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Protesters shut down Hidalgo bridge, descend upon McAllen’s Archer Park
May 02,2006
Victoria Hirschberg
Monitor Staff Writer


REYNOSA — Only a handful of people ate hamburgers and fries at Carl’s Jr. right across the border Monday, as a large mass of protesters blocked traffic from entering the United States and boycotted the purchase of American goods.

Hundreds of protesters blocked cars and pedestrians from entering the United States over the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge by forming a thick line of people and holding a thin rope.

The demonstration was one of the many local ones held to mark Monday’s "Day without Latinos," which organizers hoped would show the economic importance of immigrants who live and work in the United States.

While Hidalgo County, which is majority Hispanic, didn’t shut down because of the nationwide event, several school districts reported increased absences and protests were abundant on both sides of the border.

Even so, there was a steady flow of shoppers in downtown McAllen and at La Plaza Mall, and cars bearing Mexican license plates.

In 2005, Hispanics contributed an estimated $736 billion to the United States economy, according to a study by the University of Georgia.

"It’s hard to kind of imagine these numbers," said Daniel Villa, a Spanish professor at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. "We’re talking to equivalent of a country and when a whole country says we’re not going to do business with you…"

But he said a one-day stoppage probably won’t affect business in the long run.

As traffic backed up for miles in Reynosa Monday afternoon, protesters held signs calling for amnesty for workers already in the United States and some that compared President Bush to German dictator Adolf Hitler.

"I want to see better conditions for the workers from Mexico, Italy, England, whatever country," said Reynosa resident Enrique Hernandez, who has several family members currently working in the United States. He said foreign workers deserve fair wages, social benefits and access to health care while in the United States.

"Mexicans don’t want (anyone) to pass into the country," said Alejandro Brito of Reynosa, as he blocked the bridge.

Local and federal police were present, but allowed the blockade to continue. They directed frustrated drivers to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, where there were no protesters.

Instead, drivers on that bridge were greeted with workers passing out circulars from Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target and other large U.S. retailers.

Lorenzo Munoz was en route to Mission to pick up his children when he was forced to stop by the blockade. He said he wasn’t angry because he understands that fair immigration reform is important to many people.

"It’s a problem," he said, but after about 45 minutes, he turned off his car to save gas. Eventually, he drove off.

Not everyone was so understanding.

Several pedestrians yelled that they had reasons to cross into the United States and the blockade was infringing on their rights. Protesters fired back with chants of "solo es un día" and "fuera," or "it’s only one day" and "out of here."

One Mexican-American teenager eating in Carl’s Jr. said the protesters went too far by blocking the bridge.

Actions on this side of the border weren’t as brazen as they were in Reynosa, but several students skipped school to protest and thousands participated in an afternoon rally calling for immigration reform.

In the morning, about 40 students from the McAllen Independent School District waved the Mexico and United States flags on the corner of North Main Street and U.S. Business 83. Many motorists honked, some yelled "you belong in school," and others driving delivery trucks waved. One student wore a shirt that read "mojado citizen."

Also, there was a sign that read H.R. 4437 — a proposed law that would increase enforcing immigration laws and enhancing border security — would equal to a Latino Holocaust.

"Hitler wanted a wipeout and they’re trying to get rid of all immigrants and that’s unfair," said 17-year-old Zeiry Cuellar, a junior at McAllen High School. She ditched school Monday with her parents’ permission. She was born in Mexico, but is a legal resident.

"I think it’s very important to be in school, but this is educational," she said.

McAllen school district spokesman Mark May said there were 708 high students absent Monday, 5 percent more than normal. He said individual administrators could decide disciplinary action for skipping school.

The situation was similar in the Edinburg, Mission and Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school districts.

"We anticipated that, because a lot of our people support this issue, and obviously they decided to keep their kids at home and not spend any money," said PSJA Superintendent Arturo Guajardo.

Advocacy group La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) sponsored an afternoon march so Latinos could still work and attend school, said president Juanita Valdez-Cox. She estimates close to 2,000 people marched from Our Lady of Sorrows Church on Hackberry Avenue to Archer Park on Ash Avenue.

"Hopefully the representatives in Washington will get the word and know the contributions (immigrants) make to this country," she said. LUPE is in favor of immigration reform that would allow tax-paying, law-abiding immigrants to eventually earn legal status.

"It’s the responsibility of every community in the United States … there are indirect and direct benefits from the contributions of immigrants," she said.

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Victoria Hirschberg covers Hidalgo County government and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4466.