FRESNO BEE

May 1, 2007

Rally highlights immigrants

By Vanessa Colón / The Fresno Bee

 

A rally and march opposing immigration sweeps and deportations is planned for today in downtown Fresno, one of several around the nation.

The rally starts at 4 p.m. at the free speech area of the Fulton Mall on Mariposa Street. The march follows at 6 p.m.

What do local activists want?

Some type of proposal that allows a path for undocumented immigrants to become permanent legal residents. Myrna Martinez, a member of the Central California Coalition for Immigrant Rights, a group that includes local nonprofit immigrant rights organizations, said there are few proposals in Congress to choose from this year.

What happened in Congress in the past year?

Reps. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., introduced a bipartisan bill in the House in March. The proposal would provide temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants but require them to leave the country before they could be eligible for permanent legal residency and U.S. citizenship. Under the bill, workers who want to become permanent legal residents would have to pay back taxes, learn English and pass criminal background checks. The bill includes creating a system so employers can electronically verify workers' employment and increase border personnel.

A bipartisan agricultural guest worker plan was introduced in January in the Senate. The bill would grant "blue cards" to undocumented immigrants who could prove they had worked in agriculture for at least 150 days in the last two years. The laborers must continue working in agriculture for several years before they can obtain permanent legal status.

The Senate passed a bipartisan bill in 2006 that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a legal status after meeting requirements such as paying fines, paying back taxes and learning English. The Senate and House failed to reach a compromise on the bill.

How is law enforcement preparing for the rally and march?

Deputy Chief Robert Nevarez said the Fresno Police Department expects the rally and march to draw between 100 to 2,000 people. About 20 sworn officers will patrol the Fulton Mall for the rally and an additional 11 officers will be available if the crowd grows. Nonsworn officers, such as community service officers, will help monitor the event. Nevarez said people who participated in last year's May 1 rally and march were law abiding, policed themselves and picked up litter. He said there were no fights and no disturbances last year.