March seeks to revive immigration reform

By Charlotte Hsu, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 03/16/2007 12:00:00 AM PDT


SAN BERNARDINO - Organizers of a planned march and rally downtown Saturday say they hope to re-energize the immigration-reform movement that drew millions to rallies across the nation last year.
Groups from San Diego to Fresno and from Los Angeles to Coachella Valley have plans to bus in activists for Saturday's event, which calls for legalizing undocumented immigrants in the U.S., said Armando Navarro, coordinator for the National Alliance for Human Rights, an organization involved in planning the march. People from Arizona and Nevada also are expected to attend.

Withdrawing from Iraq and promoting harmony among races in local communities are additional themes.

Meanwhile, a group of anti-illegal immigration activists has planned a counterdemonstration for the same time.

Amnesty advocates will rally at La Placita Park at Seventh Street and Mount Vernon Avenue before marching to City Hall, where a second rally will take place.

Navarro said if the event draws a high turnout, it could reignite the amnesty movement nationwide. He said it's difficult to predict how many people will come in light of a series of recent federal raids aimed at detaining undocumented workers.

The sense of passion in the immigrant community last year has since been replaced by a "climate of fear," he said.
"We don't have the political climate of mobilization that we had last year."

He added later that the question is, "Can we get back to where we were last year?"

Mario Liscano, president of the Comite Latino del Valle de Coachella, a group taking part in the rally, said a large showing in San Bernardino would remind lawmakers that they should act on immigration reform.

"This march is important because the people are scared, but we need to tell the Congress of this country that we've had enough," Liscano said, speaking in Spanish.

Activists with the organization Save Our State plan to gather at San Bernardino City Hall for an anti-illegal immigration rally at noon Saturday.

"Right now there's just this one side going out, trying to stake their claim to the United States of America, advocating illegal immigration," said Chelene Nightingale, a Save Our State spokeswoman. "Save Our State thinks it's important that we educate our public and stand up for our own side. We're for border security."

Both Navarro and Nightingale said their rallies will be inclusive, bringing together people of different ethnicities to fight for their causes.

If you go

WHAT: Rallies and march for immigration reform, withdrawal from Iraq and racial harmony in local communities, planned by a coalition of mostly Latino organizations.
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. Saturday
WHERE: La Placita Park at Seventh Street and Mount Vernon Avenue in San Bernardino. Drivers should drop off activists at La Placita and drive to the Carousel Mall, where buses will be waiting to take them back to La Placita.


WHAT: Rally against illegal immigration, planned by the organization Save Our State.
WHEN: Noon Saturday
WHERE: San Bernardino City Hall at 300 N. D St.


Staff writer Charlotte Hsu can be reached by e-mail at charlotte.hsu@sbsun.com, or by phone at (909) 386-3882.

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