U.S. immigration defeat frustrates [illegal] workers' dreams (Boo-hoo!!)

Yahoo! News/Reuters ^ | June 28, 2007 | Tim Gaynor and David Schwartz

[2ndDivisionVet]

PHOENIX (Reuters) - For day laborers seeking work in a sun-baked parking lot on Thursday, defeat of U.S. President George W. Bush's plans for an immigration overhaul has set back their dreams of a normal life.

The bill, which sought to give legal status to many of the 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States, failed to get enough support in a make-or-break vote in the U.S. Senate.

Workers standing around in searing heat outside a building materials store in Phoenix said hopes of an aboveboard life in this country of immigrants had crashed following news of the morning vote.

"Bush wanted to do something good, but the Senate wouldn't let him. It's disappointing," Miguel Gonzalez, 37, who has been in the United States for five years, said in Spanish.

"I have heard nothing but proposals and more proposals since I arrived ... but they all get thrown out for one reason or another," the Mexican national added with a shrug.

Bush has sought an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws for years and this bill may have been his last chance for a significant domestic legislative victory before leaving office at the end of his second term in January 2009.

It tied tough border security and workplace enforcement measures to a plan to legalize illegal immigrants and create a temporary worker program sought by business groups.

For Juan Carlos Esquivel, 36, a day laborer from Mexico City with a wife and three children, the defeat made no sense.

"There's work to be done, we want to do it, and now we can't. So how can that be a victory?" he said, standing in the shade of a mesquite tree in a straw sombrero. "Everybody loses, and the economy will suffer."

'WE'RE TRASH TO THEM'

Bush was unable to overcome fierce opposition from fellow Republicans who said the measure would reward an estimated 12 million immigrants for taking up residence in the United States illegally.

In Los Angeles, Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony, a key supporter of immigration reform on the West Coast, expressed regret about the Senate's decision.

"Without reform, our current system will continue to permit the exploitation of workers, the separation of families, and will handicap efforts to secure our nation's borders," he said in a statement

Janet Napolitano, the Democratic governor of the border state of Arizona, said she was "sorely disappointed" by the Senate's failure to act on the issue.

"By leaving it unattended, Congress is shirking its responsibility to not only Arizona, but the entire country," she said.

Back in the parking lot, where the temperature hit 107 F (42 C) in the shade, day laborer Bonifacio Sosa said the Senate's move would keep him on the margins of society and on the run from police.

"We are illegals, we are just trash to them, and we'll just have to carry on here in the shadows hiding from everyone," said Sosa, 58, who has raised four children since arriving in the United States 14 years ago.

"I have neither a voice or a vote, except when I pay fines or taxes," he added as traffic roared by in the street.

[2ndDivisionVet]

No, you are in our country illegally!! Go home!!

[CAWats]

"There's work to be done, we want to do it, and now we can't. So how can that be a victory?" he said, standing in the shade of a mesquite tree in a straw sombrero. "Everybody loses, and the economy will suffer."

What a pile of cagada.

[TomGuy]

unable to overcome fierce opposition

Sweet music to my ears.

Fierce opposition. [evil grin]

[calex59]

"We are illegals, we are just trash to them, and we'll just have to carry on here in the shadows hiding from everyone," said Sosa, 58, who has raised four children since arriving in the United States 14 years ago.

"I have neither a voice or a vote, except when I pay fines or taxes," he added as traffic roared by in the street.

I guess he thinks sneaking into the country illegally doesn't make him illegal, thanks to people like Bush, Grahamnesty, the swimmer and the like. What part of criminal doesn't he understand? He is here illegally, he is a felon because he has fake ID and uses fraud to obtain a job. We need to push for enforcement of our immigration laws, arrest the employers of these criminals and start the self deportation that Ike did so well back in the 1950s.

[KittyKares]

It never ceases to amaze me how they can’t understand the concept of “illegal” when their own beloved Mexico doesn’t cater to illegal immigrants. If Mexico let anyone who crossed their border become Mexican citizens, then I would at least understand where that mindset came from.

[neodad]

Miguel Gonzalez, 37, who has been in the United States for five years, said in Spanish.

How's that assimilation going for you Mike?

[Darkwolf377]

'WE'RE TRASH TO THEM'

I think we're getting through to them...

[CAWats]

In Los Angeles, Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony, a key supporter of immigration reform on the West Coast, expressed regret about the Senate's decision.

"Without reform, our current system will continue to permit the exploitation of workers, the separation of families, and will handicap efforts to secure our nation's borders," he said in a statement

Well, holy cow, Cardinal Baloney. When you disgracefully fail to tell illegals that God cannot prosper them in Mexico, you make God seem small and possessing limited power. I guess God only operates in the U.S. It's idiots like you that give God a bad name.

[rbosque]

NO SE PUEDE!

[Old_Mil]

"Bush wanted to do something good, but the Senate wouldn't let him. It's disappointing," Miguel Gonzalez, 37, who has been in the United States for five years, said in Spanish.

...been here five years and still speaking Spanish, eh Miguel?

[SpaceBar]

Evidently there’s an easy way to find illegal aliens. Disguise ICE agents as liberal journalists.

[miliantnutcase]

/me *throws the Stone Cold Steve Austin double bird at the POS law breakers*

“Austin 3:16 says I’ll deport your a$$!”

[2ndDivisionVet]

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Toll free to the US Senate:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

[shield]

Go to your own country and work to make a change.

YOU ARE ILLEGAL...YOU'VE GOT NO RIGHTS HERE. All your protesting with the displaying of a foreign flag...did nothing but make Americans mad as hell. How dare you!!!

[lndrvr1972]

I agree I am so sick and tired of this bs. Majority of people stopped in NC for DWI 90 percent are hispanic.

[CAWats]

"I have neither a voice or a vote, except when I pay fines or taxes," he added as traffic roared by in the street.

Day laborers are paid in cash and pay no social security, no disability, no federal taxes and not state taxes. Just what taxes are you paying, except perhaps the tax on the beer you may buy.

[bajabaja]

Cardinal Mahoney, my fellow co-religionist: The persons separating families are those who leave one country where they live to illegally to to another. The persons exploiting these individuals include the oligarchy controlling Mexico, who shunt their poor onto a neighboring (and less corrupt and retrogressive) country. If you are going to blame anyone or voice regret, at least be honest == for once.

[goldfinch]

In Los Angeles, Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony, a key supporter of immigration reform on the West Coast, expressed regret about the Senate's decision.

"Without reform, our current system will continue to permit the exploitation of workers, the separation of families, and will handicap efforts to secure our nation's borders," he said in a statement

Ok. I can understand the exploitation of workers part and the separation of families. But why will it 'handicap efforts to secure our nation's borders'?

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

[Tennessee Nana]

“in the United States for five years, said in Spanish”

In 5 years you can get good in a second language. I lived for 3 months in Spain once..spoke nothing but SPANESE..

“”Everybody loses, and the economy will suffer”

The American people, the owners triumphed..illegal aliens dont worry about our economy LOL

our current system will continue to permit the exploitation of workers, the separation of families, and will handicap efforts to secure our nation’s borders”

The “workers” and the “families” can go back home intact..Dont threaten American citizens...Amnesty and a fence are 2 different things..

“the Senate’s move would keep him on the margins of society and on the run from police”

As most criminals are...

“I have neither a voice or a vote, except when I pay fines or taxes”

You are not an American citizen..youre not suppose to vote..go back home for your voice and vote...If you pay fines you must have broken more laws..you dont pay taxes..