Thread: Immigration Law "Awakened a Sleeping Giant" [Not]

CHICAGO, May 1, 2010
Immigration Law "Awakened a Sleeping Giant"
Thousands Nationwide Demonstrate Against Controversial Anti-Illegal Immigrant Measure, Demand Federal Immigration Reform

CBS/AP) Angered by a controversial Arizona immigration law, tens of thousands of protesters - including 50,000 alone in Los Angeles - rallied in cities nationwide demanding President Obama tackle immigration reform immediately.

"I want to thank the governor of Arizona because she's awakened a sleeping giant," said labor organizer John Delgado, who attended a rally in New York where authorities estimated 6,500 gathered.

From Los Angeles to Washington D.C., activists, families, students and even politicians marched, practiced civil disobedience and "came out" about their citizenship status in the name of rights for immigrants, including the estimated 12 million living illegally in the U.S.

Rallies Held Nationwide Against Arizona Law

A congressman was among 35 people arrested during a protest at the White House. U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., was taking part in a civil disobedience demonstration.

Protests elsewhere were largely peaceful. No arrests were reported at most demonstrations; two were arrested near the march route in Los Angeles, but police said neither suspect appeared to be connected to the rally.

Appearing on CBS' "The Early Show on Saturday Morning," commentator Lou Dobbs referred to protests against the Arizona law as mere "political theater."

"What we have to do," he told anchor Chriss Wragge, "is bring everyone together on solving the border security crisis in this country, solving the illegal immigration crisis in this country. … We have to solve the problem. We've got to stop the nonsense."

Supporters say the controversial new immigration law is necessary for one reason: safety.

A Pinal County deputy was shot Friday evening. When he radioed in, he said his assailant was an illegal immigrant.

Police said 50,000 rallied in Los Angeles where singer Gloria Estefan kicked off a massive downtown march. Estefan spoke in Spanish and English, proclaiming the United States is a nation of immigrants.

"We're good people," the Cuban-born singer said atop a flatbed truck. "We've given a lot to this country. This country has given a lot to us."

Public outcry, particularly among immigrant rights activists, has been building since last week when Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed the legislation last week. The law requires local and state law enforcement to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally. It also makes it a state crime to be in the United States illegally.

The law's supporters say it's necessary because of the federal government's failure to secure the border, but critics contend it encourages racial profiling and is unconstitutional.

"It's racist," said Donna Sanchez, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen living in Chicago whose parents illegally crossed the Mexican border. "I have papers, but I want to help those who don't."

Mr. Obama once promised to tackle immigration reform in his first 100 days, but has pushed back that timetable several times. He said this week that Congress may lack the "appetite" to take on immigration after going through a tough legislative year. However, Mr. Obama and Congress could address related issues, like boosting personnel and resources for border security, in spending bills this year.

Organizers estimated about 20,000 gathered at a park on Chicago's West Side and marched, but police said about 8,000 turned out.

The event resembled something between a family festival - food vendors strolled through with pushcarts - and a political demonstration with protesters chanting "Si se puede," Spanish for "Yes we can." A group of undocumented students stood on a stage at the Chicago park and "came out" regarding their immigration status.

Juan Baca was among those students. Baca, 19, whose parents brought him from Mexico illegally when he was 4 months old, said he has had to drop out of college and work several times already because he can't qualify for financial aid.

"It's been a struggle," he said. "I missed the mark by four months."

In Dallas, police estimated at least 20,000 attended a Saturday rally. About a dozen people there carried signs depicting the Arizona governor as a Nazi and Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, known for his tough illegal immigration stance, as a Klansman. Organizers were asking sign holders to discard those placards.

Juan Hernandez, the Hispanic outreach coordinator for Arizona Sen. John McCain's unsuccessful presidential run, attended the Dallas rally. He said Arizona was once considered by those south of the border to be a model state with particularly close ties to Mexico.

"It went beyond what most states do," he said. "Now they are a state that goes beyond what the Constitution says you should do."

Juan Haro, 80, was born and raised in Denver, where about 3,000 people rallied. He said he thinks Arizona's new law targets Mexicans.

"This country doesn't seem to be anti-immigrant," said Haro, whose family is originally from Mexico. "It seems to be anti-Mexican."

In downtown Miami, several hundred flag-waving demonstrators - many with Cuban and Honduran flags, but mostly American ones - called for reforms.

Elsewhere, an estimated 7,000 protesters rallied in Houston, about 5,000 gathered at the Georgia state Capitol in Atlanta and at least 5,000 marched in Milwaukee. About 3,000 attended a Boston-area march.

And in Ann Arbor, Mich., more than 500 people held a mock graduation ceremony for undocumented immigrant students near the site of Mr. Obama's University of Michigan commencement speech.

In Arizona, police in Tucson said an immigrant rights rally there drew at least 5,000 people. Several thousand people gathered in Phoenix for a demonstration Saturday evening.

A smattering of counterprotesters showed up at rallies. In Tucson, a few dozen people showed up in support of the new law and Brewer. A barricade separated about two dozen counterprotesters from a pro-immigrant rights rally in San Francisco.

Counterprotesters there carried signs that read, "We Support Arizona" and "We Need More Ice At This Fiesta," an apparent reference to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

May 1 - International Workers Day - is a traditional date for political demonstrations. Immigration advocates latched onto that tradition in 2006, when more than 1 million people across the country - half a million alone in Chicago - protested federal legislation that would have made being an illegal immigrant a felony. That legislation ultimately failed.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/ ... 1966.shtml

Immigration Law "Awakened a Sleeping Giant"

Wow, this title has a huge puke factor.

Not only that, it's just ignorant. Considering the illegal alien rallies have drastically decreased in attendance since 2004, this title should be the Giant Problem Slinks Back Into Shadows.

Dixie

Originally Posted by Dixie

Immigration Law "Awakened a Sleeping Giant"

Wow, this title has a huge puke factor.

Not only that, it's just ignorant. Considering the illegal alien rallies have drastically decreased in attendance since 2004, this title should be the Giant Problem Slinks Back Into Shadows.

Dixie

Yea Well,, So why wasn't it??? :P
LW

More like a giant WORM.

"It's racist," said Donna Sanchez, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen living in Chicago whose parents illegally crossed the Mexican border. "I have papers, but I want to help those who don't."

Yep, guess you would like to start with your parents, huh?

Compared to 2004, this was a big FAIL!!!!

They really tried to play up a protest against Arizona but that didn't really work for them either. Pretty much last minute desperation, since they didn't get any assistance from DC, which bailed on them.

I just compare their numbers to the actively growing Tea Party movement and I'd have to say, they've maxed out and are in decline.

Dixie

Originally Posted by MW

"It's racist," said Donna Sanchez, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen living in Chicago whose parents illegally crossed the Mexican border. "I have papers, but I want to help those who don't."

Yep, guess you would like to start with your parents, huh?

You said it perfectly. I posted earlier that it seems as if the vast majority of illegal alien supporters either are/were illegals themselves, or they have family/friends that are illegal. This is just so morally wrong.... If my friends/family were illegal, I wouldn't turn a blind eye to justice, to our country, and to what's right just for the benefit of them. These people are all selfish and uneducated. (And to any trolls reading, this statement, as well as my others, are directed towards illegals and their supporters. This has NOTHING to do with race or color. It has EVERYTHING to do with holding up the law of our nation.) Now that the race card has been trumped, what argument is left? NADA

I am so sick of the race card being pulled constantly by these lawbreakers. Do they actually think it is working? In my opinion it is making American citizens angrier. It has been worn out and is no longer working.

I wonder if on the la raza and open borders business cards we would find this.......

Or maybe the sleeping giant they awaken is the vast majority of American citizen voters who are sick and tired of the illegals sucking the lifeblood out of taxpayers. These people are simply economic migrants, finding whatever place will support them with minimal effort on their part - free schools, free medical, free housing, etc. etc.

Juan Baca was among those students. Baca, 19, whose parents brought him from Mexico illegally when he was 4 months old, said he has had to drop out of college and work several times already because he can't qualify for financial aid.

Really? I started college in the fall 0f 72 and had to drop out after the spring 75 semester for the exact same reasons. I worked several jobs part time the entire time I attended school but school and monetary pressures got to be to much. I also left school owing for several small student loans I had taken out during that time which I paid back.