Thread: TX: Migrant advocates get back to work

Migrant advocates get back to work

Web Posted: 08/14/2007 11:00 PM CDT

Hernán Rozemberg
Express-News Immigration Writer

Reeling in defeat from the impasse in Washington over national immigration reform, leading national migrant advocates will meet in San Antonio on Thursday to try to regroup, hoping to form a revived, unified movement for the next round.
The daylong strategy session at the University of the Incarnate Word, hosted by the local think tank Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together, or MATT, will bring together 20 speakers, including the presidents of national advocacy organizations such as the United Farm Workers, the League of United Latin American Citizens and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

They're all pushing for comprehensive changes, from pumping up border security to creating a legal temporary worker program and giving the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country a chance to join the mainstream.

But conference organizers said their lack of unity allowed a vibrant and coherent lobbying effort by anti-illegal immigration groups to defeat a U.S. Senate bill in June.

Among the nay votes was Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who also will attend Thursday's conference. He said he accepted an invitation to speak as an opportunity to air the issue with constituents.

"The anti-immigration people had a clear, clean message — border security and law and order," said Lionel Sosa, a marketing expert who founded MATT. "But we were split. We stayed on the fence. We have to draft our own language, claim our own message."

But neither he nor other participants could predict what will come out of the meeting.

Randel Johnson, a vice president with the U.S. Chamber, said he'd be surprised if a new coalition emerged, but noted that bringing unions and business groups to the same table was already an accomplishment.

Sosa said Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Ciro RodrÃ*guez, D-San Antonio, will be the keynote speakers. Then people will break off into groups, and gather for a final huddle to see if they can formulate a common agenda.

The main task will be to balance the discussion between analyzing what went wrong while coming up with fresh ideas of how to do it better next time, said participant Tamar Jacoby, an analyst for the Manhattan Institute, a New York-based conservative think tank.

A united front might still be elusive, but it's worth launching the effort, Jacoby said.

While there's plenty to handle now with piecemeal efforts focusing on enforcement — such as a crackdown on employers who hire undocumented workers — advocates should still think down the line, she said.

Citing the need for open and honest discussion, organizers decided to close the meeting to the public, prompting at least one participant to question the move.

Rosa Rosales, the San Antonio-based president of LULAC, said, "If it's a positive event, it should be open to everyone."

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/ ... 9e286.html

Some people just do not understand why they must abide rules and laws. They do not understand 'no'.

"

The anti-immigration people had a clear, clean message — border security and law and order," said Lionel Sosa, a marketing expert who founded MATT. "But we were split. We stayed on the fence. We have to draft our own language, claim our own message."

But neither he nor other participants could predict what will come out of the meeting.

Randel Johnson, a vice president with the U.S. Chamber, said he'd be surprised if a new coalition emerged, but noted that bringing unions and business groups to the same table was already an accomplishment.

Sosa said Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Ciro RodrÃ*guez, D-San Antonio, will be the keynote speakers. Then people will break off into groups, and gather for a final huddle to see if they can formulate a common agenda.

Duh . . . delusional much? Why don't they get it? Its not about corporate America or the illegal Raza the AMERICAN PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN.

Truth and Justice is what won and will continue to win....

No wonder they are confused they are living dillusionals lies !