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Protesters fight over illegal immigration

05:07 PM CST on Saturday, January 13, 2007

By Chau Nguyen / 11 News

The hotly debated topic of illegal immigration sent angry protesters on both sides of the issue to the streets Saturday.

Dozens supporting day laborers’ rights were staging a rally in front of a shopping center in the 6800 block of the Gulf Freeway when members of a group called U.S. Border Watch showed up – and tempers flared.

“We know and we believe they are racists,” Protester Juan Alvarez said.

The protesters chose the shopping center for their rally because day laborers are known to congregate there. But members of U.S. Border Watch say that allowing the laborers to do so is just the kind of thing they’re trying to prevent.

“This is our country. Most of these people are in this country illegally.” Curtis Collier of the U.S. Border Watch said. “It is something that we will continue to do until we bring the closure of every day laborer site in Houston.”

But according to the protesters, the laborers have no plans to stop their routine either.

“They need to work with us, they don’t need to fight us. We’re here to stay here,” Alvarez said.

Police officers quelled some of the shouting shortly after it began, standing by to make sure nobody got out of hand in a debate that had both sides fired up.