They's all got English as they're SECUND lnguages! On May 29, 6:02 pm, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > If you have been here 21 years trying to get legal, then why aren't > you. It can't be all that difficult since many who come from countries > that don't even use our alphabet have managed to accomplish it. It > sounds really fishy to me. And now you are using anchor babies to stay > here? > > May 29, 8:00 PM EDT > > Immigration law opponents brave heat to march on Ariz. Capitol; > supporters plan evening rally > > By JONATHAN J. COOPER > Associated Press Writer > > AP Photo > <http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/photos/D/df48a19c-ed24-4769-8fb8-e...> > AP Photo/Paul Connors > > Advertisement > > Buy AP Photo Reprints > <http://pictopia.com/perl/gal?provider_id=38> > > Your Questions Answered > <http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ASK_AP?SITE=OHMOU&SECTION=HOME> > > AP answers your questions on the news, from boundaries in the Gulf to > credit agency reports > <http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ASK_AP?SITE=OHMOU&SECTION=HOME...> > > PHOENIX (AP) -- Thousands of people from around the country marched to > the Arizona state Capitol on Saturday to protest the state's tough new > crackdown on illegal immigration. > > Marchers carrying signs, banners and flags from the United States and > Mexico filled a five-mile stretch of central Phoenix. Dozens of police > officers lined the route, and helicopters hovered overhead. > > Police declined to estimate the size of the crowd, but it appeared at > least 10,000 to 20,000 protesters braved temperatures that were forecast > to reach 95 degrees by mid-afternoon. Organizers had said they expected > the demonstration to bring as many as 50,000 people. > > Opponents of the law suspended their boycott against Arizona and bused > in protesters from around the country. Some used umbrellas or cardboard > signs to protect their faces from the sun. Volunteers handed out water > bottles from the beds of pickup trucks, and organizers set up three > water stations along the route. > > About 20 people were treated for heat or fatigue-related symptoms, and > seven of them were taken to a hospital, said Phoenix police spokesman > Sgt. Tommy Thompson. There were no arrests or other incidents, he said. > > The law's opponents also gathered elsewhere. About 300 people rallied at > the Texas Capitol in Austin, and another 300 people protested at the > U.S. Embassy in Mexico City demanding legalization for undocumented > Mexican workers in the United States. > > "Many of us have relatives or friends in the U.S. and we must now stand > up and speak out on their behalf," said Elvira Arellano, who gained > international attention in 2007 when she was deported without her U.S. > citizen son. > > In San Francisco, groups planned to protest at the Arizona Diamondbacks' > game against the Giants Saturday night. > > Supporters of Arizona's law expect to draw thousands to a rally of their > own Saturday evening at a baseball stadium in suburban Tempe, > encouraging like-minded Americans to "buycott" Arizona by planning > vacations in the state. > > Critics of the law, set to take effect July 29, say it unfairly targets > Hispanics and could lead to racial profiling. Its supporters say Arizona > is trying to enforce immigration laws because the federal government has > failed to do so. > > The law requires that police conducting traffic stops or questioning > people about possible legal violations ask them about their immigration > status if there is "reasonable suspicion" that they're in the country > illegally. > > Supporters of the law insist racial profiling will not be tolerated, but > civil rights leaders worry that officers will still assume illegal > immigrants are Hispanic. > > "I don't think that this law is American. I think it's discriminatory," > said Chelsea Halstead, a 20-year-old college student from Flagstaff. > "I'm offended by it because this is a nation founded by immigrants." > > Some marchers chanted "si se puede," a phrase coined by Hispanic civil > rights leader Cesar Chavez that roughly means "yes we can." Others took > aim at President Barack Obama, demanding that he prioritize > comprehensive immigration reform that would create a pathway to > citizenship for illegal immigrants now in the country. > > "Obama, listen, we are in the fight," they chanted in Spanish. A handful > of protesters also carried a massive banner that read: "Where's the > change? Mr. President how can we trust you for re-election?" > > Alfonso Martinez, a 38-year-old Phoenix carpenter and father of three > children who are American citizens, said he's been living illegally in > the United States for 21 years while trying to get legal status. > > "If they stop me and they find my status, who's going to feed my kids? > Who's going to keep working hard for them?" he said, keeping a careful > eye on his 6-year-old daughter as his wife pushed their 4-year-old girl > in a stroller. Their 13-year-old son walked ahead of them. > > Some opponents of the law have encouraged people to cancel conventions > in the state and avoid doing business with Arizona-based companies, > hoping the economic pressure forces a repeal. > > "The point was to be here for this march to show support for these > folks, then we're out," said Jose Vargas, a union representative for New > York City teachers. "We're not spending a dime here." > > Supporters of the law sought to counteract the economic damage of > boycotts by bringing supporters into the state. > > "Arizona, we feel, is America's Alamo in the fight against illegal and > dangerous entry into the United States," said Gina Loudon of St. Louis, > who is organizing the "buycott." > > "Our border guards and all of Arizona law enforcement are the > undermanned, under-gunned, taxed-to-the-limit front-line defenders > trying to hold back the invasion," she said. > > --- > > Associated Press Writer Martha Mendoza in Mexico City contributed to > this report. > > --- > > Online: > > http://www.altoarizona.com
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