They Knew the risk, but still choose to take the risk.

Dewine is pulling his sponsership from the Dream Act.

The point was to show the great lengths immigrants will go to find job and educational opportunities in the United States.

Why don't these illegal aliens go to these "great lengths" in their home countries to find jobs and educational opportunities. Can somebody tell me why, please?

Why don't these illegal aliens go to these "great lengths" in their home countries to find jobs and educational opportunities. Can somebody tell me why, please?

Exactly, and if the people who came here to steal an education only came for that education, why didn't they take it back home and use it to the advantage of their own nation? Instead, they stay here and seek to take away one more American job.