Tweet
Minuteman Project protests at Sen. Boxer's office in San Bernardino
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
06/03/2009
SAN BERNARDINO - About a dozen participants in a Minuteman Project-led rally protested outside Sen. Barbara Boxer's office Wednesday against what they see as a move toward legislation that lead to "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.
Boxer, a Democrat, has co-sponsored a placeholder bill that could reopen debate on national immigration policy. The protestors, who carried signs with messages like "support American workers" and "no amnesty" said they wanted Boxer to remove her support of the bill.
Raymond Herrera, the Minuteman Project's national rally coordinator, said Wednesday's rally was a "preemptive strike" against potential moves to allow illegal immigrants to attain legal status.
"Grassroots Americans, that's what's keeping amnesty at bay," Herrera said. "That's what stopped President Bush from signing an amnesty and that's what's going to stop President Obama from signing an amnesty."
Herrera and others also expected to meet with senior Boxer advisor Alton L. Garrett Jr. Garrett was not at Boxer's downtown San Bernardino office when the protestors arrived and the senator's spokesman said Garrett was away on jury duty.
"We are more than happy to meet with groups with a wide range of views on this and other issues. We told the group we could schedule another meeting when our senior advisor in the office was not fulfilling his civic responsibility by serving on jury duty," spokesman Zachary Coile wrote in an e-mail.
"This Advertisement is an issue where we need more, not less dialogue. We should all be working toward a comprehensive immigration policy for our country," he added.
Herrera said he plans to reschedule another meeting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, proposed the bill that prompted Wednesday's rally. The bill does not outline specific changes to U.S. immigration law but calls for border enforcement, the prevention of illegal immigration and legislative changes aimed toward "reforming and rationalizing avenues for legal immigration."
Reid, Boxer and Obama have all expressed support for some kind of program that would allow undocumented immigrants to live in this country legally.
The White House reports that the president wants undocumented immigrants to be able to apply for citizenship after paying a fine and learning English.
Applicants who have not entered the United States illegally would have priority.
Two of Wednesday's protestors, who Herrera called "real immigrants," said they immigrated to the United States from Mexico legally.
The women, Lupe Zimmerman of Riverside and Maria Newton of Perris, said they don't believe the law should be changed to benefit illegal immigrants.
"They're claiming it's OK because they're working hard. Excuse me? This is America, everyone works hard," Newton said.
The Pew Hispanic Center reported in April that about 2.7 million illegal immigrants live in California, which is about twice the number in 1990.
That report which used the phrase "unauthorized immigrants," also found that the growth of the undocumented population in California has slowed.
The Center also reported there are nearly 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. That number is about 4 percent of the country's population and about 30 percent of the United States' foreign born population.
Andrew Edwards, Staff Writer
06/03/2009
SAN BERNARDINO - About a dozen participants in a Minuteman Project-led rally protested outside Sen. Barbara Boxer's office Wednesday against what they see as a move toward legislation that lead to "amnesty" for illegal immigrants.
Boxer, a Democrat, has co-sponsored a placeholder bill that could reopen debate on national immigration policy. The protestors, who carried signs with messages like "support American workers" and "no amnesty" said they wanted Boxer to remove her support of the bill.
Raymond Herrera, the Minuteman Project's national rally coordinator, said Wednesday's rally was a "preemptive strike" against potential moves to allow illegal immigrants to attain legal status.
"Grassroots Americans, that's what's keeping amnesty at bay," Herrera said. "That's what stopped President Bush from signing an amnesty and that's what's going to stop President Obama from signing an amnesty."
Herrera and others also expected to meet with senior Boxer advisor Alton L. Garrett Jr. Garrett was not at Boxer's downtown San Bernardino office when the protestors arrived and the senator's spokesman said Garrett was away on jury duty.
"We are more than happy to meet with groups with a wide range of views on this and other issues. We told the group we could schedule another meeting when our senior advisor in the office was not fulfilling his civic responsibility by serving on jury duty," spokesman Zachary Coile wrote in an e-mail.
"This Advertisement is an issue where we need more, not less dialogue. We should all be working toward a comprehensive immigration policy for our country," he added.
Herrera said he plans to reschedule another meeting.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, proposed the bill that prompted Wednesday's rally. The bill does not outline specific changes to U.S. immigration law but calls for border enforcement, the prevention of illegal immigration and legislative changes aimed toward "reforming and rationalizing avenues for legal immigration."
Reid, Boxer and Obama have all expressed support for some kind of program that would allow undocumented immigrants to live in this country legally.
The White House reports that the president wants undocumented immigrants to be able to apply for citizenship after paying a fine and learning English.
Applicants who have not entered the United States illegally would have priority.
Two of Wednesday's protestors, who Herrera called "real immigrants," said they immigrated to the United States from Mexico legally.
The women, Lupe Zimmerman of Riverside and Maria Newton of Perris, said they don't believe the law should be changed to benefit illegal immigrants.
"They're claiming it's OK because they're working hard. Excuse me? This is America, everyone works hard," Newton said.
The Pew Hispanic Center reported in April that about 2.7 million illegal immigrants live in California, which is about twice the number in 1990.
That report which used the phrase "unauthorized immigrants," also found that the growth of the undocumented population in California has slowed.
The Center also reported there are nearly 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. That number is about 4 percent of the country's population and about 30 percent of the United States' foreign born population.