Thread: TX In Austin, crowds rally against immigration proposals

Protesters: Bills are unfair to immigrants, families, law officers.

By Tim Eaton
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Updated: 8:11 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011

Video: http://bcove.me/et3j84tn




People from all over the state converged on the Capitol on Tuesday to protest several immigration-related bills.

Organizers from the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance said that about 3,000 people of varying ages marched on the streets to the Capitol, and several hundred of them stuck around for a rally and to visit legislators.

Javier Parra said he was part of group of 400 people from McAllen who came to try to persuade members of the Legislature not to back some 60 immigration bills that he said are anti-immigrant, anti-family and anti-law enforcement.

Particularly, Parra said, he is opposed to a bill that would establish a law in Texas like the one in Arizona that allows police to detain or question anyone who they think is in the country illegally.

"We bring the message of our people to the legislators," said Parra, who came with the labor rights group LUPE, or La Unión del Pueblo Entero. "Texas needs to be a leader, not a follower."

Parra and other protesters said they also were outraged by pieces of legislation such as one that would require school officials to report undocumented students and one that would deny birth certificates to children born in Texas to undocumented parents.

Guerrero Garcia, a 22-year-old student from the University of Texas at El Paso, spoke loudly as the crowd chanted, "SÃ*, se puede," the phrase made famous by civil rights activist and LUPE founder César Chávez that means essentially, "Yes, we can."

Garcia, who said he's the son of immigrants, said the immigration-related bills would tear apart families of mixed citizenship.

"We are all equal," he said. "We should be treated equal."

State Sen. José RodrÃ*guez, D-El Paso, was among the lawmakers who spoke to the crowd. Switching between English and Spanish, he said the state's leaders have misguided priorities.

Texas officials should focus on more important matters than the emergency item that Gov. Rick Perry has fast-tracked to eliminate "sanctuary city" policies that prevent police from asking about immigration status, RodrÃ*guez said.

The senator also criticized a bill that would have school officials ask about immigration status and one that would deny benefits to children of people in the country illegally.

"We won't stand for this type of legislation," he told the cheering crowd.

Jon English, the chief of staff for one of the House's most prolific immigration bill filers, said he received a visit from some of the people at the rally. He said he told the visitors that the bills from his boss, Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball, are intended to aid in the enforcement of existing federal laws.

English added that Riddle is not anti-immigration and that she is in favor of a federally administered guest worker program that rewards people who come to the U.S. through proper channels.

http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-pol ... 74044.html

Related:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-228975.html

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-229011.html

UT students, supporters converge on Capitol decrying anti-immigration laws

Tuesday, February 22 2011
with video

A group of University of Texas students staged a walk out Monday to march to the Capitol steps with supporters, saying legislators need to focus on the struggling economy, not anti-immigration laws.

The students intend to speak to legislators about reassessing their priorities and focus their attention on the state’s budget deficit.

The students say that the 82nd Texas legislature is passing unfunded mandates in the form of anti-immigrant, anti-education and anti-business bills that would place an undue burden on law enforcement, schools, and the economy.

The students staged a walkout and met at the Littlefield Fountain on campus before meeting up with supports at Waterloo Park on their way to the Capitol.

http://weareaustin.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=124296

Marches culminate in rally at Capitol
Groups marched for immigrant rights

Updated: Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 4:37 PM CST
Published : Tuesday, 22 Feb 2011, 2:16 PM CST


AUSTIN (KXAN) - Protesting more than 60 "anti-immigrant" bills filed in the Texas Legislature this session, thousands marched from Waterloo Park to the steps of the state Capitol Tuesday.

"We expect two or three thousand people from all over Texas," said Victor Ibarra.

Ibarra was among a group from Houston, just one of many cities with protestors bused in from across the state. A separate group also marched from The University of Texas . The marches culminated in a rally outside the Capitol at 1 p.m.

During this session, the marchers said a handful of "extemist" legislators have filed needlessly discriminating legislation aimed at the Hispanic population.

"Texas has a lot of variety of nationalities," said Ibarra. "Those proposed laws don't go with those situations."

Critics say many of those bills hurt, even target Hispanics, legal or otherwise. Lawmakers like Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, have maintained their stance though.

"We have probably the laxest immigration law in the world, because we're not following our federal laws," said Berman, who also said he has filed ten anti-immigration bills, including one to make English the official language of Texas. "We're giving them free education, free health care, we're giving them in-state tuition."

From Arizona-style immigration enforcement to forcing schools to report undocumented students, people at the rally fear the future, saying Texas is just making it too tough to live here.

"We want to follow the law - U.S. law," said Ibarra.


http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/texas_lege ... at-capitol

Hundreds of RGV activists rally against proposed immigration laws in Austin
February 22, 2011 9:59 PM
By Elizabeth Findell The Monitor

McALLEN — Local activist groups joined with students, businessmen and public officials Tuesday to caravan to Austin for a “Texas Can Do Betterâ€

Added an article from the above to the Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-6103--0-0.html

wow they could only draw 3 K into the protest march in texas .... that's WEAK ... HA HA!

Equal Voice taking 8 to 10 buses to Austin for pro-immigrant rally

By Maggie Morato
The Rio Grande Guardian

LUPE's Martha Sanchez says many Valley residents who would like to attend a Feb. 22 rally in Austin cannot do so because of the Sarita and Falfurrias checkpoints.

PHARR, Feb. 17 - La Unión del Pueblo Entero leaders spoke at a Hidalgo County Chapter of Texas Democratic Women meeting about the importance of a February 22 rally in Austin to oppose anti-immigrant legislation.

LUPE and other non-profit groups in the Equal Voice for America’s Families network plan to take eight to ten buses of Valley residents to Austin. There, they will meet with other organizations in the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance for a rally at the state Capitol. After the rally, participants will visit the offices of state senators and representatives.

“We really need to act right now on these issues because it’s very important for our membership that these legislations don’t pass,â€

These 'peaceful' demands for illegal immigration will turn very, very ugly. And sooner rather than later.

Note how the advocates of the invasion raise the United States flag and stand behind it to justify the invasion.

VIDEO: http://link.brightcove.com/services/pla ... 9827005001

In California, they are more open about the REAL goal, which is RECONQUISTA! Aztlan!

VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iybaDyMr1rs

Teacher Ron Gochez Advises Kids Against Police
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPcD02iDYgk

Will the GOP cave in? Answer: YES!


The GOP Sponsors The Mexican Invasion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77JvpID0 ... ded#at=152

(make sure you rewind this to the start, it has a tendency to begin in the middle)

do you illegal immigrant do this is Mexcio No way in hell
but you think you have right to march down the street in our country & the gov see what the hell is going On . that BS amercian wake the hell up this is your & Our country . Not the Mexico or any other country they are Not a citizen they all come On all you state & gov or may you Have mexico working in the Wh what the hell bill do you have to pass ?

this Pass the bill Is all BS
Just get them all the hell out they walk down the street like they own do they do this IN Mexico NO way in hell
obama do you job ship them all back home & you & your family go with them this all Happen when you Be came Presient you Roll out the red Carpet for your friends the illegal immigrant . well the red carpet is coming up

This is for Every state wake the hell up if you gov Or your congress don't listen to you . well It time for him or her to go
we are the Voice Of American
This Our country Not the Mexico or any other country it the good old
USA that we all Love &stand up & fight for your country & your Kids
no one will do it for yoour kids Only you


no Amnesty