Thread: Young people in Chicago try to put a face on immigrants

Chicago – Young immigrants in Chicago are seeking to put a human face on the large number of undocumented people in this country and thus have decided to "come out of the shadows" and speak openly about their own immigration situation.

Some 300 young people staged a noisy protest on March 10 in Daley Plaza in downtown Chicago to demand immigration reform using the slogan "without papers and without remorse."

"Without documents and without fear," chanted the young protesters gathered around a stage in front of city hall as they called for the creation of spaces so that undocumented immigrants can tell their stories, live, study and contribute to their communities.

Ariana Salgado waited her turn that day to "come out of the shadows" and announce that she is undocumented.

"My name is Ariana and I'm undocumented," said the young woman. "I came to this country with my mother and brother when I was six years old," she continued, trying to hold back her tears. "I grew up hearing from my mother not to share (the fact) that I did not have papers."

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What is the LEAST Latino State in the Union? Along with Salgado on that day were eight other young people, including Latinos, Filipinos and Arabs, who had also decided to make their undocumented immigration status publicly known.

The 18-year-old woman, who does not remember anything about her country of origin - Mexico - said that it's good for young people like her to say they are undocumented.

"It brings to light that the problem is a human one," Salgado told Efe. "When someone comes out of the shadows as an undocumented person, they see the student, the worker, they see the head of a family. If we don't talk about our status and we say we need a change, then we're always going to stay in the shadows."

Her parents supported her when she made her decision to "expose the urgency of the problem" of living without any legal future in this country, Salgado said.

"All our lives as undocumented young people we've grown up in silence and embarrassed to say we're undocumented, and that's something that our parents, teachers and politicians tell us," activist Tania Unzueta told Efe.

Unzueta is a member of the Immigrant Youth Justice League, or IYJL, and part of the group that prepared these nine young people to announce their undocumented status.

Unzueta said that "coming out of the shadows" is a psychological act that leaves the young immigrants free to be able to say who they are.

Preparing each young person to come out of the shadows, however, requires many hours of conversations and meetings with a team of lawyers, Unzueta said.

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2 ... s/#content

[quote="BillCunnane"]Chicago – Young immigrants in Chicago are seeking to put a human face on the large number of undocumented people in this country and thus have decided to "come out of the shadows" and speak openly about their own immigration situation.

And where was ICE???? They just handed their errogant selves to you all in one gathering!! Were you playing golf with Obama or what????

From the facebook posts prior to the event it sounded like there was going to be a couple thousand in the protest. Bottom line was only 300. Well like I posted int he paper...let them keep putting themselves in the spotlight. Is going to make it easier to find them inthe future. It would be nice if ICE now starts to do some raids in chicago and starts to pull in some of those who were there at this protest.

Bill
it would be nice if Ice did the same thing in NYC . & every other city In NYC all up & down the line In the city . start from the lower East . side Of NYC & work your way up .& then go to the west side of NYC
No amnesty

Illegal invaders already have a "face" and it's recognized as one of arrogance, bravado and sense of entitlement!

Get out!

SouthBronx
I am from NJ originally and worked in NYC for awhile. Its a meltingpot and is nice to see the different cultures. I am sure however it is also a shelter city for illegals as well. The garment district is loaded with them. Bloomberg will never allow any ICE operation in NYC. He will use all his people who he buys off to prevent immigration raids.

NYC is more than just Manhattan! Americans are deceived when only Manhattan is viewed as NYC. 70 to 80% of the outer boroughs are negatively affected by Illegal Immigration but that is kept out of sight.

This is just the beginning of an entire week devoted to celebrating illegals, althought the "march" is the highlight.

http://american-rattlesnake.org/2011/03 ... ien-march/

http://www.dreamactivist.org/blog/2010/03/05/comeout/