Posted on 09/04/2006 12:25:30 PM PDT by Snickering Hound
About 400 people marched in downtown Houston today in support of immigrant rights, part of a nationwide Labor Day effort in advance of this month's congressional debate on immigration legislation.
Marchers said they don't want top politicians to think they've forgotten the cause since the rallies last spring that drew tens of thousands of people to the streets. This time, they carried American flags and signs that said "Today we march. Tomorrow we vote."
Leaders said the demonstrators advocate permanent legal residency for immigrants who cross the border illegally, as well as a higher minimum wage and bans on racial profiling.
"The most important thing for us is that there is a mobilization toward legalization of life here in Houston and nationally," said Maria Jimenez, special projects coordinator with the Central American Resource Center. "We're here to stay. We need to resolve the problems of just immigration reform."
While today's turnout was only a fraction of earlier marches, organizers said they weren't disappointed.
"If one person shows up, it keeps the dream alive," Jimenez said.
Children ate ice cream and rainbow-colored snow cones as they walked down Miliam. The group was led by Aztec-costumed dancers who performed indigenous spiritual dances. Their drums echoed off downtown skyscrapers during the march from Market Square to City Hall.
Keeping to the Labor Day theme, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston urged participants to fight for a higher minimum wage. The current rate of $5.15 an hour puts a full-time worker with a child below the poverty level, he said.
"No one should work full-time and still stand in the welfare line," he said.
The low wages disproportionately effect the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants, Green said.
Only citizens can vote, and these illegal aliens will never be one.
INS: Do your job! You're paid by the citizens of this country to enforce the law. Arrest the illegals and keep them behind bars and then deport them. Tell Vicente Fox to take his criminals and put them where the sun doesn't shine.
Not if the law is upheld.
Right, I agree. Then they shouldn't have made the decision to have a child legitimately or illegitimately on low wages. Most people wait until the get a better job or are more financially able before they bring a child in the world. Some people just lack basic common sense. It's not my fault, the government's or the tax payer's fault that they are such irresponsible dimwits that they can't see how they jeopardize their lives and the life of the child. Does this mean we're all liable for someone else's stupid choices?
In support of CRIMINALS' rights, more like it.
If I crawl in through your window and don't know you, I'm not a houseguest and should not expect to be welcomed as one.
"do your job and arrest"
I have news for you. They don't even charge carjackers in this town when they have the photo IDs, fingerprints, and witness testimony in the cases.
Maybe if they could bill them for something like jaywalking, they might care.
"immigrant rights"
I hate that phrase. These people are not marching for new rights for immigrants in this country. They are marching for rights for illegal immigrants. I think it'd be a slap in the face to the millions who have gone through the process and done things the right way if criminals were given the same rights and privaleges they had earned.
"The low wages disproportionately effect the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants, Green said."
Good. They are breaking the law. I don't see why they should be entitled to high paying jobs too.
The "organizers" really blew it the first time. They didn't realize that their "American wannabes" would be stupid enough to show up at their "protest" waving Mexican flags and chanting anti-American slogans. LOL! You just can't find quality useful idiots these days.
THAT is exactly why the Republicans better NOT grant amnesty. The RATS and unions have been signing illegals up to vote DemonRAT, and once that happens, we will NEVER regain the House, Senate or White House again. There will be millions of new RAT voters.
Round them up! Send them home!
INS is now C.B.P. Customs and Border Protection.
CBP won't enforce immigration laws anymore than the Old INS did, BECUASE CONGRESS LACKS THE WILL TO ENFORCE OUR LAWS.
Oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative Email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative.
In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the creation of a new Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) position and the “One Face at the Border” initiative. Under this plan, a new position, the CBPO, would combine the duties of legacy inspectors from Customs, the Immigration and Nationalization Service (INS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) into a single front-line border security position. With 41,000 employees, CBP is in control of 317 official ports-of-entry for travelers and cargo.
Essentially, the “One Face at the Border” initiative was aimed at unifying the inspection process that travelers entering the United States have to go through. Instead of making three stops – an Immigration Inspector, a Customs Inspector and an Agriculture Inspector – travelers would meet with a single primary inspections officer who was specially trained to do the job of all three.
Consolidating these three organizations has caused logistical and institutional chaos and has taken attention away from critical homeland security priorities. It is true that all three of these organizations deal with front line border and port security, but they do so in very different capacities.
Please email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative and support a detailed, independent review of the proposal.
Congress makes laws, the President is charged with enforcing them. Talk to the President if you want the laws enforced, but don't hold your breath.
Elect Joe Arpio if you want laws enforced.
... well, the police made us give it up because it violated the "rules" and could be used as a weapon. Apparently, the "rules" were not evenly applied.
400 showed up out of a metropolis of over four million. Forgive me for not being overwhelmed.
That's Houston, a vile corrupt Rats' nest.
This is the same burg where Dem's put up "Sanchez is anti-Hispanic" signs against the Cuban born Republican mayoral candidate. And the Comical held their tongue until Leepy Period Brown's final victory about the world of sh!t Houston was really in under his incompetence.
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