Thread: VA: Immigrant advocates decry 'oppressive bills'

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Immigrant advocates decry 'oppressive bills'
Rally at Capitol Square concludes four-day event to protest pending legislation
BY PAMELA STALLSMITH
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Tuesday, February 6, 2007


Immigrant advocates brought their concerns to the General Assembly yesterday as the House of Delegates acted on nearly a dozen bills dealing with undocumented residents.

Yesterday was Latino Lobby Day at the Capitol and the end of a four-day event called "Journey for Immigrant Justice," which featured rallies, a protest march, news conferences and an ecumenical event to spotlight concerns about the record number of bills introduced this year that advocates describe as anti-immigrant.

It also marked the end of a hunger strike by some immigrant supporters.

"We're here to protest and express our outrage over the mean-spirited set of bills," said Walter Tejada, a member of the Arlington County Board and a native of El Salvador.

"Instead of focusing on hate and myth, they should focus on the positive contributions that immigrants have made to Virginia," which he and others called "the cradle of liberty."

Lawmakers introduced a record 50 bills dealing with illegal immigration this session, with advocates denouncing 40 of them as negative.

At a morning news conference -- held half in English and half in Spanish members and supporters of the Virginia Coalition of Latino Organizations decried several pending bills, including those making it a misdemeanor under state law to be in the U.S. illegally, which they called the "May I have your papers, please" bill; denying in-state college tuition to students if they can't prove they are legally present in the U.S., even if they graduated from a Virginia school; and giving local police the ability to enforce federal immigration laws.

The three bills are expected to pass in the House.

Nancy Lyall of Mexicanos Sin Fronteras -- Mexicans Without Borders called for legislators to vote down the "oppressive bills" and send a message to the sponsors "to stop inciting hate and division.

"Instead," she said, "let us advance the vision of a unified Virginia that embraces its own diversity."

About 150 immigrant advocates then braved the cold and rallied near the Bell Tower at Capitol Square in front of a banner that read, "When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty" and at times chanting, "Si, se puede," the motto of the United Farm Workers union, which means "Yes, we can."

"Instead of focusing on hate and myth, they should focus on the positive contributions that immigrants have made to Virginia," which he and others called "the cradle of liberty."

Let's focus on the facts ONLY the facts, not the beat-around-the bush bs!!!

"Instead," she said, "let us advance the vision of a unified Virginia that embraces its own diversity."

Instead, let us advance the vision of a unified Country that embraces American citizens.

dlm1968/IndianaJones Butterfingers!!!

Nancy Lyall of Mexicanos Sin Fronteras -- Mexicans Without Borders called for legislators to vote down the "oppressive bills" and send a message to the sponsors "to stop inciting hate and division.

Where's the "inciting hate and division" coming from within these bills?

There not inciting hate and division, those crossing the border and coming here illegally incite it with their disrespect of the law. For their the ones that incite hate and division.

Stop coming here illegally and you wouldn't see any hate and division. Till then get use to the hate and division you put upon yourselves.