Thread: Anti-immigration Anger Hits Hispanic Lawmakers

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Tuesday, 05/23/06

Anti-immigration anger hits Hispanic lawmakers

By DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY
Gannett News Service

WASHINGTON — Before Rep. Luis Gutierrez could wrap up a recent round of appearances on conservative talk shows, some angry callers were lighting up the switchboard in his Washington office and demanding the seven-term congressman go back to Mexico.

Only Gutierrez, D-Ill., was born in Chicago and is of Puerto Rican descent.

"Some of them are pretty ugly phone calls," said Gutierrez, chairman of the Democratic Caucus Immigration Task Force and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force. "Given the heated nature of the debate and some of the things elected officials say ... it's like the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree."

The immigration debate in Congress has stirred passions on both sides of the issue, and Gutierrez and other Hispanic lawmakers say they have been the target of anti-immigrant phone calls and e-mails. The heart of the debate concerns what to do with an estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants.

Some of the calls to lawmakers have been mean-spirited and personally insulting, they say. But they add that while they listen to the phone messages and read the electronic correspondence, the ugly sentiment doesn't dampen their efforts to change the nation's immigration policies.

"We listen to all of it ... but it doesn't change the course we're going to take in this debate," said Gutierrez, who has co-sponsored measures that would allow undocumented immigrants to work here temporarily and get on the path to citizenship.

Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., also in the forefront of the immigration debate, says he, too, has received nasty calls and e-mails.

Salazar said he has been accused of being involved with the issue only because of his Mexican-American background. Yet, he said, his family has farmed the same land 150 years in southern Colorado and his family founded Santa Fe, N.M., 408 years ago.

"We've been a part of the American landscape and its history before Plymouth Rock and Jamestown," he said. "So when people accuse me of violating immigration laws, which they accuse me of, and want to ship me back to Mexico ... they're just plain wrong."

In recent weeks, Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., the only Hispanic on the House Judiciary's immigration subcommittee, has received three red bricks, each wrapped in a note telling the congresswoman to use the brick to help build a wall along the Mexican border. None of them came from her district, spokesman Jim Dau said.

"We see a lot of these gimmicks, some more clever than others," Dau said. "This is such a big complicated issue. We're all for free speech, but this doesn't take the place of intelligent conversation."

Dau said the office is considering donating the bricks to Habitat for Humanity.

Other lawmakers, including non-Hispanic House members such as Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., also have received bricks but welcome the gesture. Six bricks are stacked in Blackburn's office.

"If you are member who doesn't want a wall, you're probably going to take it and build a barbecue," said Ryan Loskarn, a spokesman for Blackburn, who has been outspoken about her support for a wall. "If you're Rep. Blackburn, you're going to take this as a sign that people agree with her and want to see a wall."

Not all the reaction has been negative, congressional aides say, particularly those from constituents.

Salazar said he has been approached by people in Washington and Colorado who tell him how important the immigration issue is to them and their family.

"There's not a day that passes where somewhere on the street, somewhere in the church, somewhere in the grocery store someone will approach me and tug at my sleeve and say that they are very hopeful that we are able to put together a good immigration law," Salazar said.

Gutierrez said the anti-immigration wave is not new. He noted that Italian and Irish immigrants were once targets of such sentiment.

Still, the Illinois lawmaker said he is saddened today by "such hatefulness.... But I understand that it exists. I understand that there are forces that have used prejudice, xenophobia

I invite those foolish people, to spend just one night on the streets of Laredo or El Paso, TX if they think illegal immigration is a good thing.

Dixie

What really angers me is that these foolish people will never see what you and I see. Or have to live with the outcome of their actions.

Gutierrez said the anti-immigration wave is not new. He noted that Italian and Irish immigrants were once targets of such sentiment

He's been on Lou Dobbs a couple of times...I turn off the sound. I can't bear watching him

Here he is complaining that he hears 'ugly' things. Really. He speaks anti-American. What would he expect to hear? Does he think that American people are as treasonous as the senate?

He keeps talking about the PREVIOUS immigration to our country. Excuse me...that was OVER almost 100 years ago. We are NOW a settled country. We do NOT NEED more immigration. We need to CHOOSE who will come here, who will make a contribution here...but millions of Mexican peons...NO WE DON"T NEED THEM.

GRRRR

MJ

I just can't wait to go to the polls !!

He hears 'ugly' - just how ugly does he think it is about flooding our country with millions of foreigners for us to support.

Now if you want to talk 'ugly' speech - that's ugly speech.

That's threatening speech.

I somehow think the bricks got to them - don't you? If they are trying to make light of it - then it got to them.

I can't really put this into words - but why is it that an Hispanic lawmaker would be up there to represent the view of the Hispanic people? Or to champion the cause of the Hispanic people? They do talk about it.

I feel the same way about black lawmakers. Why do they always talk about representing the 'black people'.

Female lawmakers often say they represent the 'women's' prespective.

We hear this all the time and no one ever asks them - aren't you up there to represent the American people????

I am tired of this division. I am tired of special groups, and special interests.

The Irish and Italian's were once a target of this sentiment. He forgets to say that the numbers were much lower then, they were talking about immigration back then not an invasion like we are today.

They know that - at least I think they do. Some don't appear to be too bright to me.

They just hope there are some out here who haven't been taught any history -