Posted on 02/07/2008 3:32:26 PM PST by LurkedLongEnough
DANBURY -- Some were young people, who feared their parents could be deported.
Others were parents, concerned about the safety of their children.
Still others who attended Wednesday night's mass rally at City Hall had no personal stake in a proposed partnership between Danbury police and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. But they came to voice their opposition to the plan and their support for those who could be affected by it.
"This is what being an American is all about, fighting for your rights," said Fernanda Franco, of Bethel, a legal Brazilian immigrant whose rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" silenced the boisterous crowd, for a few minutes at least.
"I waited 20 years to get my papers," Franco said. "Some of these people have waited even longer."
An estimated 3,500 people, most of them from Danbury, but others who were bused in from Hartford and New Haven, protested outside City Hall while the Common Council met inside, debating whether some Danbury police officers should receive training from ICE so they can help enforce immigration laws.
City officials insist the officers would be used in major criminal investigations involving illegal immigrants, such as human trafficking, drug smuggling and document fraud. But opponents fear the partnership could lead to wholesale roundups of illegal immigrants, break up families, and violate the rights of those who are in the country legally.
"We don't want ICE in Danbury," said Leticia Rocha.
"I live here, and I pay taxes. Parents will be very stressed out by these new measures."
More than 20 Danbury High School students, many of them the children of illegal immigrants and some of whom are undocumented themselves, also rallied against the plan.
"What's going to happen to us kids if our parents get taken away?" Manuel Bravo said. "I want to keep learning and I want to graduate."
"I was born here, but my parents are from another country," said Diana Nunez, who attends Western Connecticut State University. "We are America's future."
City officials decided in advance to limit attendance at the council meeting to 120 people, not including council members, news reporters and city employees, and more than 30 police officers were detailed to keep order inside and outside the building.
The crowd, which was far in excess of what had been anticipated, was loud, but orderly. Many arrived hours before the meeting began.
"We had expected 700 to 800 people, maybe 1,000," Deputy Police Chief Terry Shanahan said. "But the organizers have done a nice job of keeping things in order."
Police closed off Deer Hill Avenue at West Street, and parking was at a premium through much of the downtown until the crowd began to disperse shortly after 8 p.m., long before the council finally voted.
"It's is an expression of freedom," said Wilson Hernandez, one of the organizers of the rally. "We are in America, and America allows people to get together and express whatever they want to express."
Not everyone outside, however, supported the immigrants' position.
"If these people are legal, they shouldn't have anything to worry about," said one man, who declined to give his name. "This whole thing has been misrepresented. ICE is coming to catch criminals, not to do sweeps."
Also expressing irritation at their inability to attend the council session were Gregory and Elise Marciano of Danbury. Elise Marciano is president of the U.S. Citizens for Immigration Law Enforcement, and both said they arrived for the meeting nearly two hours before it started but couldn't get in because people jumped the line in front of them.
"I don't think a lot of these people are from Danbury. It's a rent-a-crowd," Elise Marciano said.
Ask the question, OK, then who should? The Feds, you say? OK, do we put a Federal police force in every municipality? Qunituple the size of the FBI? Put a Fed in every cop car?
Doesn’t make much sense, does it. Let the cop on the street be the law enforcement officer - for ALL laws. If it is a Federal law violation, let the Feds take over at the police station after the initial arrest is made. Don’t make the Federal government duplicate the local police force.
I.C.E. is nice!
#
http://www.ice.gov
ICE.GOV
Quote:
Report Suspicious Activity:
1-866-DHS-2-ICE
1-866-347-2423
Being illegal and having rights to be here????
If the illegals want to continue their education, I suggest that they start checking into schools in their own country before the next semester starts so they don’t get too far behind.
I here there are actually collegss and universities in Mexico and El Salvador.
Hat’s off to the mayor. At least he’s got some testicles. Maybe he’ll run for Governor one day. He’d get my vote.
Illegals have no rights!
"I don't think a lot of these people are from Danbury. It's a rent-a-crowd," Elise Marciano said.
These statements seem to contradict each other. Now I have to decide whom to believe, a liberal media reporter or a resident of Danbury. I'll go with rent-a-crowd.
Boo freakin' hoo. You'll get your illegal behind sent back where you belong and US kids will finally have a little more peace and quiet in their classroom to actually learn something. The worst kids by far in my classes are the illegals. They have smart mouths and truly don't want to learn anything. They are constantly disrupting class, fighting, stealing, and think everything should be handed to them on a silver platter. They are bringing down our schools as so many teachers have to deal with their discipline problems and teaching down to their levels. And let's not forget the tax dollars wasted on their free lunches, ESL classes and extra teacher aides to "help" them around. Ever take a look at today's college admittance? It's right there in black and white that they don't care about citizenship and actually give perks (aka US students' desks) to those who's primary language is Spanish.
You go with them you little snot.
The Constitution needs to be strictly interpreted so that babies born to people who are here illegally and unlawfully do not obtain US Citizenship.
I can dream, can't I?
Why is this country being run by illegal immigrants? And I don’t care what politicians want their votes.
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