Thread: Thousands of immigrants rally in Houston, along border

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Thousands of immigrants rally in Houston, along border

HOUSTON -- From Dallas to Houston to the U.S.-Mexico border, demonstrators rallied, many businesses were shuttered and some schools reported higher-than-normal absences Monday as thousands protested proposed crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

In Houston, between 15,000 to 30,000 people gathering at Memorial Park for the nationwide "Day Without Immigrants" protest waved American and Mexican flags. Many said their employers had given them the day off.

Alan Puga, 28, an immigrant from Tamaulipas, Mexico, sat under a tree making several signs, including ones with the messages "We are not criminals. Allow us to work" and "God bless America."

"I am here today so that my daughter can have a better future," Puga said. "This is something we have to do. We need to show them we are united."

With an American flag draped around his shoulders, Delazar Hernandez, who is from San Luis, Mexico, said the construction company where he works allowed him and the 400 other illegal immigrants to be off for the rally.

"At my company we build hospitals, schools and other buildings, and it's all been because of illegal workers," said Hernandez, who said he applied for U.S. citizenship seven years ago and is still waiting. "They don't seem to recognize that."

After the rally, the Houston demonstrators marched three miles to the offices of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who does not support the compromise proposal that could be on the Senate floor by month's end. He has said he opposes amnesty and wants workers who come in the future to be temporary. The Senate bill would allow future workers to seek legal residence after a period of work.

Protesters dropped off postcards that read, "Immigrants who have worked hard, paid taxes and demonstrated good moral character, deserve the opportunity to obtain permanent residence and reunite with their families. I urge you to support legislation that reflects the best traditions and values of America."

About 2,000 people marched from the Chamizal National Monument to a nearby international bridge connecting Cuidad Juarez with El Paso. Protesters chanted "Vive Mexico" and "Si Se Puede," which is Spanish for "Yes, it can be done!"

At one of four bridges connecting the two cities, demonstrators on the U.S. side tried to block inbound and outgoing traffic for about 30 minutes before traffic began flowing again. There were no signs of violence, and no one was arrested.

Hundreds of protesters carrying signs and waving U.S. flags marched across the bridge from Mexico to the U.S. and stayed briefly. They were met by a line of police officers and Customs and Border Protection agents.

In Dallas, nearly 200 people gathered outside Cornyn's office, chanting and carried signs with messages "United Stands for All," "Support Our President" and "John Cornyn _ Today We March. Tomorrow We Vote."

Elisabet Pierucci, 26, of Irving, who was born in the United States, pointed out that while illegal immigrants cannot vote, their children will.

"I understand we need to secure the border," said Pierucci, who marched with her two young daughters. "I don't understand the hostility to the people who are already here."

Cornyn, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee, said he was puzzled why he was targeted. Cornyn, in Washington, D.C., on Monday, said he is a longtime supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and blamed delays in passing a bill on "Democrat obstruction."

Cornyn has proposed a bill with Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that among other things would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country, paying higher fines the longer they wait to leave. It would allow the immigrants to return after they'd been granted visas for legal residency or as temporary workers.

Dallas lawyer and Hispanic rights activist Domingo Garcia said that morning rush-hour traffic was lighter Monday than usual. He said he didn't see any businesses open in an area southwest of downtown Dallas, the city's biggest concentration of Hispanic businesses.

Earlier Monday, officials said traffic at all of the international bridges connecting El Paso to Cuidad Juarez was almost nonexistent, unusual for a weekday morning and especially for a holiday in Mexico.

Sidewalks were almost empty in downtown Brownsville, a grid of mostly discount clothing and houseware shops that usually bustles with foot traffic from across the border in Matamoros, Mexico.

Many shops closed because owners heard that Mexicans were staying home Monday to support U.S. protesters.

"By right now, I'd usually have about 10 customers," said Hilda Escobedo, who sat idle behind the counter of Galvan's Casa de Cambio, a money-changing store. "But today I have no customers, not even one."

Andres Fernandez, a parking officer, said it was rare to see so many empty parking spaces in downtown Brownsville.

"It's going to be a slow day for tickets, too," Fernandez said.

Some Houston schools in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods reported absentee rates of 13 percent to 19 percent, up from the usual rates in the single digits.

In Austin, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said students shouldn't skip school.

"The bottom line is America is a great place and you have freedoms here that you don't have in a lot of other countries," Perry said. "... If you're a state employee you best have a comp, your compensated time, or somebody in your office better have checked off on it. So we got rules here also."

Some immigrants said they couldn't afford to take the day off or were worried about ramifications if they skipped. Others said the boycotts could be too soon after large-scale protests in March and April.

Malone's Cost-Plus, a chain of nine Dallas supermarkets and more than 800 restaurants owned by Malone's Food Stores Ltd., said it would close Monday as a gesture of support, said general manager Rick Gomez. The company's work force is 95 percent Hispanic, and about 90 percent of its customers are Hispanic.

___

Associated Press writers Lynn Brezosky in Brownsville, Alicia Caldwell in El Paso, Suzanne Gamboa in Washington, D.C., Kelley Shannon in Austin, and Jamie Stengle and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.

Illegal immigrants like Delazar Hernandez take Americans Jobs!! Illegal iimmigrants work for such low wages that Americans can not compete with.
These companies that hire illegal immigrants are making a fortune off of them!

Originally Posted by Brian503a

http://www.kristv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4843101&nav=Bsmh

Thousands of immigrants rally in Houston, along border

HOUSTON -- From Dallas to Houston to the U.S.-Mexico border, demonstrators rallied, many businesses were shuttered and some schools reported higher-than-normal absences Monday as thousands protested proposed crackdowns on illegal immigrants.

In Houston, between 15,000 to 30,000 people gathering at Memorial Park for the nationwide "Day Without Immigrants" protest waved American and Mexican flags. Many said their employers had given them the day off.

Alan Puga, 28, an immigrant from Tamaulipas, Mexico, sat under a tree making several signs, including ones with the messages "We are not criminals. Allow us to work" and "God bless America."

"I am here today so that my daughter can have a better future," Puga said. "This is something we have to do. We need to show them we are united."

With an American flag draped around his shoulders, Delazar Hernandez, who is from San Luis, Mexico, said the construction company where he works allowed him and the 400 other illegal immigrants to be off for the rally.

"At my company we build hospitals, schools and other buildings, and it's all been because of illegal workers," said Hernandez, who said he applied for U.S. citizenship seven years ago and is still waiting. "They don't seem to recognize that."

After the rally, the Houston demonstrators marched three miles to the offices of U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who does not support the compromise proposal that could be on the Senate floor by month's end. He has said he opposes amnesty and wants workers who come in the future to be temporary. The Senate bill would allow future workers to seek legal residence after a period of work.

Protesters dropped off postcards that read, "Immigrants who have worked hard, paid taxes and demonstrated good moral character, deserve the opportunity to obtain permanent residence and reunite with their families. I urge you to support legislation that reflects the best traditions and values of America."

About 2,000 people marched from the Chamizal National Monument to a nearby international bridge connecting Cuidad Juarez with El Paso. Protesters chanted "Vive Mexico" and "Si Se Puede," which is Spanish for "Yes, it can be done!"

At one of four bridges connecting the two cities, demonstrators on the U.S. side tried to block inbound and outgoing traffic for about 30 minutes before traffic began flowing again. There were no signs of violence, and no one was arrested.

Hundreds of protesters carrying signs and waving U.S. flags marched across the bridge from Mexico to the U.S. and stayed briefly. They were met by a line of police officers and Customs and Border Protection agents.

In Dallas, nearly 200 people gathered outside Cornyn's office, chanting and carried signs with messages "United Stands for All," "Support Our President" and "John Cornyn _ Today We March. Tomorrow We Vote."

Elisabet Pierucci, 26, of Irving, who was born in the United States, pointed out that while illegal immigrants cannot vote, their children will.

"I understand we need to secure the border," said Pierucci, who marched with her two young daughters. "I don't understand the hostility to the people who are already here."

Cornyn, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration subcommittee, said he was puzzled why he was targeted. Cornyn, in Washington, D.C., on Monday, said he is a longtime supporter of comprehensive immigration reform and blamed delays in passing a bill on "Democrat obstruction."

Cornyn has proposed a bill with Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., that among other things would give illegal immigrants up to five years to leave the country, paying higher fines the longer they wait to leave. It would allow the immigrants to return after they'd been granted visas for legal residency or as temporary workers.

Dallas lawyer and Hispanic rights activist Domingo Garcia said that morning rush-hour traffic was lighter Monday than usual. He said he didn't see any businesses open in an area southwest of downtown Dallas, the city's biggest concentration of Hispanic businesses.

Earlier Monday, officials said traffic at all of the international bridges connecting El Paso to Cuidad Juarez was almost nonexistent, unusual for a weekday morning and especially for a holiday in Mexico.

Sidewalks were almost empty in downtown Brownsville, a grid of mostly discount clothing and houseware shops that usually bustles with foot traffic from across the border in Matamoros, Mexico.

Many shops closed because owners heard that Mexicans were staying home Monday to support U.S. protesters.

"By right now, I'd usually have about 10 customers," said Hilda Escobedo, who sat idle behind the counter of Galvan's Casa de Cambio, a money-changing store. "But today I have no customers, not even one."

Andres Fernandez, a parking officer, said it was rare to see so many empty parking spaces in downtown Brownsville.

"It's going to be a slow day for tickets, too," Fernandez said.

Some Houston schools in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods reported absentee rates of 13 percent to 19 percent, up from the usual rates in the single digits.

In Austin, Texas Gov. Rick Perry said students shouldn't skip school.

"The bottom line is America is a great place and you have freedoms here that you don't have in a lot of other countries," Perry said. "... If you're a state employee you best have a comp, your compensated time, or somebody in your office better have checked off on it. So we got rules here also."

Some immigrants said they couldn't afford to take the day off or were worried about ramifications if they skipped. Others said the boycotts could be too soon after large-scale protests in March and April.

Malone's Cost-Plus, a chain of nine Dallas supermarkets and more than 800 restaurants owned by Malone's Food Stores Ltd., said it would close Monday as a gesture of support, said general manager Rick Gomez. The company's work force is 95 percent Hispanic, and about 90 percent of its customers are Hispanic.

___

Associated Press writers Lynn Brezosky in Brownsville, Alicia Caldwell in El Paso, Suzanne Gamboa in Washington, D.C., Kelley Shannon in Austin, and Jamie Stengle and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.