May 15 2006
Immigration Issues: Local and National
GUEST: Armando Navarro, Chicano Studies Professor at UC Riverside and coordinator of the National Alliance for Human Rights
In a national speech planned for this evening, President Bush is expected to announce plans to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to the U.S. –Mexico border. The proposal comes at a time when the President’s approval rating has reached a low of 29 percent according to a poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal. Mexican President, Vicente Fox called Bush yesterday to express concerns about the proposed militarization of the border. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Republican Bill Frist, and Minority leader Harry Reid have agreed on a plan to revive a broad immigration bill that they hope to pass before Memorial Day. Locally in San Bernardino, the immigration debate has heated up over an anti-immigrant measure that will go before the City Council tonight. The measure, sponsored by Joseph Turner, Executive Director of the anti-immigrant group Save Our State, would prohibit landlords from renting to undocumented immigrants. It would also, among other things, ban tax payer funded day labor centers, and mandate that day laborers prove legal residency in order to work. Opponents of the measure call it divisive and racist and vow to mobilize against it.
The San Bernadino City Council meeting will be on Monday May 15th at 3 pm at 300 N. D street. There will also be a press conference by National Alliance for Human Rights at 2:30 pm.
4 Responses to “Immigration Issues: Local and National”
Never once in this discussion did I hear the word “ILLEGAL”. The citizens of this country are not against immigration, just ILLEGAL immigration. We are tired of paying for the ILLEGAL aliens coming to this. Furthermore, Vicente Fox has no business making any comments or regarding our laws and decisions!!
Reply to Pam:
The discussion of legality is an interesting one. It is the heart of democratic government that our law should answer to our ideas of ethics and morality, not the other way around.
Do you realize how difficult it is to enter the US (legally or illegally)? How about living here once across the border? It’s no walk in the park. Sure, taxpayers (myself included) are paying to support some illegal immigrants, but we are also supporting many a deadbeat American who is able to work but unwilling to do so. Speaking of legality, just how legal were the majority of activities that led to the American Revolution and our eventual independence? Was it wrong?
The question of whether illegal immigration causes problems is simple: it does. But how many benefits does it provide you? Bet you’ve never thought about that. Prices are directly linked to cost of labor, and right or wrong, illegal immigrants are often paid less than optimal wages, keeping prices where they are. A consideration of both pro and con is necessary to make an educated decision.
With regard to Mexican President Fox, why do you say he has no business questioning our laws? Does the militarization of a border, which last time I checked had two sides, not directly impact his country? I think so. And President Bush would be no more hesitant to call Mexico or Canada if they were planning to blockade our borders with them! Finally, have you ever thought what it would be like to live on either side of the border if it were militarized. How does life surrounded with feelings of martial law and guns being brandished everywhere make you feel? I am sure quite cozy.
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