Thread: MSNBC Immigration debate unites Latinos of all classes

Immigration debate unites Latinos of all classesMeasure to curb illegals pushes rich, poor to work together

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21202756/
José Marinay wears tailored suits, plays racquetball twice a week and displays photos of family-owned racehorses in his Annandale office. For years, the Colombian-born businessman thought he had little in common with the area's illegal immigrants, often villagers from Mexico and Central America who sleep 10 to a house and push lawn mowers or scrub pots for a living.

But the battle in Prince William County, where a measure to curb illegal immigration has thrown the Latino community into turmoil, changed his mind.

"This situation has brought together people who never would have sat in one room before," said Marinay, 50, who owns a real estate settlement company that has offices across Northern Virginia and a mainly Latino clientele. Since the measure was passed in July, he said, business has fallen 80 percent at his Manassas office, and he will probably close it. He also said a sense of growing hostility toward Latino immigrants has affected him.

"I dress well, and I drive a nice car. But on the weekends, when I am in shorts and sandals and I haven't shaved, I look Latino enough to scare a few folks," Marinay said. "There is a definite chill in the air. We may be a fragmented community, we may eat or celebrate in different places, but now they are looking at us in the same way. If we don't unite and work together, we will all sink."

Sense of siege and solidarity
lthough not yet enacted into law, the resolution passed by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors has created a sense of siege and solidarity throughout the county's wider Latino community of about 30,000. Rumors circulate that people will be arrested if they board buses or drop off their children at school. Some legal residents, who bought homes and opened businesses, expecting to stay for years, say they are thinking of leaving.

"When we came to Manassas 20 years ago, it was a beautiful place. We were full of enthusiasm and optimism. But in the last three months, that has all gone away," said Carlos Alvarado, 45, a Salvadoran immigrant whose variety store sells fresh corn tamales, pi¿atas and frilly girls' dresses. Many customers are too broke or scared to shop, he said. "Everyone is talking about moving to Maryland or North Carolina, and I am almost bankrupt."

Sponsors and advocates of the resolution assert it is neither anti-Latino nor anti-immigrant. They insist it is aimed at stopping the steady influx of illegal immigrants during the past decade, who they complain are crowding neighborhoods and burdening schools. The measure would deny some services to illegal immigrants and allow local police to turn them over to federal officials.

At first, the region's Latino community was conflicted in its response, reflecting differences in class, education levels, immigration status, national origin and ideological roots. Within the business community, potential allies saw each other as economic rivals first.

The split was exacerbated by the confrontational actions of a group in Virginia, Mexicans Without Borders, that staged a number of protests against the measure, including a one-week store boycott in August. The group has called for a one-day countywide work stoppage today. Last month, the group put up a huge Liberty Wall in Manassas with a sign that condemns "racism against Hispanics." The sign was half torn down by vandals last weekend.

Many established Latino immigrants in Northern Virginia said they disapproved of such tactics, saying they feared the efforts would turn community goodwill against them, too. But as the firestorm over illegal immigration has spread, more affluent Latinos in the area, including entrepreneurs from Colombia and Venezuela, have come to realize they have a personal and economic stake in resolving the issue.

Use of lobbying, economic power
In August, a regional Latino business coalition was formed to seek subtler ways to fight anti-immigration measures, such as through personal lobbying and economic power. Coalition leaders said that it was hard to get some entrepreneurs involved but that more are being spurred to action by a mixture of self-interest, guilt and sympathy for those they once considered a lower class of immigrant.

"This is definitely not business as usual. If people can't buy groceries, they can't buy cars or houses," said Marinay, a coalition official. Other members work in real estate, banking, entertainment and insurance. "We are a wealthy group, and we have invested millions in this region," he said. "Why can't we get these people off our backs? It's our own fault for not being united."

Ricardo Juarez, a leader of Mexicans Without Borders, said that despite their tactical differences, he has come to appreciate the efforts of Marinay's committee. At a county hearing last Tuesday, Juarez and several Latino business owners testified against the resolution, using nearly identical arguments and similarly polite tones.

This again is untrue. The legal Hispanics do not want there reputations ruined by the illegal. I know this because I speak with these people. This is untrue.

...said Marinay, 50, who owns a real estate settlement company that has offices across Northern Virginia and a mainly Latino clientele.

....said Carlos Alvarado, 45, a Salvadoran immigrant whose variety store sells fresh corn tamales, pi¿atas and frilly girls' dresses.

Solidarity with illegal aliens? Sounds to me like they have more of a greed driven financial stake.

"Everyone is talking about moving to Maryland or North Carolina,

I don't believe they are talking about moving to Maryland, I think they have started already. On several occasions lately, I have noticed caravans of SUVs and Trucks with Virginia license plates, packed to the brim and loaded with Hispanics driving in my area in Maryland. With Maryland giving illegals driver licenses and millions of dollars for a day labor center to CASA, I guess Maryland is a good place for them to run to. UGH!

Maybe if you help to get the illegals to go home people won't look at you like that, but know people like you can not fight for your country, you have to fight for a certain race!! and that is your problem.

With any luck you will go broke and deserve it for turning against America and we the people of this great nation. In other words your fellow Americans instead of your race!


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION ALERTS! Please take action
(VIDEO)
William's interview with Rick Sanchez (Fantastic, lets promote it)!!!
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=86152
"CAPS ACTION ALERT......"Dream Act"
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=84966
"State Legistatures for Legal Immigration" PETITION
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=84944
Welcome to "AIIPAC"
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=83274

I agree race plays a huge part for them. Seems to me they would ask themselves why they have come to America and built a business that only caters to ONE ETHNICITY/GROUP OF PEOPLE, so much so as a result they are going bankrupt.

Funny how TRUE AMERICANS build businesses that will appeal to many people/cultures not just someone who shares their ethnicity/race.

From this article, I take it that the legal Hispanics who are supporting the illegal ones are mainly business owners who have built their business upon mainly clientele who are in the country illegally. Therefore, their primary motive for supporting illegals seems to be greed in the same way as other business owners who use illegals for cheap labor are supporting them.

If you build your business on illegality, you shouldn't be surprised when someday everything comes crashing down.

Originally Posted by noyoucannot

From this article, I take it that the legal Hispanics who are supporting the illegal ones are mainly business owners who have built their business upon mainly clientele who are in the country illegally. Therefore, their primary motive for supporting illegals seems to be greed in the same way as other business owners who use illegals for cheap labor are supporting them.

If you build your business on illegality, you shouldn't be surprised when someday everything comes crashing down.

exactly. they are as much parasites as the illegals are in that sense.

No surprise here. The brown racists on the side of illegal criminals as long as their brown. Just look at the voting records of every latino politician in any capacity and you will see the racism as clear as day.