Thread: Marchers Will Protest Sweeps of Illegal Immigrants

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Marchers will protest sweeps of immigrants

Sara A. Carter, Staff Writer

Article Launched: 01/25/2007 12:00:00 AM PST




As the president asked lawmakers to compromise on immigration reform during his State of the Union address, a number of local activists started planning a large protest over what they see as dangerous raids on innocent immigrants.
Last week, 761 illegal immigrants from 14 countries - including Mexico, Honduras, Ukraine, India, Japan, Poland and Trinidad - were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The action, "Operation Return to Sender," was part of a long series of sweeps that began nationwide in June.

Timothy Campos, a student at Pitzer College who is organizing the Friday protest, said the raids have a damaging effect on the people in the community. The march is set to start at 10 a.m. in the parking lot of the Pomona Day Labor Center, 1682 W. Mission Blvd.

"We're trying to let everybody know how we feel about these government raids," Campos said. "I feel like these raids are preying on the innocent people. It does have an effect on the community, and many of the students here work closely with the day-labor center in Pomona."

The raids conducted by ICE over the past year - coupled with the deep divide in Congress regarding immigration reform - has left


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both opponents and supporters of a guest-worker program wondering what the future will hold.
All seem to agree that - with a Democratic House and Senate - the president's immigration-reform package is likely to pass, but how to balance Bush's plan with national security matters will be more difficult, said Armando Navarro, professor of ethnic and Chicano studies at UC Riverside. Navarro is also a member of the National Alliance of Human Rights, a group supporting open borders with Mexico.

"These ICE raids could be a dangerous omen for all of us," Navarro said. "This could be a prelude of what's to come.

"The anti-immigrant climate keeps growing and will grow anticipating the president's immigration reform. Anti-immigrant groups feel more threatened now that there is a Democratic Congress backing the president's plans for immigration reform."

In Tuesday night's address, Bush said a reform package with a strong guest-worker program would alleviate the growing number of illegal immigrants entering the nation.

"We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals," Bush said. "And we need to resolve the status of the illegal immigrants who are already in our country - without animosity and without amnesty."

Those who oppose the president's proposal say the creation of a guest-worker program would do nothing to squelch the nearly 1 million immigrants who enter the country illegally each year.

But for many, like Campos, who want to see a guest-worker program come to fruition, raids like the ones recently conducted in Southern California leave a bitter taste.

"These people are working, trying to make a better life," Campos said. "Yes, they are here illegally, but they are good people."

The ICE raids were part of Congress' call to crack down on the growing crisis of illegal immigration - with the number of illegal immigrants residing in the United States estimated to be between 12 million and 20 million.

Since its inception, "Operation Return to Sender" has resulted in 13,000 arrests.

Immigration officials also have identified 3,000 inmates in state and local jails who will be deported.

As the president asked lawmakers to compromise on immigration reform during his State of the Union address, a number of local activists started planning a large protest over what they see as dangerous raids on innocent immigrants.

Wonderful, flood the street so Americans everywhere can get EVEN more POED about the invasion! Every little bit helps the cause! What idiots!

These ICE raids could be a dangerous omen for all of us," Navarro said. "This could be a prelude of what's to come.

I hope it's an OMEN and I hope it comes soon.

Campos said. "Yes, they are here illegally, but they are good people."

Law breakers are not good people. They knowingly break the law and that makes you a criminal.

Demanding that America not enforce it's laws will only help our side. Keep up the good work goonies!

"The anti-immigrant climate keeps growing and will grow anticipating the president's immigration reform. Anti-immigrant groups feel more threatened now that there is a Democratic Congress backing the president's plans for immigration reform."

For such a learned scholar, Navarro still doesn't seem to know the difference in an immigrant and an illegal alien.

"These people are working, trying to make a better life," Campos said. "Yes, they are here illegally, but they are good people."

Do you have a horse in this race, Mr. Campos

Do you have a horse in this race, Mr. Campos

If he is like most of them he has a whole stable full.

Let em march. Be sure to smile pretty for the cameras as you hold your mexican flags and flip people off.

anniealone wrote:

Let em march. Be sure to smile pretty for the cameras as you hold your mexican flags and flip people off.

"These people are working, trying to make a better life," Campos said. "Yes, they are here illegally, but they are good people."

How can someone be classified as "good people" when they are knowingly and willingly breaking laws? That's liberal thinking for you!!

And as Annie said, let them march. They only manage to wake up more sheeple and get them involved. Obviously the OBL's and pro illegal groups haven't quite figured that out yet.

Originally Posted by sippy

They only manage to wake up more sheeple and get them involved. Obviously the OBL's and pro illegal groups haven't quite figured that out yet.

They don't seem to be the brightest lights in the package do they Sippy?