Immigrant Marches Nationwide Today

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Tue May 01, 2007 at 07:08:00 AM EST
Tags: immigrants rights (all tags)

Share This: Digg!

For the second May Day in a row, immigrants across the country will take to the streets in protest.

In New York, groups are planning an "American Family Tree" rally, where immigrants will pin paper leaves on a large painting of a tree to symbolize the separation of families because of strict immigration laws.

In Chicago, demonstrators will march more than three miles through downtown, ending at a lakefront park.

In Fresno, Calif., organizers planned a rally focusing on children whose parents had been deported. The San Joaquin Valley is home to thousands of seasonal workers who cross the Mexican border illegally each year to work in the fields and construction industry.

In Milwaukee, Ricardo Chavez, the brother of famed agricultural labor leader Cesar Chavez, was expected to speak, as protesters demanded a stop to immigration raids. A raid last year in Whitewater, Wis., saw the arrests of 25 workers and the owner of a packaging plant. Mothers were separated from their children.

More...

In Florida, voter registration drives and vigils were planned in Miami, Tampa, Orlando and West Palm Beach, along with after-hours rallies in agricultural towns in the Everglades.

In Los Angeles, marches will include demands for a legalization program, a stop to the raids and an anti-Iraq war message. City and transportation officials were planning for as many as 500,000 people in downtown, believing it could be the largest in the city so far this year.

Last year, marchers were protesting the draconian immigration bill, that thankfully, still hasn't passed. This year is a bit different.

Where last year's marches took aim at federal legislation that would have made assisting illegal immigrants a felony, this year's May 1 march will call for a moratorium on workplace immigration raids that have occurred nationwide in recent months, organizers said.

Demonstrators also will demand that U.S. citizenship be opened to the country's estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants, an element in several competing proposals introduced this year in Congress.

Support our immigrants. They are us.

< D.C. Madam Explains Strategy for Naming Customers | Major Combat Operations In Iraq Have Ended >

Legal

Nothing on this site should be construed as legal advice. TalkLeft does not give legal advice.

TalkLeft is not responsible for and often disagrees with material posted in the comments section. Read at your own risk.

Immigrant Marches Nationwide Today | 32 comments (32 topical)

Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

Typical (3.50 / 4) (#5)
by Che's Lounge on Tue May 01, 2007 at 09:11:04 AM EST

they're marching in support of illegal immigration.

No, they are not. Your prejudice has caused you to warp the meaning (predictably).

Ohhh Awwchie! They are protesting violations of their basic human rights. Those rights exist for everyone, everywhere on the planet. One is the right not to be forcibly detained or deported without due process (this is a legal website, right?). Anti immigration folks want cheap (slave) labor, privatization and no unions. Who again is the problem?

Wrong and wrong. (1.66 / 3) (#7)
by Gabriel Malor on Tue May 01, 2007 at 10:10:46 AM EST

U.S. citizenship is not a "basic human right."

Also, you are demonstrably incorrect that detention and deportation is occurring without due process. I work in an immigration firm. Everyone who is removed gets a hearing (with appeals) and can be represented by counsel. Numerous gratuitous forms of relief have been created by Congress.

Che, what you've said about due process is a flat out lie. It is an insult to those who work in immigration law, including the lawyers, but especially the immigration judges.

And you should be more carefull about the broad-brush claims. For example, I'm sure you would classify me as "anti-immigration," but I am also pro-alien rights, as I have discussed on numerous occasions here at TalkLeft.

[ Parent ]

With this kind of U.S citizenship... (4.83 / 6) (#13)
by Dadler on Tue May 01, 2007 at 01:07:09 PM EST

...in the context of horribly imbalanced global capitalism (money, i.e. the wealthy and their wealth, is free to go wherever it wants and suck profit from wherever it wants, while human labor is criminal for such desires), it is more than a little naive to suggest there's a fair shake going on for immigrants, be they illegal or legal. They are the pawns in the game. And the game's rules are completely biased against them at their core.

We can do much better, miles and light years better. We want all the advantages of exploited labor abroad AND at home, we just don't want to deal with the human reality of it.

[ Parent ]

Chairman Dadler Speaks (1.00 / 2) (#16)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 01, 2007 at 09:06:16 PM EST

Hey guy, no one is forcing them to come. Let them stay home and clean their own house.

[ Parent ]

Too bad you don't have (1.00 / 1) (#17)
by Edger on Tue May 01, 2007 at 09:15:30 PM EST

a lightning powered DeLorean. You could go tell your ancestors the same thing.

[ Parent ]

edger (1.00 / 1) (#18)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed May 02, 2007 at 08:50:57 AM EST

I can not change what my ancestors did, or did not do.

What I can do is try and take care of the present, and leave an improved country...NOT an improved world...for my grandchildren.

Shorter. I am not responsible for the screwed up mess that Mexico is in.

Plainer. The Mexicans should fix their own problems.

BTW - The above doesn't mean that I don't have sympathy for the "problems" of the world, and won't help from time to time.

Somewhere yesterday I hard that 1 out of 2 Mexicans have family members working in the US.

One third of those are sending money home to fully or partially support families.

That's about 8% of the Mexican population that is being supported by the US economy and an outsourced labor force.

Mexcio is a country that has hard working people, a stable society and huge amounts of natural resources.

What they don't have is a government and economic system that is meeting the needs of those people.

That's true of 99% of the third world countries that are contiually in trouble.

[ Parent ]

Powerline? (none / 0) (#22)
by squeaky on Wed May 02, 2007 at 12:27:02 PM EST

Mexico -- Population: 107,449,525

Let's see 107, 449, 525 divided by two equals 53,724,62.

If 53,724,62 had, let's conservatively say, 2 of their family members working in the US that would equal the whole population of Mexico working in the US.

Great anti-immigration talking point ppj. Scary numbers for anyone who never learned basic math.

[ Parent ]

Math (5.00 / 2) (#28)
by Peaches on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:43:07 PM EST

First, this statistic doesn't really tell us much. But, Squeaky, it is not your math skills that are limiting but your analysis and use of the tools you ere taught.

Population: 107,449,525
Let's see 107, 449, 525 divided by two equals 53,724,62.

Why are you dividing by Two?

You now just undid what you previously had done? Why? That made absolutely no sense at all.

Did you go to public schools too? ;)

All right, what should we have done. Family members? Define family members. Actually, if you think about this intuitively and the idea of six degrees of separation, you can see that that the statement that 1 out of 2 Mexicans have family members working in the US is true yet meaningless if we are liberal with the definition of family members and count most everyone in the world as members of the same family (Actually, not that absurd when you consider that most of us share common ancestors that go back less than 10 generations in our family tree and all of us do going back 50 generations).

But if you define family members an immediate family including husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, Aunts and Uncles, Grandparents, and first cousins and Nieces and Nephews and you consider the average nuclear family size (lets say 5), Mathematically, each person would have this many possible family members.

Wife - 1
children - 3
grandchildren - 9
parents - 2
grandparents - 4
Aunts and Uncles - 4
Cousins - 12

That is a conservative figure for 35 family members. I am not sure of the Mexican average nuclear family, but the family members I include is a small list.

This leads to the possibility that 1 out of 2 Mexicans have family members working in the US is not far fetched, but again pretty meaningless.

[ Parent ]

Indeed (none / 0) (#29)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:47:56 PM EST

This leads to the possibility that 1 out of 2 Mexicans have family members working in the US is not far fetched, but again pretty meaningless.

[ Parent ]

Hah. (none / 0) (#30)
by Gabriel Malor on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:49:42 PM EST

Did you go to public schools too?

Funny. This had better not become the new joke around here. ;)

And SUO, no, it's not on 70's history (although I'd be in marginally better shape for such a test, after today's discussion!). It's Wills & Trusts. Fun times, my friend.

[ Parent ]

: What school? (none / 0) (#31)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 03:06:31 PM EST

I'm guessing, UCLA or Pepperdine, as I thinbk you've mentioned in the past that you live in (the Socialist Republic of) Santa Monica.

[ Parent ]

My Point Exactly (none / 0) (#33)
by squeaky on Wed May 02, 2007 at 03:22:12 PM EST

Cutting to the chase:

pretty meaningless.

Well (none / 0) (#23)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 01:47:49 PM EST

numbers are funny things.

I have a relatively small family, but, still, at family reunions we are at least 30 strong when all the aunts, uncles, cousins, grand kids, etc., are present.

The claim is 1 in 2, so Mexican pop ~= 100 mill and 100mill x 1/2 = 50mill.

Using my small family size of 30:

50mill / 30=1,666,666 family members working in the US.

Or, said another way, it would only take 1,666,666 Mexicans to be working here in the US for the claim that 1 in 2 Mexicans have family members working here to be true.

fwiw.

[ Parent ]

Huh? (none / 0) (#24)
by squeaky on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:02:25 PM EST

Not sure I follow your point.

If you were to follow ppj's argument it would be 50mil times 30, not divided by 30. That equals 1,500,000,000, a number far in excess of Mexico's population.

[ Parent ]

I think the claim is that (none / 0) (#26)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:34:24 PM EST

1 in 2 Mexicans have a family member working in the US.

Using a family size of 30, for every 1 Mexican working in the US, he/she has 30 family members in Mexico.

If there were 1,666,666 Mexicans working in the US, there would be 1,666,666 x 30 = 50 million relatives in Mexico with a family member working in the US.

50 mill is 1 in 2 Mexicans.

(Although, I did mess up a little on the math. Actually, if the family size is 30, then there would really only be 29 family members in Mexico, not 30, so the claim would need 1,724,138 Mexicans working the the US for it to be supportable.)

[ Parent ]

Not Following (none / 0) (#32)
by squeaky on Wed May 02, 2007 at 03:10:22 PM EST

Sorry I do not your example. If half of the Mexican population has more than 2 family members working in the US. To find out how many Mexican family members are working in the US the equation would be.

half of the population of mexico x 2 family members working in the US = the number of mexican family members working in the US.

That is if none of the Mexicans who have family members in the US are related. Which is unlikely.

So without knowing how many people are related in the 50% of the Mexican population who have family members working in the US there is no way to get an accurate answer.

It could be something like this:

Given a total population of 60 in Mexico, 30 people have 2 family members working in the US. If the 30 people are all related there are only two mexican workers in the US.

[ Parent ]

: Squeaky (none / 0) (#34)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 03:27:16 PM EST

You need to completely remove this from your train of thought:
If half of the Mexican population has more than 2 family members working in the US.
it has nothing to do with anything.
The claim is 1 of every 2 Mexicans has a family member working in the US.
Assume a 30 person family, ie, there are 30 family members in a Mexican family.
For every 1 person from a Mexican family working in the US, he/she would have 29 relatives in Mexico who, in return, have (that person as) a relative working in the US.
Therefor, for every 1 Mexican working in the US there are 29 Mexicans in Mexico with a family member working in the US.
For every 2 Mexicans working in the US there are 58 Mexicans in Mexico with a relative working in the US.
For every 1,724,138 Mexican working in the US there are 50 million Mexicans in Mexico with a relative working in the US.
50 mill = 1/2 of 100 mill = 1 in 2 Mexicans have a family member working in the US.
I don't know how I can explain it any clearer.

[ Parent ]

Heh. (none / 0) (#25)
by Gabriel Malor on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:07:47 PM EST

I'm glad you posted about the numbers. I saw that squeaky had a numbers problem with his comment, but didn't have the time to respond.

[Strictly speaking, I don't really have time to be writing this either; I have a final in an hour.]

[ Parent ]

: I just hope it's not on '70s history! (none / 0) (#27)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed May 02, 2007 at 02:38:53 PM EST

;-)
Good luck on the final.

[ Parent ]

ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL AND ITS WRONG (2.33 / 3) (#14)
by michelewms1 on Tue May 01, 2007 at 01:20:27 PM EST

What part don't you get about being illegal???? You came here illegally, you work here illegally. Why should we just grant you United States "basic rights"? Actually I'm thinking all illegals should be deported or put in jail. They are here illegally. They are breaking the law. What is so hard to understand? Just because you managed to get into the United States does not automatically mean you should remain in the United States and that "we" (United States citizens) should grant you that privelage. There are steps to take to become a citizen. One of them is NOT arriving here illegally. Geez, Illegal is wrong. If we allow illegal immigrants the right to become citizens, then we should make everything illegal legal. But I some how don't see that one happening. So my thought is unless you can legally be here go back to where you came from and stop thinking you are entitled to US citizenship. You don't see me sneaking into your country illegally and demanding to become a citizen. I really don't care if you are hard working or not, and you chose to have children here, if you get deport and have to leave your children, that is your own fault. Noboby made you come here, nobody wants you here, and all I can say is stop whining. Be lucky you have been here as long as you have.

Illegals march nationwide today (2.20 / 5) (#2)
by fafnir on Tue May 01, 2007 at 06:01:48 AM EST

No, I will not support illegals and, no, they are not "us"; they're illegals. Illegal workers need to go home and the illegal employers who hire them need to go to jail.

The predicament of children of illegals is the responsibility of their illegal parents who broke the law. The children of illegals deserve no more sympathy for their parents' irresponsibility than the children of American parents who are thrown in jail for drugs. Where's the outrage for the latter?

The US is obliged to enforce its immigration laws. Illegals don't have a right to demand citizenship or the cessation of work site enforcement. If illegals want to obtain citizenship then leave the country and get in line.

just an OT nitpick here (4.20 / 5) (#3)
by Jen M on Tue May 01, 2007 at 06:51:55 AM EST

the children of american parents who are thrown in jail for drugs deserve a hell of a lot more sympathy than they are currently given

sorry for the OT
my bad

[ Parent ]

Re: just an OT nitpick here (1.00 / 2) (#4)
by fafnir on Tue May 01, 2007 at 07:20:06 AM EST

I agree, and I think your comment is right-on topic and relevant in view of the latest emotional wedge open-border advocates are using to halt work site enforcement efforts.

[ Parent ]

I agree (4.20 / 5) (#6)
by squeaky on Tue May 01, 2007 at 09:23:36 AM EST

I am surprised that some things never change. Seems like scarcity is the model for many who turn their fears into hostility towards immigrants. It sure seems to be a vote getter. Hitler set the model, although it is true that fear of the other is age old.

If people thought for a just a minute about the incalculable bounty we have reaped from the contributions immigrants have brought to America perhaps these small minded people would be less parsimonious.

[ Parent ]

: squeaky (none / 0) (#10)
by jimakaPPJ on Tue May 01, 2007 at 12:25:37 PM EST

What does scarcity have to do with this??

[ Parent ]

Some corrections (2.00 / 4) (#1)
by LonewackoDotCom on Tue May 01, 2007 at 01:04:19 AM EST

First, while some of those marching might be "immigrants", they're marching in support of illegal immigration.

And, most families aren't separated because of "strict" laws, but due to their disrespect for our laws, as well as the lure of amnesty. Don't come here and have children expecting that to be your key to staying here.

As for the "anti-Iraq war message", the AP "reporter" doesn't go into more depth, but I think that's courtesy of ANSWER.

As for the "moratorium on workplace immigration raids", some of those marching support "reforms", one of whose selling points includes stepped-up enforcement. Does anyone see those who now demand a "moratorium on workplace immigration raids" supporting enforcement later on?

Can't everyone see those who support "reform" now continuing to protest if "reform"-mandated raids are carried out? Won't they just keep singing this same tune?

Unless you want to just keep giving amnesties every few years until half of Latin America lives here, your only choice is to demand that our politicians enforce the current laws.

My housecleaner (none / 0) (#8)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 01, 2007 at 11:58:13 AM EST

In Los Angeles [...] City and transportation officials were planning for as many as 500,000 people in downtown

showed up right on time this AM.

WTF? (none / 0) (#9)
by Gabriel Malor on Tue May 01, 2007 at 12:09:01 PM EST

500K marchers in LA? (1.00 / 3) (#11)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 01, 2007 at 12:25:37 PM EST

My house cleaner, for one, is not marching.

In addition, based on that, and the plenitude of guys standing on the street corners I saw on my way into work, my gut feeling is that most illegals in LA are going to their jobs or looking for work today and not marching.

I'm also in no mood for the ridiculous "human rights," etc., bleating that will occur today.

[ Parent ]

: Around 10,000 was there (none / 0) (#19)
by jimakaPPJ on Wed May 02, 2007 at 08:53:16 AM EST

[ Parent ]

Ok (1.00 / 2) (#12)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue May 01, 2007 at 12:31:59 PM EST

I'm also pissed at myself because this friggin' thread reminded me that I, like a numbnut, forgot to leave her her money on the counter this AM so now I have to leave my business and drive back home to pay her.

Hey, you asked.

[ Parent ]

Citizenship Must Be Earned Not Demanded (none / 0) (#15)
by Baraca on Tue May 01, 2007 at 01:56:43 PM EST

I favor compassionate treatment of illegals who have been employed in the USA for at least two years and who have not commited any crimes (not inclusive of their illegal entry into the USA). I do not, however, see how this country can absorb all of the illegals that are here in one "gulp". While I think the majority of the illegals are wonderful people who potentially can add a lot to our country, we still must observe our own laws as they are written. Besides, it would not be fair to push these immigrants ahead of those who applied legally. That said, I would not be in favor of sending someone back to their country of origin who is married to a US citizen. This problem is complex and a difficult one to solve.