Posted on 12/15/2001 4:30:53 AM PST by sarcasm
Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson said at a rally Friday that had he known earlier about a federal roundup of illegal aliens at the Salt Lake City International Airport, he would have warned them to leave their jobs before they were arrested.
Anderson said he knew about the roundup one week beforehand. U.S. Attorney for Utah Paul Warner says had Anderson given workers notice it would have constituted a criminal act.
Friends, family members and supporters of the illegal workers rounded up at the Salt Lake International Airport protest outside the City-County Building Friday.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
"It is the height of irresponsibility," Warner said. "I cannot disagree more with him about his view on this."
Warner, who called Anderson's support of the rally "disappointing," said the workers are responsible for their own consequences and that the "United States is a country based on the rule of law." He said Friday's ralliers were "protesting the enforcement of the law."
"While I am sympathetic to the family members, these are not innocent victims," he said. "It was audacious to protest."
He added that he will not be deterred from plans to prosecute and will do so in an even-handed and expedited fashion. He said he is not seeking prison terms.
Anderson said this week's roundup of workers, some of whom had access to highly secured areas, is the height of hypocrisy for the government, which essentially tells illegal workers to "play this little game with us" and then proceeds to prosecute them.
"They are working hard to take care of their families but with the implicit agreement with federal authorities that they will not be rounded up in the workplace," he said.
The rally in front of the City-County Building drew between 150 and 200 friends, family members and supporters of the 271 workers, 69 of whom were arrested. The majority in custody are Hispanic.
Alejandra Alvarez said she believes Hispanic workers were targeted. "We're not terrorists, we're workers," said the restaurant employee, speaking in Spanish.
Rally organizer Vicky Newton, whose brother was arrested in the roundup, believes Warner is the "number one terrorist," and went on to say in Spanish that she plans to continue setting up protests and rallies to defend and free the workers.
Protesters rally outside the federal courthouse before being forced to leave because they lacked a permit.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Anderson acknowledged that it would be wrong for the workers to allegedly falsify Social Security documents, but said he thinks maintaining a secure airport as well as warning workers in danger are not mutually exclusive.
Karina Melchor, whose father is one of the 69 arrested, said he will almost certainly be deported. Her father had to plead guilty to the charges, she said, because her family can't pay the fine for the infraction.
Robert Gallegos of RazPac, a community group that fights for minority rights, holds the employers responsible, saying they knew the workers were illegal and used them for cheap labor. Gallegos said supporters are considering filing a class-action lawsuit against the employers.
Anderson, who emphasized that "vibrant workers are welcome," said he doesn't believe these workers should be made an example of and wants to make certain the practice doesn't spread. He encouraged donations to his office or Centro Civico Mexicano to be used to support the cause.
Progress Through Dialogue,
Strength Through Diversity
Mayor Rocky Anderson home page
America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
Download 8 Mb zip file here (50 minute video)
I agree they are not terrorists, but honest? They use false ID's and lie to gain employment to cover up their illegal entry and excuse this behavior by saying that we forced them to be dishonest by passing laws that are inconvenient to them.
Don't you wish every state had a thousand Paul Warner's.
Alejandra Alvarez said she believes Hispanic workers were targeted. "We're not terrorists, we're workers," said the restaurant employee, speaking in Spanish.
Don't speak to me in Spanish. Speak to me in English or go back where you came from!!
Funny, no one said these people are "terrorists," only that they are here illegally, and to top it off they are in jobs in a critical security area. Let 'em protest all they want; I doubt seriously that they'll get much sympathy from all but the lefties in SLC.
Stay Safe Sarcasm !
"We are Honest UNEMPLOYED workers LIARS not terrorist's"
Stay Safe HLL !
Most of the Mexican illegals aren't terrorists but there were some recently arrested for working to bring Middle Eastern terrorists into the US and obtain fake papers for them. I feel sorry for them to lose their jobs ---that's hard on anyone trying to feed a family but they chose the illegal route over legally coming to the US. Mexico itself doesn't allow illegal immigration to Mexico. It's interesting in that picture they are flying the US flag, where is the Mexican flag you see them flying at their parades and Cinco de Mayo festivals?
That does, indeed, tell us all we need to know about this Mayor.
Progress is never achieved through dialogue. Diversity is divisive.
It looks like all is not well in Mormonland.
On another thread I compared the potential cost ($2.5B) of offering a $500 reward for every illegal immigrant turned in to the budget of the INS ($4.2B in 2000). I think we should have a bonus plan, say $2000, for every illegal caught with fraudulent voter registration. Wouldn't it be funny to see Hillary!'s face if that were implemented in New York. Muahahahahahahahahaha!
Nice world the mayor has created for SLC, huh? He's also the guy who sued the state when the voters passed an English Only initiative, along with one of the organizers of the demonstration (a guy named Yapias).
Without a doubt, Anderson is one of the ORGANIZERS of this illegal alien riot.
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