Thread: Illegal immigrants wary of aid in US tornado zone

Illegal immigrants wary of aid in US tornado zone
by Juan Castro Olivera Juan

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (AFP) – Recent tornadoes ravaged immigrant and other low-income communities in the US state of Alabama, but undocumented aliens say they are reluctant to openly seek help out of fear of arrest and deportation.

Tornadoes left a wide swath of destruction through this university city, leaving at least 39 dead and several missing, and poorer neighborhoods such as Alberta and Holt, where many immigrants and African-Americans saw their homes left in splinters, were especially hard hit.

Illegal immigrants were keeping a low profile Sunday, but about 30 of them gathered at Holy Spirit Catholic Church for a Spanish-language noon mass and to receive donations from the community.

About 20 immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala whose homes were destroyed spent the night at the church on mattresses alongside tables piled high with donated clothes, shoes and food boxes. Children ran about as women discussed the tornado terror and how unlikely it was that anyone of them had survived.

Many more have come to the makeshift shelter to receive hot meals, only to return quickly to their damaged homes, in part to reduce their exposure in front of local authorities overseeing search and rescue operations and police who have set up checkpoints to ward off looters.

While Alabama officially claims only eight missing across the state, that figure could be considerably higher, given the hesitation of some immigrants to come forward for official assistance or to report missing loved ones.

"Many people are still missing out there," said Mexican-born Susana Ortiz, who was looking for her friend Ana Rodriguez.

"What happens is that many do not want to talk, they're afraid of the police because they are illegal," said Martin Izaguirre, another volunteer who works at the shelter.

"They prefer to stay locked in their homes. They come to get food and go."

Izaguirre said Mexican consular officials were set to arrive Monday in Tuscaloosa in an effort to provide assistance to Mexican immigrant residents.

Immigration reform, and providing a path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants, is one of the most bitterly divisive unresolved issues in US politics today, and immigrant populations have come under pressure in an economy still reeling from the worst recession in generations.

Jose Luis Vazquez, who lived in a low-income Tuscaloosa home with five other undocumented workers, said police in general have shown sympathy to immigrants, "but now they are trying to impose the law against immigrants like in Arizona," a US border state that has tightened rules on illegals.

"We are all OK, but the house has almost disappeared," he told AFP.

Six years ago Vazquez sneaked across the border from Mexico, where he left his wife and son to try and make it in America as an electrician.

"You have to do that to survive if you have no money. At least I have a brother here and we are both fine."

Lucio Cecilio Zacarias, who arrived at the Holy Spirit church clad in bandages and seeking a hot meal, told of how the tornado barreled through the neighborhood like a freight train, sparing nothing in its path except a few lucky souls.

"Something hit my head and I fainted. The wind threw me out of the house, and when I recovered I went up to my wife and my son who were trapped under the wood and rubble."

Local resident Sherry Malcon, 34, said she was hosting the traumatized family.

"They live very near, but my house is OK and so I'm taking care of them for now," she said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110501/ts ... 0501194509

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (AFP) – Recent tornadoes ravaged immigrant and other low-income communities in the US state of Alabama, but undocumented aliens say they are reluctant to openly seek help out of fear of arrest and deportation.

It is not good to have undocumented people living in shadows among citizens, which is another reason for enforcing the U.S. immigration laws.

They should just take their arses back home where they do not have to worry so much about deportation and tornados!

Six years ago Vazquez sneaked across the border from Mexico, where he left his wife and son to try and make it in America as an electrician.

Uh, oh, separating families.

I'll bet his employer could find an American citizen to work as an electrician. So much for fruits and veggies rotting in the fields.

Six years ago would have put him coming here to take a job from a US citizen electrician after Katrina.

Alabama had better pass the immigration law so the illegals don't flock in for the reconstruction jobs and the welfare like they did after Katrina. There are too many legal workers in Alabama that need the jobs.

"WHY IN THE HELL IS THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ALLOWED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS SUCH AS THIS IN THE U.S." THIS IS THE DUMBEST GOVERNMENT IN THE WORLD AND, I MEAN THAT WHOLE HEARTEDLY. OUT OF ALL THE OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE CITIZENS LIVING HERE ILLEGALLY, MEXICO IS THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT IS DOING V**v SUCH AS THIS. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THOSE WHO ARE SUPPOSE TO BE IN CHARGE OF THIS COUNTRY THIS IS ALL UNBELIEVABLE AND ITS TOO MUCH. THIS COUNTRY HAS BEEN SOLD OUT BY OUR VERY OWN GOVERNMENT AND ITS REALLY A SHAME. I HAVE NO FAITH OR TRUST IN OUR GOVERNMENT ANYMORE

Originally Posted by Pisces_2010

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama (AFP) – Recent tornadoes ravaged immigrant and other low-income communities in the US state of Alabama, but undocumented aliens say they are reluctant to openly seek help out of fear of arrest and deportation.

It is not good to have undocumented people living in shadows among citizens, which is another reason for enforcing the U.S. immigration laws.

THEY ARE NOT LIVING IN THE SHADOWS AND, I'M SICK AND TIRED OF HEARING THAT OLD LIE.

I often wonder about things that really have no answers.

By this mans own admission he snuck across our unprotected southern border to illegally take a job as an electrician six years ago.

What is the defining line where he (and others) feels that he deserves amnesty?

Is it when he has put 100 miles between him and the border?
Would it be the day he was illegally hired for his first job?
Would it be a year from the time he did his sneaking at midnight under the cover of darkness? 18 month's?
Or maybe there is a time frame only he knows when he feels he deserves a free ride?

I also hear talk of a "Broken immigration system"
Does anybody know on what day it got broken? and why was katie couric not telling us that day when it got broken?

Izaguirre said Mexican consular officials were set to arrive Monday in Tuscaloosa in an effort to provide assistance to Mexican immigrant residents.

It's sad what happened to these people, but I'm sorry I want MY tax dollars and charity to go to AMERICANS. I hope these people are caught by ICE as they are leaving the "portable" Messican consulate. Although I wonder what kind of assistance they will offer, honestly I don't see them handing out money... but then again they may think of it as an investment in the future for themselves! Keep their invaders in the US so those they help will keep on sending $ back to Messico.

Jose Luis Vazquez, who lived in a low-income Tuscaloosa home with five other undocumented workers, said police in general have shown sympathy to immigrants, "but now they are trying to impose the law against immigrants like in Arizona," a US border state that has tightened rules on illegals.

hey Jose, don't like it? Go HOME... your home not mine!

"Six years ago Vazquez sneaked across the border from Mexico, where he left his wife and son to try and make it in America as an electrician. "

I don't know about other states but in Florida I know you need to be licensed. In order to be licensed you need to take classes do an apprenticeship with an employer and write an exam and you a SSN. If that is the case in Alabama as well then not only is he here illegally and working illegally but doing electrical work illegally as well. I bet he also drive without a valid driver's license as well. [/b]