Thread: SOUTH: Day-labor divide

http://www.ocregister.com/ocr/2005/05/0 ... 511739.php

SOUTH: Day-labor divide
Illegal-immigration opponents target a Laguna Beach workers site, which others defend.

By PEGGY LOWE
The Orange County Register


LAGUNA BEACH – An anti-illegal immigration group that wants to shut down day-laborer sites targeted the Laguna Day Workers Center on Saturday, saying the people who hire the workers are breaking federal law.

For the first time at the Laguna Canyon Road site, the protesters attracted a counter-protest from a human-rights network defending the short-term workers.

The two groups, each with about three dozen people, shouted at each other for about four hours across the two-lane highway, turning the blacktop lanes into a great divide on the debate on undocumented workers. Signs on the south side of the road that read "We want our jobs back" competed for drivers' attention with those on the other side that said "Resist racism."

The issue of day-labor sites appears to be gaining steam, pitting illegal-immigration foes with advocates for the workers who hire out to do jobs such as construction, painting or landscaping.

The future of the Costa Mesa Job Center, a day-labor site run by that city for 17 years, is still uncertain after the City Council voted to close it last month. The council later postponed the closing until September after workers and activists asked for a delay.

Such sites were created by officials across Orange County years ago to try to keep workers and employers safe, and reduce traffic problems and litter. Elsewhere, workers gather on corners informally, seeking jobs. Three other Orange County cities have day-labor centers, including Huntington Beach, Brea and Orange.

Organizers of the protestchose the Laguna Day Workers Center because they believe it is sanctioned by the city, said Robin Hvidston, the protest's organizer and a member of several anti-illegal immigration groups.

"We are of the stance that employers should use our manpower agencies; that way everything is legitimate," Hvidston said. "The workers are protected. Everybody has to pay their taxes."

She and those on her e-mail list have protested at the Laguna site twice before, she said. They have also protested a day-labor center in her hometown of Upland and next week will target a center in Temecula.

The group recorded the license plates of people who hired workers Saturday and will keep a list in hopes that someday the government will want to prosecute them, Hvidston said. Meanwhile, about a dozen workers waited for jobs.

"Sooner or later we'll get someone in charge who wants to enforce the laws," said Steve Prime, a Lake Elsinore protester in Hvidston's group who wore a T-shirt that said "Let Our Border Patrol Do Their Job."

The Laguna Day Workers Center has been run by the South Orange County Cross-Cultural Council, a nonprofit group, since 1999. The city gives the council some funding each year out of proceeds from the annual arts festival, said David Peck, the council's chairman. The council pays for half of the $50,000 that it takes to run the center each year, he said.

Those settling on the north side of the road, where the workers are picked up by employers, were members of the Southern California Human Rights Network, made up mostly of students from UC Riverside.

"You call someone illegal, it's a bad message, it's degrading, it's demeaning," said Chris Hernandez, 21. "Someone needs to stick up for these people. Someone needs to speak for them."


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Good!!! It's good to see that people all over the nation are waking up.
However, if you think it is bad in California, just look at Texico.
Ever since the Presidunce was Governor of Texas (you remember Texas don't you), he has bent over backwards for Fox. Fox must have some serious dirt on him. The Mexicans have taken Texas back without firing a single shot. Remember the Alamo!!!

"You call someone illegal, it's a bad message, it's degrading, it's demeaning," said Chris Hernandez, 21. "Someone needs to stick up for these people. Someone needs to speak for them."

If you are in this country without the proper documentation, you ARE illegal. If they don't like it, they can leave. If you don't like it, you can ride the same horse out of town.

Sixx said:
Ever since the Presidunce was Governor of Texas (you remember Texas don't you), he has bent over backwards for Fox.

I think you have the wrong direction.

Good one dataman

I know the reason for letting illegal run rampant across our Nation is because they are planning the dissolution of our borders soon.

Read this and you will see it is all in the plan that has been in progress for many years.

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-2728.html

Yes I know it is long.