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Walking for Legalization

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Posted on Jan 2, 2010
AP / Jeffrey M. Boan

Juan Rodriguez, 20, center, shown Dec. 18 walking to a Miami church for a news conference, is one of four students who set out on New Year’s Day to raise support for immigration reform.

Taking an ambulatory cue from the Freedom Riders of the civil rights era, four immigrant students—three of whom are undocumented—are walking from downtown Miami to Washington, D.C., in a four-month protest against the Obama administration’s inaction on legislation that could give legal status to immigrants.  —JCL

The New York Times:

Lacing up new pairs of walking shoes with a flourish, four immigrant students set out on foot from downtown Miami on Friday, starting a four-month walk to Washington to protest what they called the Obama administration’s lack of action on legislation granting legal status to illegal immigrants.

Three of the four protesters, who are current or former students at Miami Dade College, do not have legal-resident status and risk detention by immigration authorities during the 1,500-mile walk.

The students’ trek showed the resolve and also some limitations of groups supporting an immigration overhaul that would include measures to legalize illegal immigrants. Those groups said this week that they would start a national campaign in January to pressure President Obama to push for the overhaul before midterm elections in November.

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By tj, January 4, 2010 at 9:23 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

“in a four-month protest against the Obama administration’s inaction on legislation that could give legal status to immigrants.  —JCL”

Immigrants have “legal” status. Illegal imigrants should not have legal status. What is it with the MSM and many bloggers, call the illegals what they are, not what they thiink they should be. Try being illegal in Mexico, they do not mess around

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By DieDaily, January 4, 2010 at 1:32 am Link to this comment

It’s interesting to note that when you educate a peoples and allow them to industrialize (or not, as they see fit) their birth-rate drops like a rock, often down to under 1.5 per couple. This is a Eugenicist’s wet-dream, if you think about it, and a commonly known fact, especially to the elites! So why not use this form of population control? Hmmm. Well, you can’t exploit them once you’ve educated them, is the basic answer. You can’t sell them guns or grab their land and minerals. In short, it’s too expensive a solution. It involves too much sharing. The idea that overpopulation requires harsh methods to solve is not correct whatsoever! There is NO instance in which an educated, well-off populace is able to even sustain it’s own population (without immigration). And that’s a fact. Don’t fall for the lie and become a self-hating human. Nobody needs to be killed off. That’s not even remotely needed. It’s just another globalist lie.

I do agree with the REST of Gmarks statement, though, in terms of if the legal locals want the immigration laws enforced that should be done, immediately, end of story. For instance, I totally support the much maligned work of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. If you research his policies and actions, they are not racist at all, the radical left just wants you to believe so. In their twisted double-think world enforcing the law is unlawful.

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By TAO Walker, January 3, 2010 at 1:28 pm Link to this comment

Gmarks’ unapologetic misanthropy, as applied to “tribal” half-life on the rez,  only points-up the fact that “civilization” is as much pure hell on americanindians and nativeamericans as it is on all the other hyphenates here on Turtle Island, too.  The “indiancountry” accessible to highway travelers is a quite effective way to keep mere seekers-after cheap thrills from bothering those of us surviving free wild Natives with better things to do than entertaining “tourists.”  It works because of the CONgenital tendency of domesticated “individuals” to judge books by their covers.

Good of Gmarks to demonstrate the ongoing soundness of our approach.

Hokahey!

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By Brittanicus, January 3, 2010 at 10:15 am Link to this comment

This is the time to wreak anger and frustration on the politicians at 202-224-3121 who are adamant on killing E-Verify. This is one partial section of the SAVE ACT, 287 (g) the police illegal immigrant detainment law and stop the radical Comprehensive Immigration Reform package about to overwhelm us. Mayor R. Rex Parris of Lancaster, Calif., located about 60 miles north of Los Angeles, the first city in California requiring the city’s businesses to verify the eligibility of its new hires using E-Verify. The AMNESTY law is a prerequisite to give every illegal alien in the United States a right to our menial health care, their sons and daughters to steal your child’s education future, to take the low skilled Americans jobs. If the AMNESTY passes it will be incredulous disaster to the 15 plus American job seekers. It seems intentional not to keep actual numbers, but it is reasonable to believe that 8 million foreign nationals out of 20 to 30 million illegal families already have employment.

Should AMNESTY pass the Obama government knows that E-Verify will become void, as will 287 (G) police federal enforcement training law.WE MUST STOP ANY AMNESTY AND ENACT E-VERIFY AS A MANDATORY NATIONAL FEDERAL LAW. THROW ANY POLITICIAN OUT INCLUDING SEN. HARRY REID, SPEAKER PELOSI, CHUCK SCHUMER and any other lawmaker who are signatories to AMNESTY.  Taxpayer money will be used to pay for massive processing of background checks, FBI investigation and paper documentation from here to the Sun and back. With such massive taxpayers expenditures, it would easily pay for a real barrier as planned by Rep.Duncan Hunter (R-CA), as a double fence across America.

DEPORT USING E-VERIFY EVERY ILLEGAL FAMILY AND OFFER LEGAL IMMIGRANTS ON THE HIGHEST PINNACLE OF JOB SKILLS A VISA. ONLY APPROVE GUEST WORKER WHO WILL STAY ON THE FARMS, WITH NO PERMANENT RESIDENCY VISA AND MUST RETURN TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN. AMERICAN TAXPAYER CANNOT AFFORD TO SUPPORT ILLEGAL FOREIGN NATIONAL ANYMORE OR FAMILIES.

In addition once legitimized the old folks Social Security pensions will be in jeopardy and even more government benefits will be handed out, then have not already been tapped. Regular Americans have no conception the amount of entitlements already available to birthright citizen parents, such as housing, food stamps and financial arrangements, that are intentionally hidden from public view. MILLIONS MORE WILL TRY TO REACH AMERICAN SOIL, BEFORE OBAMA SIGNS THE FINAL LAW. No American needs to be confronted by unsustainable OVERPOPULATION of 458 million in forty years according to the US Census Bureau. Census Bureau reported this week that the U.S. population has increased by 1% in 2009, adding another 2.6 million people. According to the bureau, the population is now 308,400,408, and the 2009 increase is due to an increase in births, amounting to a new American every 14 seconds.

Many states are falling into the same financial hole as the SANCTUARY STATE of California, Arizona, with liberal overcrowded assemblies giving illegal immigrants a large spectrum of taxpayers money. USE YOUR VOTE TO STOP THIS INSANITY?  YOU WILL—NOT—FIND THE TRUTH IN THE NATIONAL PRESS, BUT MUST FIND YOUR ANSWERS AT NUMBERSUSA AND JUDICIAL WATCH

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By ardee, January 3, 2010 at 9:46 am Link to this comment

Gmarks, January 3 at 12:12 pm

Your comments about reservation life are remarkably shortsighted. One may find the exact same conditions in many rural parts of this nation yet you imply that they are unique to those of indian blood.

The commonality is poverty, while your post displays another keyword, stupidity.

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By Delaware Bob, January 3, 2010 at 7:32 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Just who do these illegal aliens think they are to want Americans to allow amnesty for these illegal aliens? Yes, Who? What they should be doing is walking back to their own Country where they belong and going to school there.

ENFORCE THE LAW!  NO AMNESTY!

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By ardee, January 3, 2010 at 4:18 am Link to this comment

As all power resides with the people it is logical indeed to separate the people with such wedges as these. A pity so many fail to understand this salient point.

It takes about six-seven years to wade through the immigration process, a rather long time when ones children are hungry. A shame we allow such distractions to sidetrack us from our real goals.

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By Carl, January 2, 2010 at 11:31 pm Link to this comment

A classic corporate spin has been posted, so let’s examine the logic.

“Yes, these humans who play an essential part of our society [Essential? They are unskilled workers. America has tens of millions of poor, unemployed unskilled workers who would be hired if these illegals were deported. Of course employers may have to offer more than minimum wage, perhaps even a living wage.]

should be legalized; [this was done in 1986, and another 20 million have since flooded across]

and the laws have to be changed that are discriminating against them and making them unable to apply for citizenship. [Yes, people who violate federal law are discriminated against. If I go to a bank and try to withdraw money from someones account, that is against the law, and they will refuse, so I guess they would be discriminating against me]
The only way to get full employment with living wages and good working conditions for all is by doing so directly; [allowing millions of unskilled workers to flood across our border solves unemployment? That is so crazy one must laugh]

attacking the vulnerable members of society doesn’t get you there, and anyone suggesting that clearly doesn’t want full employment with living wages and good working conditions for all. [no one is attacking them, they are just desperate people taking advantage of the political corruption in the USA where leaders of both parties have been paid off by corporations to lightly enforce immigration laws. Illegals push down wages for poor Americans, its called supply and demand. In general, those arrested are then released to appear at a hearing, what is known as catch and release]
————————————-

Anyone can apply for a visa and then citizenship. These people never bothered. What about the millions who have filed their papers and are waiting their turn. Will illegals be allowed to jump ahead? What about all the laws they violated since arriving, like ID theft, false applications for Driver’s license, lying for welfare benefits.

We shouldn’t encourage even more mass illegal immigration with yet another amnesty. If Obama wants to help poor Americans and boost his poll numbers, he should announce a simple jobs program—deport more illegal aliens, because for everyone deported, a job is created for poor Americans, white, black and brown.

Deportation is not punishment, its just sending foreigners home. However, this will cause wages to rise, which is why John McCain is a big supporter of illegal immigration too. Wealthy democrats want to keep wages down too, so they feign compassion to excuse their support for allowing illegal immigration.

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By DieDaily, January 2, 2010 at 10:49 pm Link to this comment

I’m with walker. The whole issue is a huge distraction, an excuse for state-worship, a political side-show. Either we treat everyone who wants to immigrate exactly the same, or we’re being stupid and criminal. What else is there to discuss? My Canadian friend was making good cash in the states. He wanted to get citizenship. No problem, but you have to move out of the states for six months to make your application, he was told. Fine. So is that the way we treat people, or is this racism? Do we racial afford Latinos special racist status? That’s the only question!!!!!

Some things to bare in mind for the righties:
1. Are the immigrants taxing you for half of your earnings to use in making war and pay off foreign banksters? (Nope)
2. Are the immigrants trying to confiscate your weapons? (Nope)
3. Are the immigrants putting chemicals in your food and water, drugs in your kids, toxic crap in your air? (Nope)
4. Did the immigrants draft your children and send them to die in Vietnam? (Nope)
5. Did the immigrants ruin our reputation abroad so badly that is might take generations to repair? (Nope)
6. Are the immigrants running illegal wire-taps, reading all your emails, tracking you by your cell phone? (Nope)
7. Are the immigrants federalizing your local police, setting up illegal roadblock searches and spooky FEMA prison camps all over the place, while slamming down a hellish control grid on your asses? (Nope)
8. So who was doing all that? Yep, your own politicians. You own gummint. You yourselves.

Ever think it’s just the globalists trying to bring down the price of labor? Another scam to get us fighting? Gee, think maybe?

Personally, I’d pick a law and enforce it. It’s too bad my Canadian friend has to do things by the book. Because he’s not brown, he’ll be arrested otherwise. He simply doesn’t have the correct racial characteristics to be allowed to bypass the immigration system with impunity. Is that fair? No! Is that racist? Hell ya!

But don’t hate the immigrants, you nads, hate the government! They’ve earned it, at least!

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By Arm, January 2, 2010 at 10:22 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

In most countries, if you enter illegally, you are put in jail, fined and deported.  Here in the U.S. we call them immigrants (they are not) and give them Social Security cards, free medical services and allow them to protest their status.  Something is wrong here.  Try going to Mexico illegally and see what happens!  Why is the U.S. so f—-d up!!

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By TAO Walker, January 2, 2010 at 9:26 pm Link to this comment

The “weight” of opinion here so far is decidedly anti-immigrant….at-least of the so-called “illegal” variety.  When we here in Indian Country hear americans bitching-and-moaning about the economic and other effects of people coming from “foreign” places, we just have to laugh.

Talk about your “pots and kettles,” eh.

HokaHey!

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By Rodolfo Bianchini, January 2, 2010 at 9:21 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

By Carl, January 2 at 7:15 pm #


I wish people would write in English so everyone can understand. First, they are not “undocumented,” they are not animals, they have documents, just not the needed ones. They can apply for those to immigrate, but don’t want to bother.—————————————————————————————————————————————

Tu no sabes lo que estas hablando. Este es un pais libre y si alguien quier hablar otro idioma puede hacerlo. Tu necesitas un siquiatra para que te examine tu cabeza. Si no te gusta los paises democraticos debes mudarte para un pais comunista.

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By Commune115, January 2, 2010 at 9:16 pm Link to this comment

Obama needs to deal with the high unemployment first. If he were to push for legalizing millions of illegal immigrants while the economic crisis continues, the right-wing will eat him alive.

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By amber dru, January 2, 2010 at 9:07 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

They are walking in the wrong direction.

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By voice of truth, January 2, 2010 at 6:58 pm Link to this comment

Why the f**k aren’t these criminals being arrested?  Undocumented?  What the hell is that?  You mean ILLEGAL.  No society can survive when various segments of the populace pick and choose which laws to obey and which don’t need to be heeded.

Carl has it right.  There is a legal process to enter this country, just like every other country on earth.  It really is not that hard to follow the process, they just don’t want to.

This is such bullshit.

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By lichen, January 2, 2010 at 4:58 pm Link to this comment

Yes, these humans who play an essential part of our society should be legalized; and the laws have to be changed that are discriminating against them and making them unable to apply for citizenship.  The only way to get full employment with living wages and good working conditions for all is by doing so directly; attacking the vulnerable members of society doesn’t get you there, and anyone suggesting that clearly doesn’t want full employment with living wages and good working conditions for all.

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By Carl, January 2, 2010 at 3:15 pm Link to this comment

I wish people would write in English so everyone can understand. First, they are not “undocumented,” they are not animals, they have documents, just not the needed ones. They can apply for those to immigrate, but don’t want to bother. Google for the forms, pay the fees, pass the medical, and wait your turn, as have millions of other foreigners.

They are visitors who arrived here to collect government benefits or to take jobs from American citizens. The fact that law-breakers openly gather to demand amnesty shows how this problem is out of control. Keep in mind that Bush tried to push through amnesty.

When will the Dems shake off the evil influence of their multi-millionaire “leaders” and tell them what they already know, that mass illegal immigration drives down wages, steals jobs from the working poor, overwhelms health care systems for the poor, crowds urban schools, drives up rents, and occupies low-cost housing.

Unfortunately, most self-declared progressives are too shy to confront the Democrat corporate line. For example, Truthdig routinely publishes garage such as this article, and doesn’t seem to notice that nearly all its readers object. Or maybe they are trying to be balanced by publishing right-wing corporate propaganda.

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By NABNYC, January 2, 2010 at 2:25 pm Link to this comment

Legalization is a terrible idea and it should be opposed by all progressives.  What an absurd concept with a nonsensical name:  to “legalize” what is illegal.  For whose benefit?

The government of this country has one duty only, which is to act in the best interest of the people of this country, the citizens.  Our government is not supposed to act in favor of businesses (who are not citizens), nor foreign governments, nor people from other countries.  Of course it would be better for people from Mexico to move to the U.S.  But at the same time, it is bad for the people here, so the government should control it, and stop the illegal immigration.

We now have a minimum of 20 million illegal immigrants in this country.  When they marry and have children, that adds 100 million more people.  We don’t need an exploding population in a world in which everything is already over-used.  There is no benefit to the citizens of this country to bring in millions of desperately poor people who do not speak English, are not literate in any language, have no real skills, and whose main reason for being here is to serve as slave labor for the corporate interests.

Many industries that used to employ Americans now employ only illegal immigrants (who are unfortunately “represented” by a management union).  Commercial janitors, security guards, many manufacturing jobs, entire industries in entire states have fired all the Americans and replaced them with illegal immigrants.  The building trades, which used to provide a good living for Americans, fired all the Americans and replaced them with coyote-provided truckloads of illegal immigrants.  Those same illegal immigrants send $100 million/year back to Mexico, money that would otherwise have been spent in the U.S. if the jobs had been done by Americans.

Go to Mexico.  Go to Central America.  Do we want to import the poverty from those regions to our own country?  The only benefit to open borders is to the U.S. businesses.  For the citizens of this country it is simply exhausting local resources which will lead to the deterioration of schools, roads, water and sanitation systems, police, fire.  The effect of allowing millions of illegal immigrants into this country is simply to crush the communities where these immigrants go to find work. 

Not to mention the drug trafficking and gangs.

The only people who benefit from illegal immigration are the corporations and businesses.  We should demand that our government create an ID card for immigrants which will allow legal immigrants to work and live in peace.  Make it illegal for any employer to hire anyone who does not have a card, with big fines for each day of violation. 

As for those already here, they can apply for amnesty if there are compelling equitable grounds.  But the idea of simply declaring everyone legal to make way for the next 100 million coming behind them is absurd.  It does not benefit the people of this country, and it should not be done.  If anything, we should halt all immigration until our national unemployment level is below 3%. If you want to help the people in Mexico, go to Mexico and help them there.  Don’t bring them all up to the U.S.  We’ve got enough problems of our own.

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