http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/sto ... 2c145.html


08:30 AM EST on Tuesday, January 31, 2006
By STUART WATSON / 6NEWS
E-mail Stuart: SWatson@WCNC.com



Two rallies, one for and one against immigration, came together unexpectedly at a West Charlotte school auditorium Monday night.

The result was a rigorous back-and-forth over the issues just as the Senate gets ready to tackle those same issues.

Latino groups called the candlelight vigil outside Phillip O. Berry High School as a reaction to an anti-immigration rally inside.

When some of the protestors moved into the school, anti-immigration forces found themselves almost outnumbered at their own rally.

The result of the mixed audience was that the rally became a debate.

Audience members freely challenged former U.S. Treasurer and Team America leader Bay Buchanan.

"Do you know how many millions of people want to live in this country? When do we stop? Isn't 15,000,000 enough? How about 50,000,000 illegals? We have to stop sometime," she said.

Buchanan's message: call your senator -- secure the border.

She wants no guest worker program and no amnesty for illegal immigrants and to target big business with enforcement.

"Let's put a few of these fellows in prison," she said.

Outside the quiet assembly called for respect for immigrants and their labor.

George Medina is a legal permanent resident from Honduras.

"Why not give the opportunity to the people working hard?" he asked.

Their agenda is for congress to enact an orderly process to give documents to millions of undocumented workers.

"We don't want a hand out or a hand up, we just want an opportunity to be processed," said Olma Echeverri.

Demonstrations and counterdemonstrations like this one are expected to increase as the Senate takes up the issue in February.