Thousands in Milwaukee Protest Targets on Undocumented Workers

JSOnline via AP ^ | March 23, 2006 | Emily Fredrix

[Diana in Wisconsin]

MILWAUKEE, WI (AP) -- A sea of people filled the streets Thursday to protest legislative efforts that target undocumented workers.

Organizers said 30,000 people showed up for "A Day Without Latinos" demonstration, while police put the crowd at more than 10,000.

About 90 Latino-owned businesses on Milwaukee's south side were closed part or all the day to support of the protest, organizers said. About a dozen in Racine and Kenosha closed as several hundred people also protested in downtown Racine.

Among the issues, the protesters are against a bill that passed the House of Representatives in December that would make it a felony to be illegally in the United States. It would also impose new penalties on employers who hire them and would erect fencing along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border.

Restaurant worker Juan Hernandez left his job with more than a dozen others to march at the rally. He said it was a matter of pride.

"We came to work not to be discriminated against," he said. "We want to be equal."

His boss gave them permission to leave the restaurant, which was closed for the first time ever, he said.

The demonstration began at Voces de la Frontera on the near south side and moved to Zeidler Park in downtown Milwaukee.

[kstewskis]

I am glad to help all who are in need of education, but to have our hands tied like this because of some idiotic policy is beyond my comprehension.

I'm in the same boat, but in healthcare.

I was absolutely amazed (not shocked, but amazed) when one Mexican woman I was treating (who is married to an American, and spoke decent English), was going on to tell me how one of her brothers was in jail for human trafficing and smuggling.

She was also, for some reason, "worried" that if she crossed back into Mexico to visit family there, she might have her papers "taken away." (at first I thought, why? You're a resident, you're married to an American...what's wrong with the papers?). I think because she shares the same name as her brother, and did not want anything linked to him.

Then, she went on, saying that she would be afraid that they would take her "social security" away....(this woman was in her later 30's). I was treating her for a "worker's comp" injury to her back, in which she was nearing discharge because of her nearing full recovery.

Does that make any sense??

It shouldn't, because if you are on social security, you are not "working." She is using someone else's SS# to collect on, in addition to her working somewhere else (and now collecting worker's comp).

Another spanish speaking fellow came in for treatment, and they were talking, in Spanish, about "coming here." I don't understand much, but I think she was telling him about what her brother (the "coyote" did before he landed in jail)....I did understand "DOOGLAS"...aka "Douglas, AZ" where one of the main routes (and gushing holes in our border) is at. That is where he was "encouraging" her to go through, if she wanted to visit Mexico and return undetected.

I think I still have scratches on my chin from my jaw hitting the ground. And there's not much I could do. I could take names, information, but I am not certain they are not fabricated.

Again, for us, "we don't know, and it's not our job to know."

[RicocheT]

Mayor Barrett is for the illegals as he wants their votes. Illegals can vote in Milwaukee and the rest of Wisconsin as the Democrat Governor and Democrat counties picked a bogus computer firm to "update" the voter lists as required by federal law. Our "update" just won't be ready until who knows when??? It's already late and getting later.

[daybreakcoming]

Diana, I just still don't get it. Are the legal Mexicans who are now US citizens, who went through the legal procedures, for or against the other Mexicans who don't bother to follow US immigrations laws? It's kinda like the US Muslims re the fundies....I don't hear anything from them.

[Daus]

Not a very effective protest if you ask me.

Very odd planning on this thing. They actually got a ton of people out, but they had them march through an almost completely uninhabited area. The 6th street viaduct to Zeidler park. The viaduct is surrounded by a wasteland of empty industrial lots.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"I don't hear anything from them."

I rarely do, either. Madison is the same way. The ones already here legally help the illegals. It's actually a big business with fake IDs and info on how to sign up for benefits, etc.

Obviously, America is just seen as a big pot of money and benefits, and they must think there's plenty to go around for legals and illegals Our (horrible!) immigration policies tend to promote that image as well. :(

[daybreakcoming]

A legal (for years and years) Mexican immigrant keeps my children ever so often. I asked her the same question one day and she let loose with a rant about how they were ruining it for the rest of them (legal) and after all she and her family went through to become legal. But I never see anything in the media to confirm that any but her feel that way.

And btw, she charges the same as everyone else for child care PLUS she is an excellent cook who is good enough to send me home with a heaping plate of yummy Mexican food. :o)

[La Enchiladita]

Thanks for the ping.
I scanned the thread and I see what y'all are sayin'.
The degree to which we cannot speak is the measure of how far this invasion has succeeded.

I'll spare you my "short history of illegal immigration" ... for the moment.
But, since we are trading gory stories, Los Angeles is officially a "sanctuary city."
Apparently, this occurred by some edict of the City Council.
Federal law does not apply here?

Californians recently defeated proposed legislation to require medical personnel to determine citizenship status of patients.
Well, I understand the defeat because-- with all the responsibility, the fast pace, of medical care --- they don't want to also conduct law enforcement.

The buck is being very adroitly passed.

[EternalVigilance]

A legal (for years and years) Mexican immigrant keeps my children ever so often. I asked her the same question one day and she let loose with a rant about how they were ruining it for the rest of them (legal) and after all she and her family went through to become legal. But I never see anything in the media to confirm that any but her feel that way.

I know many legal immigrants...not just from Mexico, either...and they feel exactly the same way...and their feelings are VERY strong, too.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

We have plenty of (legal) Hispanic friends, too, through work and other married friends we hang out with. DH & I spend a lot of time in Mexico as well. Our business partner is down there right now on vacation, the Beach Bum! Our retirement plans are 6 months up here (or in Texas) and 6 months in Mexico each year.

I'm making a mental note to actively seek out info on this topic, so thanks for the inspiration.

[daybreakcoming]

Thank you. That's good to hear. It is something that has truly been puzzling me.

[daybreakcoming]

Please ping me if you ever discover anything. Seems to me that most all of the legals would resent this. Of course as you say - there are those who are profiting by it with the faux documentations.

Lucky you on your retirement plan.....not that it didn't involve hard work to get there. :o)

[kstewskis]

But, since we are trading gory stories, Los Angeles is officially a "sanctuary city."

I'd say, "Come out to AZ to get away from it..." but unfortunately, from what we saw today, it's as bad here!

It wasn't like this in AZ 10 years ago. The "Reconquista" here is much more violent now.

We as US citizens, are having our collective arses handed on a platter to Mexico by our gov't, both on the local and Fed level, before our very eyes.

[F16Fighter]

"It is insanity that our government refuses to round up these criminals who are demanding special perks and the right to break our laws."

What "government"??

The clowns voted into office are mere whores and pimps.

[La Enchiladita]

Did I mention that I also work in healthcare?
Have worked the past 4+ years in a large medical/hospital complex, in transcription, medical office, UR, patient scheduling and as a patient liaison.

So, have had a lot of insight into the demographics that we serve.

[kstewskis]

So, have had a lot of insight into the demographics that we serve.

Oh dear, you sure do!

[lostvirtue]

We are a country completely founded on immigrants/emmigrants.

im·mi·grant Audio pronunciation of "immigrant" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (m-grnt)
n.

1. A person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another.


Besides for the Native Americans (who were still actually immigrants ... not from a country exactly but from another place/continent) all our ancestors were immigrants. Every single damn one.

And what do you think made your ancestors move here? You think the thought of a long dangerious ocean voyage sounded fun!?? (I'm sure for some of them, it did) I realize many people didn't come here by choice, slavery for instance may have brought some of your ancestors across the sea. Others were starving and struggling with religion and politics in their countries of orgin so they left and they came here. Many people didn't come here legally. It's our countries policies that make their actions illegal.

You can't seriously tell me you wouldn't move to another country illegally if your family was starving, completely out of work, had no education, and sick. Because I would. I would do anything illegal within reason to help my family/children (if I had any). Does this make me a criminal? Yes, surely it does. I have potential criminal written all over me.

The general ancestry of this country, came here to escape problems in their own country and TOOK land owned by other people. They just... took it. Killed or moved the people that were living there right out through use of force and treaties that were almost always broken. Fortunately for many of them natural disease immunity of the new people and the lack of immunity of the native population took care of a lot of the killing for them. As you know, the new people had no big issue killing a majority of the rest of the population.

"There were millions of people living in the Americas when Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. Columbus's voyage to what Europeans called the "New World" set the stage for the later European colonization of the Americas, with millions of emigrants (willing and unwilling) from the "Old World" eventually resettling in the Americas. While the population of Old World peoples in the Americas steadily grew in the centuries after Columbus, the population of the American indigenous peoples plummeted. The extent and causes of this population decline have long been the subject of controversy and debate, which became particularly widespread in 1992 during the 500th anniversary of Columbus's famous voyage, with a number of people claiming that the natives of the Americas have been the victims of genocide."

How can we be so blind to not realize that these people (hispanics mostly), though committing a criminal act, are just acting in their own best interest. And they should, anyone who thinks differently has never had a starving child.

So yes, I think we need to help these people, AND we need to change our foreign policy. I don't know enough about US/Mexico relations to write truly intelligently on this issue, Yet.

[Dante3]

What absurd statements you make. Apparently you just want to start arguments. Drug dealer, burglars, and other criminals are also out to improve their economic status.

This country does not need more criminals. We have enough of our own. Try living in areas where MS13 runs wild. Far too many of the illegal aliens are pedophiles, terrorists, drug dealers.

These latest demonstrations certainly show that we better start deporting this riffraff.

The illegal aliens (along with criminal legal immigrants, notably those from enemy countries) are posing a great threat to the future of this country - that is obvious. They pose a problem for the environment, the schools, health care, law enforcement, national security, welfare agencies, etc.

USA should not be the dumping grounds for the excess population and criminals of other countries.

[lostvirtue]

Can you please point out specifically what you think is absurd about my comments and why?

I don't just want to start an arguement, I actually wrote that response in my own personal blog and decided to respond here because I see that no one, not one person here, is standing up for hispanics. And even though I thought it would be a huge waste of time, I think being quiet when obvious racism is being spouted is wrong.

I didn't come here on purpose even, I was searching for information on the Immigration Bill and the protests in Milwaukee where I live. And actually I do live in a very highly hispanic area, I live in bayview, right next to "little mexico" as it's called.

I'd like your stats on the criminal population of illegal aliens, and I would state that poverty, and lack of education are the main drivers for crime in general.

The US should not be holding other countries under our thumb and forcing them to be dependant on us.

You have to make an account to read this, but I'd highly suggest that you do: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=2495

The Hispanic Challenge
By Samuel P. Huntington

[lostvirtue]

Append:

Regarding your statement on other types of criminals improving their economic status. I feel your comments are a gross oversimplification.

I was not stating that all criminals are within their rights because they need to improve their economic status.

It's about options. People choose the options they choose primary because of situation. If you have the option to stay where you are and starve, become a prostitue, or work in a sweat shop illegally in California, which do you choose?

Are you telling me that there are other options? I think the least harmful option is to try to move, there's no direct severe harm to anyone.

However, crimes that specifically target individuals, such as drug dealing, theft, and (i'm not sure how this is even relevant but anyway) pedophilia are completely different. Most people who commit these crimes have several other options but choose the one that is bad.

I'm not stating that these things aren't wrong, but the only reason these crimes MIGHT be elevated in a minority population is again - lack of education and poverty. These are the areas that need to be addressed, not building a giant wall between the United States and Mexico.