Thread: Phoenix: 'Tea party' set vs. illegal immigration

November 14, 2009 |
'Tea party' set vs. illegal immigration
Rally to be held at state Capitol to protest proposed U.S. reform
by Daniel González - Nov. 14, 2009 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

First it was bank bailouts. Then health-care reform. Now people are organizing "tea parties" to rally against illegal immigration.

A series of anti-illegal immigration tea parties will be held today in cities across the country, including one at the state Capitol in Phoenix.

The rallies are aimed at drumming up opposition to the comprehensive immigration-reform bill Democrats in Congress plan to introduce, possibly by the end of this month.

With so many Americans out of work because of the recession, it doesn't make sense to legalize illegal immigrants, said Paul Yoder, a spokesman for American Citizens United, a Phoenix group that is organizing today's tea party at the Capitol.

"I think we have to give Americans priority to these jobs," Yoder said.

Some state lawmakers and political candidates who favor laws aimed at driving illegal immigrants out of Arizona will speak at the tea party, he said.

Meanwhile, a coalition of labor groups, business groups, immigrant advocates, church organizations and law-enforcement officials has launched another campaign. Called Reform Immigration for America, its aim is to pressure Congress to pass a broad immigration-reform bill that includes a legalization program for illegal immigrants.

Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigration group in Washington, D.C., said given the state of the economy, a legalization program will continue to be the most contentious part of immigration reform.

Critics labeled the idea amnesty in 2006 and 2007, when attempts to pass a bill failed in Congress.

But Noorani said the jobs that illegal immigrants perform have a multiplier effect that helps drive the economy and create more jobs for Americans.

"If you don't have someone to pick the oranges, then you don't need someone to pack the orange or deliver the orange or sell the orange," Noorani said during a meeting Friday with Arizona Republic reporters and Editorial Board members.

Legalizing illegal immigrants would also increase tax revenues since employers now often pay the workers in cash, he said.

The comprehensive immigration bill the coalition is pushing will be based on four principles: humane border and interior enforcement of immigration laws, family reunification, a temporary-worker program and a legalization program, one that requires undocumented immigrants to pay fines and learn English in exchange for a chance at becoming citizens.

The coalition is organizing house parties and town halls across the country on Wednesday to increase public support for a bill.

President Barack Obama has repeatedly said he remains committed to immigration reform, but the contentious issue has taken a back seat to fixing the economy and passing health-care reform.

On Friday, however, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano suggested the administration is getting closer to tackling immigration reform.

During a speech at the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, Napolitano said the Obama administration has met many of the goals for securing the southwestern border set by Congress in 2007.

At the time, Congress said the government needed to gain better control of illegal immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border before a comprehensive immigration-reform package could be considered.

Napolitano, the former Arizona governor, said it was now time to move forward with immigration reforms.

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepubli ... y1114.html

GO TEA PARTIES AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRAION!

My daughter and I will be going this morning.

Good for you, LuvMyCountry! Have a great day standing up for Americans who want to stop illegal immigration.