Much of the scrutiny surrounding those who enter the U.S. illegally goes back to Sept. 11, 2001, when a series of coordinated suicide attacks sent a wave of panic and anger through the nation, killing 2,974, primarily civilians.
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House Bill 1804, effective Nov. 1, established criminal penalties for harboring, transporting or concealing illegal immigrants. It denies them public benefits. It also requires businesses to run all new workers through a verification system.
The legislation also could cut off in-state tuition for illegal immigrant students unless they can verify they have applied for citizenship or plan to within one year. It requires local law enforcement to check the immigration status of those it suspects of being illegal immigrants upon felony or DUI arrests. It also denies illegal immigrants' driver's licenses.
Here's a look at events leading up to the law being put into effect.
•9/11: Nineteen hijackers were killed during the attacks. At least one person has died of lung disease due to exposure to World Trade Center dust subsequent to those attacks. Another 24 people are missing and presumed dead.
•English only: By late 2002, momentum was going in Oklahoma to designate English as the official language in the state. But the English-only bill was defeated in March 2003.
Oklahoma's illegal immigrant population grew nearly 200 percent between 1990 and 2000, a U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service study shows.
•Illegal Immigrant numbers grow: Based on the 2000 census and INS statistics, 46,000 illegal immigrants lived in Oklahoma in 2000. Those increases created serious momentum for long-time immigration control advocates.
"There's been a complete collapse of any effective immigration control,” said Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
•Oklahoma's first immigration bill proposed: In November 2005, former state Rep. Kevin Calvey, R-Del City, proposed legislation requiring state employees to report illegal immigration. The measure would have required state and local employees to report suspected violations of immigration law to federal authorities.
•Oklahoma's new Boomers: By mid 2005, illegal immigrants made up at least 40 percent of the state's foreign-born population, according to national studies. It was designated as one of nine states with 55,000 to 85,000 illegal immigrants, also known as settlement states, the report said.
•HB 3119: In early 2006, Sen Randy Terrill, R-Moore, authored HB 3119, which would have required proof of citizenship when getting identification cards at school, registering to vote or seeking public assistance. Anyone who couldn't prove American citizenship would be turned over to federal immigration authorities under HB 3119.
•Back-to-back protests: On one day in April 2006, there were about 10,000 protesters demonstrating at the state Capitol against an illegal immigration bill authored by Terrilland Calvey. The next day, a group of 300 counter-protesters demonstrated at the state Capitol in support of the bill.
•HB 3119 dies: In April 2006, the bill was said to be too harsh and died in committee.
•HB 1804 is born: On Jan. 19, 2007, HB 1804 was filed as the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007 and moved through committees.
•HB 1804 OK'd by state legislature: On May, 1, the state House of Representatives voted 84-14 in support of HB 1804.
•Governor reluctantly passes HB 1804 into law: On May 8, Gov. Brad Henry said it is impossible to effectively address immigration reform until the federal government acts. But he signed the bill into law.
•Hispanic community lashes out: On June 1, members of the Governor's Advisory Council on Latin American and Hispanic Affairs were asked to resign because of complaints they don't represent the Hispanic community and for failing to persuade Henry to veto HB 1804.
•Immigration enforcement faces federal setback: On Oct. 1, the Social Security Administration planned to send out "no-match” letters to employers with 10 or more workers whose names did not match their Social Security numbers. There are several million workers using "no-match” numbers. But a lawsuit was filed and the letters have not gone out.
•OHCA's end-run for pre-natal health: After years of trying to get the state legislature to allow them to provide pre-natal care to pregnant illegal immigrants, on Oct. 11, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority's board elected to provide those services by itself. Members of the authority voted 6-1 to approve a rule change, qualifying undocumented women with Medicaid prenatal assistance.
"It clearly runs contrary to state legislative intent,” Terrill said about the rule change.
•Law enforcement balks over HB 1804: On Oct. 13, police departments and the local district attorney's office said they do not have the training, manpower or resources to enforce HB 1804.
"It's all fine and good for the Legislature to say ‘We should kick them all out, or we should put up fences everywhere,' but it creates serious problems for us, the people who are responsible for enforcing it,” said Scott Rowland, Oklahoma County assistant district attorney.
•Lawsuit filed: On Oct. 15, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Religious Leaders filed a lawsuit against Henry and Attorney General Drew Edmondson over HB 1804, calling it unconstitutional.
•Lawsuit dismissed: On Oct. 22, the lawsuit by the coalition of Hispanic clergy was dismissed. U.S. District Judge James Payne said the plaintiffs had no standing because there were no damages as the law had not yet taken effect.
•Lawsuit refiled: On Oct. 25, the Hispanic clergymen refiled the lawsuit over the constitutionality of HB 1804.
•Catholics vow to resist: Also on Oct. 25, a council of priests with the Oklahoma City Archdiocese and Archbishop Eusebius J. Beltran signed pledges in opposition to the new immigration reform law.
"It's a dilemma we face,” said the Rev. Michael Chapman, a member of the council and pastor of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Oklahoma City. "It's definitely against the law to be here illegally. To that extent, Rep. (Randy) Terrill is correct. But we are making the statement that there is a higher law — a law of charity and helping your fellow man.” •State Regents for Higher Education changes financial aid policy: Also on Oct. 25, the State Regents for Higher Education changed their financial aid rules to comply with HB 1804. It voted to allow illegal alien students the right to apply for financial aid or in-state tuition rates, but only if they intend to seek legal status.
Regent Stuart Price voted against the measure and said the current policy should stand. It allowed in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants with high school diplomas or general educational development certificates but didn't require federal applications and allowed students to seek state scholarships such as Oklahoma's Promise and the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant.
The immigration bill is "inhumane, unfair and shortsighted,” Price said. "I'm wondering: Just how low does this law go?”
•New law has Hispanics fearing cops: On Oct. 26, Oklahoma Police Chief Bill Citty said panic surrounding HB 1804 has kept some Hispanic immigrants who have been victims of crime from reporting the crimes. Citty said public misconceptions about the law were fueling fear that could make it difficult to track down violent criminals.
"We've had a series of armed robberies where Hispanics have been targeted. We think we are just getting a portion of it. We think they've been targeted because the suspects know they are less likely to report the crimes at this point,” Citty said.
•HB 1804 — Eve of law taking effect: On Oct. 31, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders met with U.S. District Judge James Payne to argue for a temporary injunction against HB 1804, considered a tough immigration enforcement bill. The judge denied the injunction, which means the law went into effect as planned.
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Tulsa Fox 23 News, has an article on their website pertaining to the KKK and the immigration issue. I knew that this was coming. After reading that article, if I was an illegal in the state of Oklahoma, I would be getting out of Oklahoma as fast as I could, if not for my own safety, then for the SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN!!!!! As for the churches that say they will not abide by H.B. 1804, Randy Terrill said the churches would loose their tax excempt status if they did not abide by H.B. 1804.
It is sad that everybody against this bill doesn't know everything that it entails. People are saying that this new law makes the police go and round up illegals and it doesn't. It requires them to show that they are here legally if they plan on applying for in-state tuition or state assistance. Big deal. And then legal status is checked on a system if arrested. The police chief made a mistake saying they don't have the man power to do this. They've had access to this stuff for years, now there is just a law requiring them to do what the feds have wanted them to do for years. It makes it easier on the feds yes but seriously, the feds get bad press when they do their jobs and bad press when they don't. So rely on the states to take a big portion out of their plate in order to help them get their job accomplished. And yes, the hijackers were illegal. Once here legally for school and then their visas expired and they stayed and still got jobs. So yes, we can use 9-11 to help back this. Nothing in the bill said Hispanics and Hispanics come from more than just Mexico people. Learn some stuff before making comments and coming across like you know nothing.
Rosanna Pulido and Robert Vasquez are the House !*!!&% of the Hispanic Movement. Remember on the plantations the house slaves always served and sided with the Master to gain favor and have the best out of all the Black slaves. They even got to wear clean uniforms and keep them clean.
I truly never wanted to address this issue or bring it up because I would be called a whole bunch of names. I said several years ago that when the Hispanics became the largest minority in America that it was by design. The deliberate inaction was meant to create the situation that we have today. Guess what? It has. This has been an agenda from the beginning. An real emergence of the Black community as a political force had to be stopped. Now we see that it really is all about Black and White. Anchor babies with Constitutional rights had to be born. American men and women had to start taking immigrants as husbands and wives to legally give RIGHTS to their families and their marital situations. I will no longer be a part of this debate other than to help children of immigrants born here that are American citizens, spouses, mates, of illegal immigrants. I will help illegal immigrants to leave Oklahoma and just yesterday I offered an illegal a ticket to another city. Yes, my bleeding heart has paid to send people away to their family in another city before. This particular individual is an aging illegal, he has no family in this city, yet he is in America and is going to stay until he is deported. He either don't understand the impact of HB 1804 or don't comprehend the situation, which with my limited Spanish and his limited English we didn't fully communicate. Any of you that argue that I am pitting Blacks against Whites, remember all the news stories about the emerging numbers of Hispanics and that they were fast becoming the largest minority in America, then they became the largest minority in America. I know the Anglo way of thinking. Yeah deep down, White America would rather have their sons and daughters date and marry a Hispanic and preserve some kind of racial purity with the Spanish influence on the blood, rather than have thier sons and daughters date and marry a Black. Enough said. Good luck to all of you on both sides of the issues.
LA Times Oct 24 - Six illegal immigrants arrested at Qualcomm - San Diego:
Six undocumented Mexican immigrants were arrested today by U.S. Border Patrol agents at Qualcomm Stadium, after a report that they were stealing food and water meant for evacuees, according to spokesman Damon Foreman.
San Diego police responded to a call about alleged theft from the evacuation center and encountered six people in a van who didn't speak English and didn't have California driver's licenses, Foreman said. The police officers called the Border Patrol, who arrived at the stadium and made the arrests, he said. Foreman said the immigrants admitted they were Mexican citizens and that they were stealing.
Mexican-American fights illegal immigration -
By Timothy Egan - CALDWELL, Idaho: To hear people who call in to Idaho's leading talk radio station, Robert Vasquez is a hero: one of the few politicians to tell it straight.
Vasquez, 55, a county commissioner and Mexican-American in a part of the country where Hispanics are ascendant, has been on a crusade against illegal immigration - what he calls "an imminent invasion" from south of the border.
Vasquez has tried to get Canyon County declared a disaster area because of the strain from illegal immigrants. He has also sent a bill to the Mexican government for more than $2 million; that is the cost, he said, of Mexicans who are in the county illegally. "If he wasn't a Mexican-American himself, he would be labeled a racist and no one would listen to him," said Keith Esplin, executive director of the Potato Growers of Idaho. "If I were governor," he said in an interview, "I would close the borders of Idaho and mobilize the National Guard to secure checkpoints against all illegal aliens."
Born in El Paso, Texas, as the grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Vasquez joined the army at 17, he said, and was wounded in Vietnam. He earned two Purple Hearts. He has lived in Caldwell for 27 years.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the racist group that helped write Oklahoma's law founded "You Don't Speak For Me"---FAIR. Here: http://www.adl.org/civil_rights/anti_immigrant/dont_speak_for_me.asp
Reuters - Rosanna Pulido is proud of her Mexican heritage.
So proud that she has committed herself to championing the rights of Mexicans and other immigrants who, like her parents, came to this country to live the American dream. Legally, that is.
Pulido actively fights illegal immigration — in 2005 she founded the Illinois Minuteman Project, a civilian border patrol group that works against illegal immigration, and she believes illegal immigrants dilute opportunities for those who arrive legally.
…
She’s the new Illinois chapter leader of You Don’t Speak For Me, a Washington, D.C.-based organization made up of U.S.-born Hispanics and legal Hispanic immigrants who believe illegal immigrants — and politicians eager to pander to special interest groups — are cheating hard-working, legal immigrants and U.S. citizens by diverting already-scarce resources.
…
“I believe there are a lot of Hispanics out there like me who are afraid to speak out,” she said. “I’m uniting with other Latinos who know we must stand up for the rule of law and fight for every American citizen no matter what race or ethnicity they are.”
Devona, tying the illegal immigration debate to 911 is the same tactic that they used to invade Iraq, and it's a lie. The 911 hijackers came through Canada, but this racist law targets Hispanics. Why did you play this hand?
If this forum were limited to people who had never driven (illegally) over fifty-five when that was the law, or never had a drink (illegally) in their homes or at a club before liquor-by-the-drink was passed, It would be all-but-free of comments. We are all such hypocrites. We scream,"this is illegal." or,"that is illegal",while we continue to violate the laws we consider stupid or inconvenient(often with good cause).
I see no connection between 9-11 and HB 1894 but irrational fear and an opening for Oklahoma with its Klan history of the twenties and thirties to revive some of its more contemptible roots.
I do agree with Doug, however, that this is really a national problem, Congress has earned contempt for its cowardly failure to deal with it. Then there's Social Security and Medicare.
Thumbs up ! Oklahoma , for doing what are federal goverment does not do ," DO NOT ENCOURGE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION " My home state, New York should follow your " HB 1804" law !
The U.S. Senate leadership is concentrating on their effort to force amnesty for illegals. History shows that each time the U.S. Congress has granted amnesty, the influx of illegals across our southern border has increased. Granting amnesty to a class of criminals serves only to increase those who commit the crime, expecting to later be granted that same amnesty. It's the same reason the U.S. government does not negotiate with terrorists, and does not give in to the demands of kidnappers. The state of Oklahoma has finally passed a law that attempts to do what the Federal Government has refused to do--cut off the incentive for people to become criminals in order to gain by theft what they have no legal right to.
Some blacks say Latino immigrants taking their jobs
By Lornet Turnbull/Seattle Times -
Outside the Home Depot store in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood, Tim Mitchell chases the same handyman jobs as the Latino men who crowd the narrow sidewalk.
On some mornings, the 39-year-old African American says, he's outnumbered 100-to-1.
"I think many people prefer Latinos because they believe they're cheaper, that they'll work for less money," he said. "Many of them don't speak English ... so people think they can take advantage of them."
As the debate over illegal immigration in the U.S. escalates, the scenario playing out among day laborers reflects a growing uneasiness among some blacks nationwide.
Many worry that the flood of illegal-immigrant workers crossing the border from Mexico is muscling low-skilled workers, many of them black, out of jobs in a number of industries — from the service sector to construction.
But other African Americans say the hordes of low-skilled workers from across Latin America crossing the borders can only harm those on the very fringes of the economy.
And the problem, they say, only threatens to get worse if Congress grants amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants living in this country, and allows thousands of others in through a guest-worker program.
"This issue is not new; this preference for immigrant workers over native African-American workers is historical," said Frank Morris, a former associate dean at the University of Maryland, College Park. Morris was also president of the Tacoma branch of the NAACP during the 1960s.
I love how most of you turn this into a RACE war. Believe what you will, at the end of the day, it all comes down to being ILLEGAL. Become LEGAL and watch your worries go away. This “boohoo feel sorry for me,” is getting old.
Our much respected "fore fathers" broke just about every law in existence at the time. Remember the party in Boston? Then we kidnapped people from another part of the world to bring them to work for us for free. Remember slavery? HB1804 takes us all back to our roots. White men in charge.
I have friends in Mexico and they sent me this letter. A story definitely not being told. Oh yeah, did I mention I'm hispanic as well. -
Dear friends in the United States....
We are Mexican women from villages in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero.
Our brothers and husbands have left us for work in the US.
We strongly support closing the US-Mexico border to illegal entry.
We did not want our men to leave and we want them to return to us.
As we struggle as women, against the difficulty of our situation,
we focus all effort on building a business to sustain ourselves and our children.
But we need the help of our husbands and our brothers
to re-unite our families and to help us develop economic opportunity
in the traditional fashion jewelry production industry that is the heritage of our parents.
Please close the US Border to illegal migration and send our men home to us. Thank you.
Best wishes from Mexico to all persons of good will.
We should continue to be friends and respect each other.
Atentamente,
Eusebia Flores
Artcamp Artesanas Campesinas
Tecalpulco, Municipio de Taxco de Alarcon Guerrero, Mexico
CBS - It seems the black community is starting to wake up to the truth about illegal immigration and it's impact on them. While illegal aliens have continued to drive down wages and hurt those in this country whose livelihood depends on manual labor, the activists in the black community have actually supported them -- if you can believe that.
Just recently it was discovered that at one single placement agency alone, over 70 construction workers -- who were predominantly black -- in the Katrina recovery region were replaced by illegal aliens. This is one agency. Multiply that by all the agencies in the region and you'll see what a travesty is being placed on the black community by illegal immigration. These are Americans who want to work, not people looking for a handout.
Now they are starting to speak out against the injustices illegal immigration places on those they claim to defend and support.
Several black activists plan to join members of the Minutemen Project to protest illegal immigration, which organizer Ted Hayes touted as the "biggest threat to blacks in America since slavery."
Watch national news. oklahoma went from the "Great State" to "The State of Racist". The law passed-everyone has their own point of view. the bigger picture is yet to come, sooner or later. But I think that local law enforcement has said it best-"we don't have the manpower", "we don't have the space", "we don't have the resources". The only thing this law did was not show how strong OK is. But how racist it can become-Both sides-. Me? I am employed where I get to see land developers and builders look into the future. As it stands, contracts are being completed, but almost none renewed-Not here in OK anyway. Your communities might have looked to you as a mexican reality now, but don't worry they won't after awhile, but I bet you won't like what you asked for in the long run. Stop building and they (people) won't come. Oh sure, you'll all survive. But you won't be as comfortable. By the way how do you determine who is illegal? Because alot of people in "Mexican" town are not, but they get the look just the same. 911 was horrible, I held my newborn son and cried and prayed when I saw the 2nd airplane crash into the 2nd building. I saw alot of people hurt then and now. But some of these people were not illegal. They had all the right in the US of A to be here. So hiding behind the 911 tragedy should not be an excuse. There are alot of Illegal activities going on out there. And if current laws were enforced then thee would never have been a 911, right? No. A bad person is a bad person-no matter the status, color or belief. But a racist is a racist, no matter the status, color or belief. My thinking is that, some of the US citizens and residents cannot even keep up with the economy the way it is. So what is really being fought here are public benefits? Great let's show our children to be lazy and fight over public benefits. Public benefits are there for people in need not for people with greed. That goes to every race....
Official warns parents about dangers posed by cartels By Adriana M. Chávez / El Paso Times Article Launched: 11/03/2007 09:07:49 PM MDT Spurred by two recent drug-smuggling incidents involving teens, El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez urged parents to keep a close watch on their children during an annual parent conference today in Horizon City. "Drug-trafficking cartels are recruiting in our schools," he said before addressing a group of parents attending the Clint Independent School District's 10th annual Regional Parental Engagement Conference. "This is a continuing problem, and we want to inform parents and kids about these dangers." Early Friday, a 17-year-old Mexican boy was detained by U.S. Border Patrol agents after agents noticed several men loading dark-colored duffel bags into a van parked about three miles west of the Paso del Norte port of entry. Agents found 526 pounds of marijuana in the van with an estimated street value of about $421,000. The case has been turned over to the El Paso Police Department. On Aug. 9, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents arrested Horizon High School graduate Rene Humberto Perez, who is accused of hiring fellow students to drive marijuana-filled vehicles destined for Oklahoma City. Perez was allegedly responsible for smuggling 14 tons of marijuana between Juárez and Oklahoma City last school year.
Ed Brown, a black moderate-liberal blogger, writes: "The Senate judiciary committee released a bill that would reward illegal immigration. My father came to this country, legally, to gain employment and a chance at a better life. But he went through the process. Meanwhile, when one friend was looking for work, he decided to try day laboring. He thought it would be a good way to find out who is hiring and then try to get something more long term. He went to the 'unofficial' day labor pick up spots and tried to get a job. Guess what? He wasn't successful. Another friend works with steel. He's tried to get Black men jobs but it doesn't work out. The reason? Other contractors are hiring illegal immigrants at low wages. When they bid on low cost contracts, guess who wins? So his company has to 'fight fire with fire'. This really stinks."
Ripclawe, a Caribbean immigrant & conservative Republican who acquired U.S. citizenship, writes: "Here is the best part, a bunch of illegals protesting without fear which shows how lax American enforcement has become got the attention of the Amnesty lovers.....All the people like me who went thru the process of getting citizenship the right way, how stupid were we?"
Sandra, OKC: Yes, Pilgrims did come to what is now the US to pursue a better life. Part of that better life was establishing a government "better" than the one under which they resided while in England. When the Pilgrims docked, it was any man's game. But they started the process for the government we have now. A government that is ESTABLISHED. And that establishment includes laws and regulations that protect American citizens from the possibility of being ruled by a government like that of 17th century England. The US is not a free-for-all. If it were, chaos and loss of liberty would ensue. This law is a much needed first step in getting back to the realization that this country is just that--a country. One with it's own laws and way of life. Yes, immigrants have the opportunity to come here. But there is a LEGAL way to do so. Perhaps they need to start looking into it.
Like I said in previous blog, "Pilgrims left their country for a better way of life; just like other people from other countries" I believe I just proved my POINT
i am so glad this bill passed. we all know that more government makes everyone have more freedom. it makes no difference that this will be impossible to inforce, and will probably cost tax payers more. but all republicans like randy terrill know that more government and more laws is what the republican party has been striving for. it is to bad that so many resources have been wasted when more pressing issues are at hand. its easy to take on this issue to get public support against such a travesty. he only did this bill to get elected to a higher position. i for one will not be voting for a person who so readily is willing to divide the state. whats next randy...you want to waste our money being a senator?? or even governer? go back to alva you right winged, baptist loving, neighbor hating, racist, bigoted, thug. youve done enough damage.
I am so glad that HB1804 was passed and signed by the Governor. If you want to be here and enjoy the freedoms of our country do it legally. Pay taxes and serve in our Military.
Why family supports reform 11/04/2007 Chip and Kathy Harrison had abandoned all hopes of having a child. Then, Kathy found out she was pregnant. "At 43, I didn't think I was able to get...
Family awaits avenue for lawful residency 11/04/2007 Lora appears American: from her blue eyes to the sound of her voice, which hasn't even the hint of a Spanish accent. She and her husband own a home. They...
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Thank you for joining our conversations on NewsOK.com. We encourage your discussions but ask that you stay within the bounds of our terms and conditions. Please help us by reporting comments that violate these guidelines. To review our rules of engagement, go to Commenting and posting policy.
Leave a comment. Log in below or sign up (it's free).Editor's note: It is not our intent to offer comments on crime or fatality stories.
Six undocumented Mexican immigrants were arrested today by U.S. Border Patrol agents at Qualcomm Stadium, after a report that they were stealing food and water meant for evacuees, according to spokesman Damon Foreman.
San Diego police responded to a call about alleged theft from the evacuation center and encountered six people in a van who didn't speak English and didn't have California driver's licenses, Foreman said. The police officers called the Border Patrol, who arrived at the stadium and made the arrests, he said. Foreman said the immigrants admitted they were Mexican citizens and that they were stealing.
By Timothy Egan - CALDWELL, Idaho: To hear people who call in to Idaho's leading talk radio station, Robert Vasquez is a hero: one of the few politicians to tell it straight.
Vasquez, 55, a county commissioner and Mexican-American in a part of the country where Hispanics are ascendant, has been on a crusade against illegal immigration - what he calls "an imminent invasion" from south of the border.
Vasquez has tried to get Canyon County declared a disaster area because of the strain from illegal immigrants. He has also sent a bill to the Mexican government for more than $2 million; that is the cost, he said, of Mexicans who are in the county illegally. "If he wasn't a Mexican-American himself, he would be labeled a racist and no one would listen to him," said Keith Esplin, executive director of the Potato Growers of Idaho. "If I were governor," he said in an interview, "I would close the borders of Idaho and mobilize the National Guard to secure checkpoints against all illegal aliens."
Born in El Paso, Texas, as the grandson of a Mexican immigrant, Vasquez joined the army at 17, he said, and was wounded in Vietnam. He earned two Purple Hearts. He has lived in Caldwell for 27 years.
So proud that she has committed herself to championing the rights of Mexicans and other immigrants who, like her parents, came to this country to live the American dream. Legally, that is.
Pulido actively fights illegal immigration — in 2005 she founded the Illinois Minuteman Project, a civilian border patrol group that works against illegal immigration, and she believes illegal immigrants dilute opportunities for those who arrive legally.
…
She’s the new Illinois chapter leader of You Don’t Speak For Me, a Washington, D.C.-based organization made up of U.S.-born Hispanics and legal Hispanic immigrants who believe illegal immigrants — and politicians eager to pander to special interest groups — are cheating hard-working, legal immigrants and U.S. citizens by diverting already-scarce resources.
…
“I believe there are a lot of Hispanics out there like me who are afraid to speak out,” she said. “I’m uniting with other Latinos who know we must stand up for the rule of law and fight for every American citizen no matter what race or ethnicity they are.”
I do agree with Doug, however, that this is really a national problem, Congress has earned contempt for its cowardly failure to deal with it. Then there's Social Security and Medicare.
Some blacks say Latino immigrants taking their jobs
By Lornet Turnbull/Seattle Times -
Outside the Home Depot store in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood, Tim Mitchell chases the same handyman jobs as the Latino men who crowd the narrow sidewalk.
On some mornings, the 39-year-old African American says, he's outnumbered 100-to-1.
"I think many people prefer Latinos because they believe they're cheaper, that they'll work for less money," he said. "Many of them don't speak English ... so people think they can take advantage of them."
As the debate over illegal immigration in the U.S. escalates, the scenario playing out among day laborers reflects a growing uneasiness among some blacks nationwide.
Many worry that the flood of illegal-immigrant workers crossing the border from Mexico is muscling low-skilled workers, many of them black, out of jobs in a number of industries — from the service sector to construction.
But other African Americans say the hordes of low-skilled workers from across Latin America crossing the borders can only harm those on the very fringes of the economy.
And the problem, they say, only threatens to get worse if Congress grants amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants living in this country, and allows thousands of others in through a guest-worker program.
"This issue is not new; this preference for immigrant workers over native African-American workers is historical," said Frank Morris, a former associate dean at the University of Maryland, College Park. Morris was also president of the Tacoma branch of the NAACP during the 1960s.
Dear friends in the United States....
We are Mexican women from villages in the southern Mexico state of Guerrero.
Our brothers and husbands have left us for work in the US.
We strongly support closing the US-Mexico border to illegal entry.
We did not want our men to leave and we want them to return to us.
As we struggle as women, against the difficulty of our situation,
we focus all effort on building a business to sustain ourselves and our children.
But we need the help of our husbands and our brothers
to re-unite our families and to help us develop economic opportunity
in the traditional fashion jewelry production industry that is the heritage of our parents.
Please close the US Border to illegal migration and send our men home to us. Thank you.
Best wishes from Mexico to all persons of good will.
We should continue to be friends and respect each other.
Atentamente,
Eusebia Flores
Artcamp Artesanas Campesinas
Tecalpulco, Municipio de Taxco de Alarcon Guerrero, Mexico
Best wishes, friends, from Mexico!
Just recently it was discovered that at one single placement agency alone, over 70 construction workers -- who were predominantly black -- in the Katrina recovery region were replaced by illegal aliens. This is one agency. Multiply that by all the agencies in the region and you'll see what a travesty is being placed on the black community by illegal immigration. These are Americans who want to work, not people looking for a handout.
Now they are starting to speak out against the injustices illegal immigration places on those they claim to defend and support.
Several black activists plan to join members of the Minutemen Project to protest illegal immigration, which organizer Ted Hayes touted as the "biggest threat to blacks in America since slavery."
Ripclawe, a Caribbean immigrant & conservative Republican who acquired U.S. citizenship, writes: "Here is the best part, a bunch of illegals protesting without fear which shows how lax American enforcement has become got the attention of the Amnesty lovers.....All the people like me who went thru the process of getting citizenship the right way, how stupid were we?"