Over 100,000 Protest Immigration Bill

Hundreds of thousands of people converged on the streets of Los Angeles today in protest of The House of Representatives bill that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and erect fences along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border. (watch video)
H.R. 4437, known as the Sensenbrenner Bill after its author, the bigoted Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI).

The abhorrent disregard of men and women who are pillars of everyday American society is well-documented in many places. In fact, the country of Mexico will not even stand for it. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) calls it “anti-faith based.”

The Senate is to begin debating the proposals on Tuesday and as the bill has already passed in the House, it is high time to see to it that this does not pass the Senate. Call your Congressman.
Should H.R. 4437 be signed into law, the items bulleted below will be in effect:
source: via TalkLeft and AlterNet.

  • Continues expanding the same border enforcement and militarization strategies that has resulted in over 4,000 migrant death since 1994.
  • Expands the expedited deportation program
  • 11 million undocumented immigrants would be declared “aggravated felons” for having come to this country to do back-breaking work at low wages in order to feed their families.
  • Priests, nuns, health care workers and other helpers would be threatened with jail time for assisting the undocumented.
  • Local police would have to enforce federal immigration laws, undermining community policing strategies meant to build confidence between police and immigrant communities.
  • Day labor sites would be shut down by federal law, overruling the hard work of activists and enlightened local communities attempting to solve problems caused in part by Congressional inaction on comprehensive immigration reform.
  • Seven hundred miles of walls would be built between the United States and our friendly neighbors to the south, an act that has touched off a diplomatic crisis with Latin America.
  • Immigration Rally, Los Angeles, March 25, 2006

  • Drastically expands the definition of an aggravated felony (deportable offense).
  • Requires mandatory detention for all immigrants apprehended at ports of entry or along international borders until removal or a final decision in their case.
  • Overturns the Supreme Court’s ruling in Zadvydas which limits long-term detention.

2 Replies to “Over 100,000 Protest Immigration Bill”

  1. Tired — I agree with you entirely. Very well-said. I have trouble keeping a level of platitude when perusing opposing viewpoints to this issue as — good GOd — I mean, if there are 11 million illegals in this country, how and why does everyone assume they’re from Mexico. Worse yet, is the, needing our borders secure after 9/11 argument when, as far as I know, no terrorist has ever entered the U.S. from our the neighboring country to the South. Cheers.

  2. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, open immigration is the only way to secure the border.

    Today, many american citizens ignore the undocumented status of aliens, becase they assume that those aliens are honest folk who simply want to make a living. If the US lets such folk in legally, with proper documentation, people would know that any other undocumented people are not kosher.

    Imagine that no honest person would want to cross into the US illegally. As a consequence, citizens would readily report the few crooks who do. The only way to make the border safe is to allow for a large amounts of well-controlled, legal immigration. The only other way I can think of is to make Mexico the 51st state, and then patrol their — much shorter — southern border.

    To my mind, the main change should be to grant amnesty to the 11 million Mexicans who are here, and then allow about 2 million to come over legally every year. The consequence of this will be to make the U.S. a safer place.

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