Job Discussion Forums

[Guy Courchesne]

Wow. 500,000 take to the streets in LA against immigration reform proposals. Not all Mexican of course, but more than a taco stand can accommodate.

Anyone in LA to see this? I have to imagine a sense of inevitablity for the Latino wave that just rose up.

[Cdaniels]

A protest in Boston which was expected to attract a few hundred but actually thousands showed up. There's some conflicting reports of the numbers I've seen 7000 reported by the Cape Cod Times, and "thousands" was reported in the local TV news reports, but the NY times says only several hundred
There were many non-Mexicans marching, in fact I'd be surprised if any Latin American countries weren't represented. There was even a sizeable Irish contingent in the march.
HBO had a docudrama about a 1968 Chicano student walkout called "walkout" which they showed again late Sunday night.
The congress seems so divided about the issue, that I'm not sure if much will get accomplished

[delacosta]

Could anyone ppst a news link to this story?
Thanks.

[Guy Courchesne]

I firmly believe that the solutions are to be found through bilateral or hemisphere-wide labor agreements. It almost seems idiotic to deny that anything can truly be done to completely stop illegal immigration. It's also foolish to completely open the border, so, involving countries like Mexico, Honduras, Panama, etc, etc in setting controls and programs would be the easiest way to ensure everyone is represented and that everyone is legal.

[Samantha]

Delacosta, they were calling it "A Day Without Latinos" . Here is a link to one story. They had support in so many cities it was amazing.


http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060325/D8GIA4982.html

[MELEE]

Stories all over the news in English and Spanish. Some seem conflicting? Are Mexicans protesting the bill or applauding it? It does include a road to citizenship for many illegals currently in the US, and the long awaited "guest worker" visas, but also includes more boarder walls, and makes it a felony to be in the US illegally.

Here's the Houstan Chronicle's story, they had a couple of different stories.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/world/3752767.html

[Guy Courchesne]

I would have thought it was already a felony to be in the US illegally?

There's a lot to wrangle about in the current immigration debate going on in the US gov. Most interesting seems to be that Bush supports some kind of guest worker program but his party doesn't at all. Sort of looks like the GOP would rather not touch this hot potato with house elections coming up this year.

Meanwhile, another 400,000 will go over the Rio Bravo in 2006...

[thelmadatter]

I wasnt gonna say anything here but...

I lived in Arizona 11 years. Ive seen repatriations (basically the BP making folks walk back over the border after driving them there in a van) and read way too many stories of the hundreds who had died in the desert. Ive also see the sheet-metal barriers erected on the border around towns like Nogales and Naco Arizona. All of these make me sad on a purely gut level.

However, I have to admit the demonstrations over the past week worry me and (as politically incorrect this will be to some) anger me. Esp the signs denouncing all European presence in the New World, and the idea that all Mexicans have a right to be in the US because of US conquest of what is now CA,AZ, NM and TX (OK and bits of Colorado) and many American citizens apparent allegiance to Mexico over the U.S.

I am in Mexico legally. I respect Mexico's laws and sovereignty (even when sometimes it means I have to go looking for the migracion office on the border so I can get my FM3 stamped even though I know no one will check or perhaps even care. I am a GUEST in this country and it has the right to kick me out when it please or any or no reason at all. I accept that I have no RIGHT to be here.

Why does my country not have the same right, according to some?

I am also surprised at the numbers and the extremism of the event. I suspect a lot of it has to do with the fact that the amnesty of 86 was a HUGE mistake. It gave people in the US illegally the idea that there was either some kind of entitlement if you can evade authorities long enough and/or with enough intimidation in numbers, you can bully the govt into another amnesty.

I dont understand what you mean by "bilateral or hemisphere-wide labor agreements" Guy. Would Canada be willing to take on millions of Mexican immigrants, even if the majority of those immigrants are poorly-educated and with little to no skills - even worse then they come in evading the law in the first place? I find this hard to believe. I know Canada advertises for immigrants but primarily in Asia, where education rates are quite high. Its easy to take the "high road" when you dont have thousands upon thousands pouring in... You have oceans and the US bbetween you and the many who might come streaming into Canada.

Im not sure what the answer is, but this demonstration is bound to cause an equally extreme backlash. That many consider the border states to be part of Mexico, will invigorate those who advocate for a permanent fence/wall. Maybe this is a "war" that has been a long time in coming.

[delacosta]

NAFTA is supposed to be a hemisphere wide agreement that facilitates trade between the participating countries. Labor, as an input in any economic tansaction should be covered