# U.S. immigrants flex muscle at rallies; turnout down



## Todd (Jul 3, 2006)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070501/ts_nm/usa_immigration_dc_3

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Demonstrators toting placards and bullhorns rallied across the United States on Tuesday to demand rights for *illegal* immigrants, although the turnout was down from mass rallies a year ago, organizers said.

Demonstrations, consumer boycotts and school walkouts got under way by groups calling for an end to a recent crackdown on *undocumented* immigrants and better treatment for the estimated 11 million people living and working in the shadows of American society.

A year ago, hundreds of thousands of mostly Hispanic immigrants walked off the job and packed streets of major cities from New England to California in a massive show of their economic clout.

"This is our way to show our presence. We are here, we are working, we are part of America and we are not going away," said activist Lydia Hernandez as she stood among more than 1,300 demonstrators in central Phoenix.

The latest rallies come as U.S. lawmakers are struggling to devise a workable compromise on immigration, seeking a formula to provide tougher border control and workplace enforcement while addressing the status of *illegal* immigrants.

Federal legislation that would have created a guest-worker program and offered many *illegal *immigrants a shot at citizenship failed last year in the face of stiff opposition from Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives.

This year, protest organizers expect participation to be lower than last, citing waning support for the rallies in the Spanish-language media and stepped-up immigration raids that have raised fear in many immigrant communities nationwide.

In Los Angeles, about 2,500 demonstrators carrying placards with slogans such as "Stop the Raids & Deportations" and "Legalization Now" gathered in the city's fashion district.

"America gives us the opportunity to better ourselves, to have better jobs, better careers, better education," said student Marta Duenas, who was carrying an American flag.

OVERHAUL ELUSIVE
Los Angeles officials expect 20,000 people to rally in two marches downtown, well below the number who took part in a May 1 protest last year that brought traffic to a standstill.

In Chicago, where protesters were still gathering at late morning, organizers had originally estimated there would be 5,000 marchers -- a far cry from the 400,000 to 500,000 who turned out a year ago.

Rallies and boycotts are planned in Boston, New York and Washington D.C. where about 400 Asian immigrants sought to lobby lawmakers.

In New York, immigrants planned to decorate a "family tree," with paper leaves containing names of family members from whom they are separated
While the rallies highlight immigrants' demands, U.S. officials and lawmakers remained divided on chances for immigration legislation in coming weeks.

"I think there is a reasonably good chance (that a law will be passed) but I don't want to underestimate the challenges," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told CNN television news.

"I think it's going to have to be tough on enforcement. It's going to have to continue to put pressure on the border but were going to need to find a way that is reasonable and fair and not an amnesty to deal with the *undocumented* workers who are here," he added.

Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, an opponent of an "amnesty" granting any concessions or legal status to *illegal* immigrants, was dismissive, saying a 1986 effort failed.

"We had 3 million *illegal* aliens in the country then when we did it, and it was supposed to be the end of our problem. We now have about, well, between 12 million and 20 million *illegal* aliens in the country and we will have exponentially more if we give them amnesty again."

What part of *illegal *don't they get? I think we should all drive down to Mexico and demand health care and education (in English since we don't speak the native tongue there) from the government even though we're citizens of the US and don't pay Mexican taxes. Who's up for a road trip?


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## teknoid (Mar 12, 2007)

We're passing up a golden opportunity on these "demonstrations". Heck, while they're all conveniently gathered in one place it would be easier to round up the illegals! Unfortunately, with local governments giving safe haven to lawbreakers, and the feds unwilling to deal with the problem, we're screwed.

Will we ever have a choice at the ballot box to choose politicians who will enforce the law? In a word... no. I'm so sick of hearing that crap about the criminals "doing the jobs Americans won't do" that I want to hurl every time some idiot utters the phrase. Factories, meat processing, carpentry, bricklaying, roofing, etc. are just some of the examples of the inherent lie in that statement. The bleeding hearts think we should all have sympathy for "the people who just want a better life". I agree with that. I sympathize with the millions who would migrate here if they could legally do so. Maybe if our government "grew a pair" and deported the trespassers, we could accommodate more of them.

Perhaps if we copied Mexico's immigration policy, everyone would be happy. I don't hear anyone complaining about it.


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## john doe. (Aug 26, 2006)

No kidding. What a great opportunity to not only stop these demistrations but to clean up some of the city of illegals too.



teknoid said:


> We're passing up a golden opportunity on these "demonstrations". Heck, while they're all conveniently gathered in one place it would be easier to round up the illegals! Unfortunately, with local governments giving safe haven to lawbreakers, and the feds unwilling to deal with the problem, we're screwed.
> 
> Will we ever have a choice at the ballot box to choose politicians who will enforce the law? In a word... no. I'm so sick of hearing that crap about the criminals "doing the jobs Americans won't do" that I want to hurl every time some idiot utters the phrase. Factories, meat processing, carpentry, bricklaying, roofing, etc. are just some of the examples of the inherent lie in that statement. The bleeding hearts think we should all have sympathy for "the people who just want a better life". I agree with that. I sympathize with the millions who would migrate here if they could legally do so. Maybe if our government "grew a pair" and deported the trespassers, we could accommodate more of them.
> 
> Perhaps if we copied Mexico's immigration policy, everyone would be happy. I don't hear anyone complaining about it.


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## Mdnitedrftr (Aug 10, 2006)

They came here illegally, they live here illegally, they work here illegally, they are nothing but criminals, period. Why the hell should they be rewarded with citizenship?


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## Revolver (Aug 26, 2006)

They are not immigrants. They are aliens. Anyone with a basic understanding of immigration laws knows this. Anyone who does not has *no business* discussing issues regarding immigrants or aliens. Calling illegal aliens immigrants is an insult to all immigrants.

They're just doing the jobs Americans won't hire Americans to do. They're just tolerating illegal abuses by employers that Americans won't tolerate. Clearly it's the evil American working man who's at fault.

They'll protest here but they won't protest the conditions that caused them to flee their shithole. Funny how that works.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

I believe a more appropriate term would be "Invaders". Where else could 12 million people cross a national border without permission and not be considered "INVADERS"? Most countries would have started shooting long ago.

:smt1099


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

Sigh. I sometimes think I was doing more good for America on the border mission than I am here. This situation has gotten completely out of hand. America, along with the rest of Western Civilization, is committing suicide.


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## js (Jun 29, 2006)

End the Illegal Occupation, Deport a Mexican. :smt076


Either we start doing mass rounding up and deporting or we need to annex Mexico and be done with it.


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## SuckLead (Jul 4, 2006)

teknoid said:


> I'm so sick of hearing that crap about the criminals "doing the jobs Americans won't do" that I want to hurl every time some idiot utters the phrase. Factories, meat processing, carpentry, bricklaying, roofing, etc. are just some of the examples of the inherent lie in that statement.


What it is really is that they do the jobs Americans want to be paid more than $2 an hour to do. Americans will do all of that. Heck, I'd pluck chickens and lay bricks for a living if it would pay my bills. But employers are making a choice: hire an American that wants fair pay that you have no choice but to pay fairly, or hire an illegal who can't do anything about it.


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## teknoid (Mar 12, 2007)

SuckLead said:


> What it is really is that they do the jobs Americans want to be paid more than $2 an hour to do. Americans will do all of that. Heck, I'd pluck chickens and lay bricks for a living if it would pay my bills. But employers are making a choice: hire an American that wants fair pay that you have no choice but to pay fairly, or hire an illegal who can't do anything about it.


I saw that a lot before escaping Illinois. I guess the illegals are willing to accept less. When you have 20 people sharing the rent on a 2 bedroom house, money goes further.


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## Revolver (Aug 26, 2006)

SuckLead said:


> What it is really is that they do the jobs Americans want to be paid more than $2 an hour to do. Americans will do all of that. Heck, I'd pluck chickens and lay bricks for a living if it would pay my bills. But employers are making a choice: hire an American that wants fair pay that you have no choice but to pay fairly, or hire an illegal who can't do anything about it.


That's not the only advantage they see in hiring illegal aliens. They also abuse the workers and force them to work under conditions that would land the employer in prison if it were an American citizen or legal resident.


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## madmag (Jan 29, 2007)

The good news is that States like Oklahoma are now trying to stem the tide & costs of illegals. The bad news is that this would not have been necessary if our Government did it's job.

http://www.timesrecordnews.com/trn/local_news/article/0,1891,TRN_5784_5514989,00.html


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## Mdnitedrftr (Aug 10, 2006)

They need to deputize me as an immigration agent. Id have CT cleansed in a few hours. :draw:


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

The protest marches are the best opportunity ICE will ever have to round these people up on the cheap. A little chain link generating a 3 block long funnel to an array of busses would work quite nicely. A few well placed less than lethal shotgun rounds would fill the funnel. Send all in the march to Mexico. Those that are citizens or media personell can explain the error to the Mexican Police. :smt1099


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## Maximo (May 26, 2006)

TOF said:


> The protest marches are the best opportunity ICE will ever have to round these people up on the cheap. A little chain link generating a 3 block long funnel to an array of busses would work quite nicely. A few well placed less than lethal shotgun rounds would fill the funnel. Send all in the march to Mexico. Those that are citizens or media personell can explain the error to the Mexican Police. :smt1099


:anim_lol::anim_lol:


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