Posted on 04/28/2006 1:42:25 PM PDT by pravknight
Immigrant rights forces keep up the heat Search WWW Search pww.org
The continuing mass upsurge for immigrant rights, with hundreds of May 1 demonstrations being organized nationwide, drew a reaction from the Bush administration last week. Nationwide raids by the Department of Homeland Security on April 19-20 were followed by presidential pro-immigrant rhetoric and meetings to broker a compromise Senate immigration bill.
Although the Senate reconvened April 24 after a two-week recess, Republican leaders Bill Frist (Tenn.) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) delayed any formal debate on immigration legislation on the floor and in committee until after the May 1 demonstrations. Frist announced he wanted to bring a bill to the floor for debate and passage before Memorial Day, May 29.
The May 1 actions will continue to keep the issue in the light of day rather than behind closed doors. Massive marches are planned for Chicago, home of the 1886 Haymarket Square rally memorialized as International Workers Day, as well as Washington, Los Angeles and uncounted other cities and towns. In many areas workers have convinced employers to close workplaces in solidarity with pro-immigrant events. Many are not working, shopping or going to school to dramatize the contributions of immigrants to the economy and society.
The May 1 events are united in calling for the defeat of HR 4437 and for the principles of a path to citizenship, family unification, worker rights, due process and civic participation for all immigrants.
In many cities, voter registration will take place to back up the slogan, “Today we march, tomorrow we vote,” which resonates louder and louder for congresspersons as the November elections draw nearer. In Los Angeles, the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project (SWVREP) is coordinating voter registration at several rallies.
SWVREP President Antonio Gonzalez said that among Latinos the immigrant rights movement has given an “added burst of energy for political action particularly among youth who have been the least likely to vote.” In recent years increased voting by the sons and daughters of immigrants has pushed the increase in Latino voting beyond expectations, and an extra burst of pro-immigrant voters this year “can make a difference in many House, Senate and other key races all over the country.”
Gonzalez said anti-immigrant Republicans are now especially vulnerable in two California congressional races in the “San Diego and Stockton areas, as well as Senator Kyle (R) in Arizona and likely other states.”
At an April 15 student-organized rally for immigrant rights in Los Angeles, California state Sen. Gil Cedillo (D) said that 750,000 youths will be newly eligible to vote by the Nov. 7 elections. He told the students, “If you register and get out the vote you can help send [California Gov.] Schwarzenegger back to the movies.”
Politicians are particularly conscious of potential changes in voting patterns, as a switch of 15 House and six Senate seats from Republican to Democrat in the November elections would change the leadership of each chamber.
The Republicans could lose a seat as early as June 6 in the runoff to fill the vacancy in California’s 50th Congressional District left by Randall “Duke” Cunningham, who resigned in disgrace in a corruption scandal.
Francine Busby, a moderate Democrat and school board member, won 44 percent of the vote in an open primary in the heavily Republican district. Her opponent, Brian Bilbray, a former congressman, is running on an anti-immigrant platform, calling for authorizing military deployment on the border and denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented workers. A Democratic victory in the district north of San Diego would likely reduce pressures to crack down on immigrants in Congress.
Joelle Fishman, chair of the Political Action Commission of the Communist Party USA, said, “More pro-immigrant political action can amend or hopefully block the worst the Republicans have been trying to rush or maneuver through.” She added that the immigrant rights upsurge “now filling the streets in a quest for equality is creating a new political landscape that will benefit all working people in our country.”
The immigrant rights movement, joined with peace, labor, African American, Latino, women and youth and other democratic causes, can defeat right-wing Republican control of Congress, said Fishman. Republican loss of House leadership would replace James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), author of the racist, anti-labor HR 4437, with progressive African American John Conyers (D-Mich) as chair of the House Judiciary Committee.
“The movement for immigrant rights would be strengthened in its ability not only to stop draconian legislation, but to demand that Congress act in the interests of immigrant and native born workers alike,” Fishman said. rosalio_munoz@sbcglobal.net
Freeping Strategy-
May 1st is now:
Thank A LEGAL Immigrant Who Chooses To Work Day
Go to a Mexican Restaurant that chooses to stay open and give the legal immigrants who are working that day a big tip.
Visit Mexican Grocery stores owned by legal immigrants and spend a LOT of money.
Reward legal immigrants!
What heat? Do these idiots really think its going to bother the Average American that they are not working? The only thing that will bother the American people and get them angry are the freakin traffic jams. American don't care if these people work or not only the media does.
Any penalties for knowingly registering illegal aliens to vote? Any penalties at all? Any cops going to be checking up on this? How about Homeland Security/ICE? Does anybody in authority care, or are they too busy figuring out how to profit from the suicide of American civilization to give a crap?
Immigrants have always had rights... when will the medias starting calling them ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, that is what people are against..and want congress to control
Just because they're working doesn't mean they're legal. My money goes to known conservative business on May 1.
I agree 100 percent. After all, the woman I dated prior to my current girlfriend was a hard-working Green Card holder from El Salvador.
But they have the title wrong it's illegal alien, invaders, miscreants NOT immigrant that word is rserved for people who RESPECT our laws, Who are invited, who respect America.
Just ask.. if it is a local business, you may know of businesses owned and operated by legal immigrants who believe strongly in hiring only legal workers. I've actually found that most businesses owned by legal immigrants will only hire other legal immigrants as so not to risk their own status by breaking any employment laws.
We have a legal immigrant friend who owns a restaurant and ONLY hires legal immigrants. We will be eating there Monday evening.
Remember, tip big and thank them for doing the right thing.
Just keep letting out the rope, letting out the rope, until they have enough to hang themselves. Everytime they demonstrate, public opinion polls shift away from the direction of amnesty, and the Congress is figuring out which way the wind blows. So I say, demonstrate, demonstrate, demonstrate away. The only tangible result of the last round of demos was Chertoff's workplace raids last week.
what about citizens rights ?
As you read the article, please bear in mind it was written by a Communist. And that the Communists are dedicated to the destruction of our country.
Are you kidding? Citizens don't have rights, you silly person. We are just here to pay for the illegals to do whatever they want. /sarc off
They are parasites on a dying host.
I cry for my country. I carry (CCW) for my family.
True. FOX's "Dayside" had on the organizer of this "protest" this morning, and he was rude, condescending, and arrogant, talking over the hosts and being overbearing to the audience, which was very angry at him. I can't recall his name, but when he said he considered he had "dual citizenship," American and Mexican, you could hear the audience begin to freeze him out, and it just went downhill from there, culminating in his saying that we were killing children in Iraq. The hosts started shouting at him and then cut off his mike. He was just a terrific spokesman for the "illegal immigration movement." It was great fun. And the National Anthem in Spanish? They're well on their way to destroying their newfound "movement."
"are they too busy figuring out how to profit from the suicide of American civilization to give a crap?"
THIS TOO WILL PASS!! Take a deep breath and do something else and stop reading the garbage posted here for a while.
Back in the 50s the Commies used to instigate in the black communities to play on their oppression and turn it into a fight against capitalism. Today they play on the 'oppression' of illegals to further their fight against capitalism. Commies = unions in way, way too many cases.
These illegals will be the biggest union business has ever seen. If they can manage to shut down our country on May 1--hold on for much more when they get their way with amnesty. Business will get what it deserves for hiring them.
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