Posted on 03/25/2006 12:20:20 PM PST by Borax Queen
Senator's bill gives illegal entrants five years to leave the country -
Oscar Soto took the day off from his warehouse job Friday to come with his wife, two children, nephew, niece and mother-in-law to an immigrant-rights rally on Tucson's Northwest Side to stand up for himself and his family.
Oscar Cruz managed to get time off from his apartment maintenance job to stand on the front line of the protest at Sen. Jon Kyl's Tucson office, 7315 N. Oracle Road, and hold a cardboard sign with white spray paint that read: "Senator Kyl: No more walls." It rested on top of a sign that read: "Humanitarian Aid Is Never A Crime."
On Friday both were part of an estimated 500 boisterous protesters who hoisted signs, held U.S. and Mexican flags and chanted, sang and shouted when drivers honked in support.
Participants wore white stickers that had the rally's theme in black letters: "We are not the enemy, we are part of the solution" or "No Somos el enemigo, somos parte de la solución."
In Phoenix, an estimated 20,000 people marched to Kyl's office to protest, according to Phoenix police.
Thousands more took part in protests in cities across the country, staging school walkouts, marches and work stoppages.
In Los Angeles where 2,700 students from at least eight high schools and junior high schools walked out, fights broke out between black students and Hispanic students attempting to join the protest.
In Tucson, neither Cruz nor Soto — who have both lived and worked in the United States for more than a decade without permanent residency or citizenship — had ever been to a rally before. But they said they staunchly oppose recent immigration proposals like House Bill 4437 and a proposal from Sens. Kyl, R-Ariz., and John Cornyn, R-Texas, that they believe would make them criminals.
"We want residency," said Cruz, 48, who was born in Nicaragua and lived in El Salvador before arriving in the United States in 1985.
Cruz has been able to work on renewable visas under the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act but says he wants a chance to become a legal permanent resident.
Mexican native Soto, 32, wants the same thing. He came here 10 years ago to work and said he pays taxes, obeys laws and respects the culture and government of the United States.
"We came here so they don't treat us like criminals," Soto said about participating in the rally.
Soto's two children, an 8-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, are U.S. citizens who were born in this country. He and his wife, Jocabed Soto, are preparing to buy a house. They feel they are law-abiding and productive and deserve the chance to become citizens.
"It is not a crime to work," Oscar Soto said. U.S. citizens Marge and Bill Kinkead of Green Valley joined the largely Spanish-speaking crowd to let lawmakers like Kyl hear their displeasure.
"They deserve some way to come into this country and work without the fear of being sent back in four of five years," said Bill Kinkead, 73, who is a member of Humane Borders.
The Kyl-Cornyn proposal would give illegal entrants up to five years to leave the country. These illegal entrants could apply from their home country to return as temporary workers, or they could apply for permanent residency. House Bill 4437, passed by the House on Dec. 16, would create 700 miles of fence along the border, make living in the country illegally a felony and increase penalties for employers who hire illegal workers.
"We're getting fed up, particularly with the gentleman whose office is behind us," Bill Kinkead said. "I hate the fact that he represents Arizona in Congress." In a written response to Friday's rallies, Kyl didn't address the protesters as much as reiterate his stance on the issues.
"I have advocated for the adoption of a comprehensive plan that increases border security, provides a temporary-worker program, ensures enforcement of our laws at the border and at the workplace, and deals with those illegal immigrants already in the country," the statement said.
Democrat Jim Pederson, who is challenging Kyl for his Senate seat, issued a statement criticizing Kyl's proposal as a last-ditch election-year effort that "borders on fantasy."
He said marchers targeted Kyl's office because "they know that Jon Kyl's immigration plan is no plan at all. It's unworkable, partisan and needlessly divisive." He said he would offer a plan that addresses border enforcement as well as a way to deal with the people already here.
Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network, called Friday's rally one of the biggest immigrant-rights rallies in recent Tucson history. Allen said 200 people showed up in December for a similar rally.
"People know that this is a historic moment and that the immigrant community is part of making history," Allen said. "That's why they are here."
Glenn Spencer, president of the American Border Patrol, which advocates for stricter border enforcement, watched and filmed the protest. He said the relatively small number of cars that honked represented the true sentiment.
Those who didn't honk "are the silent majority," Spencer said. "They do nothing and I think that's a reflection of the polls that show people want our borders controlled."
Cruz and the Sotos said Friday's rally, which concluded about 12:30 p.m., will make an impact.
"It will make them see how many we are and what we want," Jocabed Soto said.
It's time to end the parole and send 'em back.
What's going on in LA? 150,000, mostly illegals, swarming the streets?
I find it so strange that some people in my country are marching on streets that don't belong to them..........while petitioning a government representative who doesn't represent them..........while speaking a language that's not the language of this country..........while carrying a flag that's not the flag of this country..........where do they get the nerve?
You've put that very succintly. The scariest part is that I think our idiot politicians will actually listen to these noncitizens over their own constituents!
Loks like the give give me folks are walking
Do anyone here march for freedom any longer.
Those pics are from today up in LA. Sorry everyone...I should've been clearer.
Yeppers. As does EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE who supports them.
Remember last weekend (??) when they had their march in Chicago?
It's LA's turn, this weekend.
I'm not sure how many, RightWhale - yesterday in Phoenix and LA there were at least 10 - 20 thousand. Some other cities had protestors too.
I would guess many illegals, based on the newspaper articles, quotes from the participants, signs in Spanish, and the Mexican flags. If not illegals themselves, supporters of such.
Brad's Gramma has her ear on the latest in LA today :)
Thank you for all the names and numbers; most helpful.
I don't believe illegal immigrants have a right to peaceably assemble and petition for redress of grievances per the Constitution.
Haven't heard of any of this until today. It (LA) was on ABC radio news this hour. First I knew.
You're very welcome, BQ!
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/pictures/PJM02D.htm
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/pictures/SAM04D.htm
I see they've put up a new picture, too.
Right?
Right?
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