When will we all realize that we are all immigrants or decendant from immigrants in this country, except for the few thousand "native Americans" who probabloy immigrated just several thousand years before the rest of us?

Those of us who got here first, have always had a problem with those coming after us, who only want the same thing we or our ancestors wanted.  We need to abandon this narrow-mindedness and embrace all who want to follow their dreams.

Can we just throw out the current immigration laws and start over with a new paradigm?  I wish.

Prerna, thanks for sharing your amazing story and fighting so hard for the passage of the DREAM Act. We'll definitely fight along with you to make our dreams a reality once and for all. DREAM Act in 2009 for sure!

 I am deeply offended by the choice of Rick Warren for the inauguration invocation. I was planning on going to DC to join in the celebrations but have now canceled my trip. How could I be present at an event partly presided by someone so divisive and dimissive of me as a human being.  I worked so hard to get Mr. Obama elected, and now I feel like he has taken my support for granted. If he wanted to be inclusive, he should have chosen to include those of us who have been excluded for the past 8 years, not someone who represents religious thinking under the Bush Administration. This type of political pandering, and politics as usual "payback" is not what I imagined I would be facing before Mr Obama even takes office. It also makes me reevaluate Mr Obama's sincerity about all of the other issues on which he campaigned. I imagined Mr Obama ro be someone I could be friends with, who probably had friends like my friends. With the choice of Rev. Warren he has demonstrated to me that the characterization of "the other" used to smear him by his political enemies during the campaign might actually be accurate. He certainly does not feel like "one=2 0of us" to me any longer... I can't imagine that now that Mr Obama has been elected my sincere comment here will make any difference to him or to those working with him, but on the off chance that anyone even bothers to read these things anynore, I want to convey in the strongets way the tremendous feeling of being used, and deceived that I and my friends and family are feeling by this act of betrayal to his core base, in an effort to pander politically to group of people who did not supprt him, and did not vote for him. I would like to recieve a personal response to this note...
Regretfully
Frank Franca

prerna, you are so amazing. you're truly the embodiment of all the good things the DREAM Act stands for. =]

Prerna, your story lingered with me all weekend after I read it on Desicritics.org. It will remain close to me much longer than that.

While many of us are aware of the historical injustices in our immigration policy based on race and ethnicities, many are unaware of equal injustices based upon sexual orientations. Again, it is a biased policy reflecting the cultural "norms" of those with the power to make the policy.

My thoughts, my heart, my spirit are with you in your courageous journey. Together, united with the knowledge that our fight is a fight for justice for all, we shall overcome.

my name is prerna and I am illegal

My name is Luis and I cannot tell the difference between a noun and an adjective.

No human is illegal. But some sure are dumber than others and they like to show it off.

Is FAIR missing its village idiot?

I dont care if I get banned for this...

Merry Christmas.

Illegal? Lol.
HIM? Lmao.

Do you have any actual claims + warrants to make besides adjective/noun and gender confusion?

Thanks, made my X-mas quite merry :)

No human being is illegal but human beings do illegal things.

Yes, mayday but not all illegal things are done in purpose, just like the Deserving outstanding individuals the DREAM ACT will support.

Children do not determine where their parents will move to-whether it is to the suburbs or another country in search for work.

The Dream Act protects children who should not have to suffer for the acts of their parents. What and why their parents immigrated here is another issue. The Dream Act is about the children.

The Dream Act allows all of us to benefit from the talents that these children have. They should not have to live in silent desperation with a status that limits their opportunities.

People who would intentionally hurt children because they cannot get over their hate are mean spirited.

A mean spirit is an illness. It is also legal.

There are some here who gladly brag about being ill-legal.

Pete

Luis,

US citizens and Legal immigrants already has the DREAM ACT and not all actually earned or deserve it.

DREAM ACT is for victims that don't deserve to be victimized. It's for young people who deserve better.

There are many U.S citizens and legal immigrants who do not deserve what they hav or will get. But there isn't an illegal immigrant who deserves the priveliges or rights of a U.S citizen.

You tell that to the illegal immigrant who were among the first casualties of the Iraq War, Luis. They were granted automatic citizenship after they're dead. What's the use of it wheen theyre dead?

Mr. Ramos,

That is only your opinion. Sadly, your argument is based on opinion.

There are many documented cases of children of undocumented immigrants who have attended college, worked hard, and displayed exemplary behavior. I would argue that these facts would make one deserving of the privilege of a pathway towards a legal status in our nation. This will not be determined on opinion. it will be determined by fact.

The facts are that children should not have to be penalized for the behaviors of their parents. The facts are many of these children have gone on to become college students, hard workers, and exemplary neighbors. We all benefit from having their contributions in our communities as educated, high earning tax payers.

They were raised here without a say where they could move and live.

I was just a lucky stiff who was born here.

My grandparents came here during the Mexican Revolution.

They were the latest immigrants of my ancestors to come to this area. I can say with certainty that many of my ancestors have traveled the corridors of this land long before the Romans built roads to connect their empire.

I wonder how your ancestors came to America?

Don't tell me they were Cherokee royalty?

Or better yet from the Iroquois Nation.

Todos somos inmigrantes.

Some are just luckier than others.

Wow Prerna.I cant imagine the pain You have gone through.I am for the same country of origin you are from, India and i study here as an international student.I see so many students every day in college who has fantastic grades but an uncertain future.I cant even imagine the strength they have for doing so good in their studies although they know they will not get hired in positions that they trully deserve.A lot of people who takes USA for granted would have given up.I am sure of that.I salute to these undocumented student's courage.I trully feel bad that some americans do not recognise this tremendous waste of talents.Education is the birth right for everyone regardless of nationality.Its more shameful when it comes to denying young students who wants and can change the face of USA for good.But i trully believe Dream Act shall pass in 2009 and bring relief to thousands of my undocumented friends all over USA.Dont loose hope Prerna.I am sure things will change for the better and all you heroes will triumph in 2009.You guys are nothing short of heroes in my views.God bless.

Ronnie

You are jumping all over the place in your effort to develop a rational argument. Your argument is made of opinion and old regurgitations that you think will come true if you just throw out there up enough times.

First, if Prerna is now 24 and lived here for 10 years I would say she grew up here. That is over 40% of her life Ronnie.

Who are you to tell her what the "right thing" for her to do?

Prerna is not a ping pong ball. As a child she had no power
to dictate to her where she was going to live. She had to follow her parents. Now you want to compound the injustice by telling her she still has no power to dictate where she wants to live?

What part of "She grew up here" do you have a problem understanding?

By Prerna wanting to remain here you try to associate her with hundreds of billions because of "crime associated with illegal immigration."

What? Do you make this stuff up on the fly? Can you not do better than this? Is this your "A" game?

Again, you cannot make something true just by throwing it out there multiple times in multiple on-line sites.

She is not a criminal.

So the people who support the Dream Act are "lazy."

I work, raise a family, I have volunteered with the homeless and elderly, I facilitated a substance abuse group throughout the past summer,and I just graduated in August with a Masters. I do not know one lazy person who supports the Dream Act.

Again, just because you huff and puff and blow some lies out does not make it true.

Too bad you ran out of steam at the end and digressed into a senseless rant.

You are the best hope for the passage of the Dream Act. There is no way that the mainstream America will listen to the mean spirit and confusing accusations that drive your "debate" when they balance it out with what the Dream Act is really about.

It is about justice for children. The Dream Act will pass.

Also,"No Human is Illegal."

Although some are sure mean spirited.

Children who was brought here illegally with their parents are in a sense being punished for the actions of their parents. The ones punishing them ARE THEIR PARENTS. Because they either didn't want to appy for a citizenship or just didn't want to find a legal way to get a better life for them, they think by sneaking into the country their problems would just go away. But since it has not, They decided to "teach" their kids on "racist" this country is against immigrants, when in reality, we are only angry at illegal immigrants.

Luis Ramos offered:

"Children who was brought here illegally with their parents are in a sense being punished for the actions of their parents."

In a sense? Minimizing reality?

Not many things in life are black and white but the fact is that the children did not determine where they were moving to. Decent people understand that fact. You understand that sir. Most of us have some decency inside us. Even you cannot argue that point with any truth, conviction, or believable passion. Thus, you grasp at twigs to formulate an argument.

"they either didn't want to appy for a citizenship or just didn't want to find a legal way to get a better life for them,..."

If it was that easy to find an easy legal way to get here and stay here do you not think that every person who crossed the harsh, unforgiving Sonora Desert would have gone that route instead?

Ever been to Southern Arizona in the summer?

But back to your latest offering."... in reality, we are only angry at illegal immigrants." Really? Minimizing again? Why hurt the kids then? They were brought here without choice.

I would suggest that this needs to be resolved with level heads on all sides. Anger has no place in the equation.

A level head tells me that the Dream Act is not about illegal immigration. It is not amnesty. It is about children and providing opportunities for them to openly share their skills and talents with the America they grew up in.

Minimizing reality?
Why hurt the kids?///

Their parents chose to come illegally
Their parents chose to stay illegally
Their parents chose not to do anything to fix their citizenship status

Yet you want to blame the U.S government for not wanting grant them amnesty and give them everything that U.S citizens have to sacrifice for and/or denied on a silver platter. In case you don't know what I am saying, THE PARENTS ARE THE ONES THAT HURT THE KIDS.

Luis Ramos,

Posting in caps does not make your weak argument any stronger.

But please keep posting in angry tones. Your mean-spirited anger against children will be the deciding factor in the inevitable implementation of the Dream Act.

You are barking at the moonless sky when the real issue is about the children. You cannot make this into an illegal immigration issue when it is about the children. Keep howling and drag yourself down your exclusive streets at dawn looking for your angry fix to beat on the illegal immigrant. (apologies to Mr. Ginsberg)

It is all about the kids. But back to your post.

So, Looie, who is blaming the government for anything? Supporters of the Dream Act are not into distributing blame, instead they are into finding a real solution.

Again, the Dream Act is not amnesty.

It is an act that would give children the opportunity to come out of the shadows and share their considerable skills and talents with the rest of the nation.

Skills and talents that are exhibited in Prerna and thousands others who study, work hard, and produce. By the way she scored a 163 on her LSAT.

In my work I always need to find the underlying currents of the "why."

Why would you punish these kids simply because, of your own admission, their parents hurt them? What is your true motivation
Mr. Ramos.

Your responses are beginning to sound more and more like a form letter from FAIR.

yawn

Michael, LR and Ronald:

I am neither asking for assistance nor handouts. I am completely capable of making it on my own without any help. I received my MA when I was only 22 despite dozens of obstacles. Legalization would remove a crucial barrier I face towards becoming a public interest pro-bono lawyer and serving my community.

Do you seriously advocate that America should not legalize me and get me to pay taxes to this country for the amount spent on my secondary school education? So I should take the education I have gotten here, take my professional degree somewhere else (Canada, Australia, UK), and never contribute back to the United States? I am completely gung-ho about that option, ready to self-deport myself back to Fiji for 3 months and spend another 3 months on a world tour, except for one fact -- my family is in this country, they are legal residents, and if I dare step out I get slapped with a 10 year ban.

The DREAM Act would allow me and so many other students in my situation to give back to the only country they call home - the United States of America. Not tapping into this vital resource is bad public policy, forget about the inhumanity behind punishing youth for crimes they never committed.

"They came here legally, went through all the necessary steps, expect to speak English and pledge to the American flag every day."

=========================================

You must not have met many Dreamies, we can speak english just fine. . . in fact many of us without any accent!

How can you blame someone for not going through the "neccesary steps" when they have never been given the option to do so?

The DREAM Act does exactly what you want, it provides a line to children who have no line to get into.

You do not understand the subject you are speaking of, you said some nice patriotic sounding things but I have to wonder when being ignorant became the "American" thing to do?

mikey, you sound like a broken record from FAIR. Got anything original. The oldies are a little moldy by now.

ronnie hollowell, deport all illegals? Illegal what? Are you using the word as a noun? Listen to your comrade Mikey and speak English.

Still I bet you were proud of your post. I cant wait for the next brilliant offering.

Does Roy Beck dictate every post? They all sound the same whether it is Luis, Ronnie S., mikey and Ronnie H.


Shrill baby shrill.

Pete, is that how you end debates? By acting like a three year telling people the same thing over and over again, saying we just repeating the same argument when you don't like it when we are not sympathetic of illegals?

"They came here legally, went through all the necessary steps, expect to speak English and pledge to the American flag every day."
________________________________________

-My family communicates mostly in English. I speak English better than my own language(s). In fact, I scored a 5.5/6 on the GRE English writing, above 90% of all students who sat the test that day.

-We have an American flag planted firmly in front of our house.

looie,

We were in a debate? Is that what you actually thought? 

let us review your debating skills.

Looie: my name is prerna and I am illegal

Looie: There are many U.S citizens and legal immigrants who do not deserve what they hav or will get. But there isn't an illegal immigrant who deserves the priveliges or rights of a U.S citizen

Looie:

 

Three year old? So you calling me a name makes me a three year old. About that ability to think critically...

Sir, you are the best argument for the Dream Act. Mainstream America, filled with decent people, will easily see your inability to even develop the simplest argument without the aid of Roy Beck.

I could not care less if you had sympathy for anyone. You have chosen your side. Your attempts to win anyone else towards your side needs to be stronger than calling people illegals.

I do have empathy, passion, and compassion for the young people who will be freed from the shadows to openly share their considerable skills and talents with all of us.

I strongly believe that the decency of the American public will ignore your redundant shrills and support an act that is about the children. If you do not like me repeating it then I suggest that you go running back to the comfort of the FAIR folks.

Oh, by the way Mr. Ramos, if that is even your real name since you sound like just another over-matched FAIR plant,

No Human is illegal.

illegal teens

Terrorists and Criminals

Illegal Aliens Who Lack Good Moral Character

The tone of your post says it all. Decent people will see through this mean spirited attempt to attached these negative and untrue lables to children.

No teen is illegal.

No human is illegal.

If you're the pretty one, I'll marry you :) Just kidding, already married.

Dave -- There is NO chain migration with DREAM. If the parents are here illegally, they get no repreive. To be sponsored by their over 21 children, they would need to go back home for 10 years and come back. THAT is the law of the land. You may want to check into it. Besides, I don't need to sponsor my parents; they would need to sponsor me, and of course there are backlogs for that as well.

Once someone reaches over 21, they are no longer covered under their aunt's or grandma's petition, which is precisely what happened to me. Again, you may want to check into U.S. immigration law and the complicated numerical calculations of CSPA.

You may want to read the story of Chip Gilea as well
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlyZf-ojRfI

Son of U.S. citizens who was facing deportation ... Yeah, the 'law of the land' works really well at tearing U.S. citizens and permanent residents from their children.

Lol, sorry William, both of us are unavailable ;)

"In June, 2007 a solid eighty percent of the American people let Congress know
they wanted the government to put the brakes on illegal immigration; they
turned thumbs down on the President's guest worker amnesty plan; and they
wanted tax-paid services to illegals stopped.

Most Americans understand that new laws are not needed to stop illegal
immigration. What is necessary is repeal of some laws granting
taxpayer-financed services to illegals along with enforcement of existing
laws. These two acts would be enough to stop the migration. In simple fact,
they are called "illegal" because they are breaking the law.

In truth, the battle over the Senate's guest worker-amnesty plan is really a
battle over attempts to open the border as called for in programs such as
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Security and Prosperity
Partnership (SPP). Both plans call for open borders and economic integration
of North America. Open borders are required to fully implement the plans.

The Bush Administration and those promoting illegal immigration were frankly
stunned at the force and determination of U.S. citizens to reject the
Senates immigration plan. Proponents played a very heavy hand in attempting
to force the scheme on a resisting citizenry. Such powerful forces are not
used to losing. Today they continue to seek new ways to work around the
opposition and pass the legislation, as a whole or incrementally.

However, the anti-illegal fervor refuses to abate and in fact, dramatic new
developments are taking place in local communities across the nation that
may well stop the unpopular Federal schemes.

Meanwhile, in an attempt to weaken the resolve of opponents, they are called
fringe fanatics. A common tactic employed by immigration proponents is to
accuse opponents of racism. They charge that opponents want to deny a new
breed of immigrant the chance to become Americans as many of our immigrant
forefathers did. They paint a Norman Rockwell-type picture of honest, hard
working immigrants, planting gardens, working in fields, doing the work "no
Americans want to do."

So, in town after town across the nation the battle rages. And that is
really the point. Illegal immigration is not just a border issue. It is a
national issue affecting every large city and almost every small town. It
must be understood that illegal immigration is not just a matter of some
unhappy peasants hoping to seek a better life. It is a $300 billion a year
industry, combining the interests of multinational corporations with those
of drug cartels and Latino street gangs. Caught in between are American
communities and the American way of life. Some cities, especially those
along the points of entry at the border have become dangerous no-mans lands,
where no property is safe, no American citizen is able to leave their home
unarmed and some politicians turn a blind eye as they profit under the
table. As a result American civilization is beginning to break down. That is
why so many Americans refuse to back down on the issue, continuing to demand
a crack down, no matter what name calling they must endure.

THE ECONOMIC COST OF ILLEGALS

Federal law (the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) mandates
that all hospitals with emergency-room services must treat anyone who shows
up - including illegal aliens. In most cities across the nation, illegals
now use the emergency rooms as free primary care. And the hospitals have to
keep taking them.

Health Care

The annual cost for uncompensated emergency care to Mexican Border States
(California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas) is $200 million. California
taxpayers paid $79 million for illegal alien health care. Four major Los
Angeles hospitals were bankrupted and shut down in 2004. Texas paid $74
million. Georgia ran a $63 million deficit for 64,000 unpaid doctor visits
in 2002. Cochise County, Arizona spent 30% of its annual budget on
uncompensated care to illegal aliens. University Medical Care in Tucson,
Arizona spent $10 million on uncompensated care to illegal aliens. 77
hospitals in the four Border States now face financial emergencies. Legal
citizens are forced to fly emergency patients to other cities for treatment.
Taxes are going up to compensate.
Meanwhile, as a result of the Federal Emergency Medical Act, Mexican
ambulance drivers are transporting hospital patients unable to pay for
medical care in Mexico to facilities in the United States. The ambulances
are driving through unguarded potions of the border with "little resistance"
at the instruction of Mexican officials.

Education

Federal laws and a Supreme Court decision mandate that schools cannot deny
free education to illegal aliens. Over 300,000 pregnant women enter the
nation illegally every year. Taxpayers pay for food, housing medical care
and school. The average annual cost per child for education is $7,161,
totaling $109 billion to educate illegal aliens annually. The average cost
of bilingual education is $1,200 per illegal student. U.S. schools annually
educate 1.1 million illegal children. Schools have become over crowded and
unruly. Teacher shortages (especially those who speak Spanish) are a growing
problem for local school districts.

One teacher has reported what it is like in the classrooms in schools where
federal tax dollars pay for free medical, free baby sitters for student
mothers as young as thirteen, and free breakfasts (where "the waste of food
is monumental, with trays and trays of being dumped in the trash uneaten"),
new computers are "carved with graffiti by students." "I have had to
intervene several times for young and substitute teachers whose classes
consist of many illegal immigrant students here in the country less than
three months who raise so much hell with the female teachers, calling them
"Putas" (whores) and throwing things that the teachers were in tears" she
reports. Such is the atmosphere in today's schools which are overrun by
illegal aliens who speak no English and there is no ability to control or
discipline.

Moreover, state run colleges and universities are being forced to allow
illegal aliens to receive in-state tuition discounts that are supposed to be
reserved for residents of that state. In California, a law, (Assembly Bill
540) allows undocumented high school graduates who have been in residence
for three years to enroll in community colleges and the California State
University and University of California systems without paying nonresident
tuition. The same is true in many other states across the country.

The Jobs Americans Don't Want

In 2003, illegal aliens displaced American workers at a cost in excess of
$133 billion, while American college and high school students can't find
summer jobs in yard care, landscape, fast food or service jobs - because
illegal aliens work those jobs at a third of the wage - often under the
table.

Crime

Crimes committed by alien criminals, such as rape, murder or drug
distribution costs U.S. taxpayers $1.6 billion in prison costs alone. The
figure doesn't include the cost of lost property, medical bills of the
victims, time lost from work to recover, higher insurance costs, etc. Today,
illegal aliens make up twenty nine percent of the U.S. prison population -
or 500,000 illegals.

Latino gangs like Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS13) constitute most of the crime
from the ranks of the illegals. They originated in El Salvador and today
their U.S. leadership still comes from there. They steal cars and use them
to run drugs over the border. They terrorize local citizens with violence.
They are the chief source of drug sales for the cartels. And they are
racists.

MS13 is the largest and most violent of all gangs in the US today. They have
overtaken the Crips and the Bloods both in size and violence. MS13, which
began its operations in Los Angeles has now moved east and is prominent on
the East Coast.

In Los Angeles, Mexican gangs declared "ethnic cleansing zones" in specific
parts of the city. They kill whites and blacks. In New Jersey, recently,
MS13 gang members killed three college students in execution style.

NO MANS LAND AT THE BORDER

No legal citizen of the United States of America, living under the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights should have to live as those who reside
near the U.S. / Mexican border. Here there are no property rights, no
ability to be safe in their homes, and no peace. One dare not go to the
movies, the grocery or visit a relative without carrying a weapon for
protection. Through out the community the streets are teaming with drug
dealers, loiterers and gangs bent on violence.

The illegals flood across their property having just crossed the border. As
they pass over the ranches and private property they leave a trail of trash,
human waste and dead farm animals and pets. Found in the trash that is
dropped all along the trail are pieces of paper containing contact phone
numbers. Also found are Korans dropped by obvious Muslims who have made
their way across the border.

Sometimes the illegals walk right in to the living rooms and steal what they
want. Many homes on the border are now little more than prisons for the
residents, surrounded by barbed wire, searchlights, with loaded guns at the
ready.

The Tucson, Arizona area is one of the prime crossing points for illegals.
The organization for transporting illegals is almost a precision military
operation. On the Mexican side of the border is a landing strip where planes
fly in on a regular basis with their cargo. Some of it human; some drugs. It's
all the same to those providing the transportation.

The planes land and the cargo is loaded onto busses with the windows whited
out. Young girls prepare for the trip by taking birth control, for they know
what awaits them on the trip across the border from their "travel
 assistants" - rape. It's just part of the price for crossing the border
into the promised land of America.

The busses drive to a specific location on the border. Here the cargo is
unloaded and the process of walking across the border begins. Each of the
human cargo is given information on what to do once they reach the other
side, including a phone number of someone to call. The number is not
necessarily a local number. It may be a location in Virginia, or Maine or
Utah. Anywhere in the U.S. The person on the other end gives instructions on
how to gain transportation to their location where they will be brought into
the illegal community in that city.

And so the journey across the border begins. Somewhere in the middle,
between Mexico and the U.S. is a tree. From the branches of that tree hang
women's panties. It's called the panty tree. Why? Trophies from the raped
women of previous journeys. It's just the cost of doing business with the
"Coyotes," the murderous thugs who run the illegal immigrant trade. They don't
care who lives or dies. These are the ones who will leave illegals locked in
trucks without food or water or ventilation. They charge enormous fees - up
front. To them the cargo is all the same. They carry the drugs with the
humans. They make deals with terrorists for the same trip. They rape, maim
and kill. And go back for another load. Business is booming.

Once the cargo is inside the U.S., more buses are there to pick them up and
transport them to drop off points. Here the phone calls are made for
arrangements of more transportation across the nation. And in that highly
organized manner, illegal aliens make their way into American cities.

Some are "Sanctuary Cities" where politicians have decided it's good for the
community to encourage illegals to live. In such communities no one can ask
for the country of origin, even if a crime as horrible as murder is
committed. The sanctuaries permit 20 million illegals, drug smugglers, child
sex rings, ID forgery networks, and an assortment of run of the mill
criminals to live lawlessly inside the United States. They are provided with
income, identification, driver's licenses, credit, housing, education, and
medical care at taxpayer expense.

As stated, it's a $300 billion a year industry. That buys a lot of
politicians. Along the Border States no one talks about it. And, no
surprise, a lot of politicians do nothing to stop it. Our fear and their
greed are destroying the American dream.

MEANWHILE IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

How a community treats the illegals is key as to how many come there. The
main magnet is the establishment of a day labor center. The nation-wide
illegal network knows where to send them. If a community opens its arms, of
course they flock there. If a community stands up to them, they leave.

But that is easier said than done. First, federal laws or lack of
enforcement hampers efforts against the illegals, no matter the sentiment of
the community. Federal courts strike down local laws, such as just happened
in Hazleton, Pennsylvania when a federal judge degreed that laws the
community had passed to crack down on illegals were unconstitutional.
Federal agencies say it is illegal for local police to ask if anyone is an
illegal. The federal government argues that immigration is a federal issue
and for local communities to take action interferes with U.S. foreign
policy.

On the local level too, there is great pressure on elected officials to do
nothing. Strong lobbying arms protect the illegals. The ACLU, of course,
threatens lawsuits. But many Americans would be surprised to learn of the
Hispanic forces behind much of the pressure applied to their local
officials.

Many immigrant groups are joined together through the La Raza movement.
These are the groups which organized the massive demonstrations in cities
across the nation last year. It is past time for all Americans to know what
is at the root of those demonstrations and the extent to which our nation is
at risk to the La Raza movement.

One of the most prominent Hispanic organizations pushing for "immigrant
rights" is the National Council of La Raza - the Council of "the Race." The
mainstream media and most members of Congress depict La Raza as little more
than a Hispanic Rotary Club. In 2005, La Raza received $15.2 million in
federal grants, of which $7.9 million was in U.S. Department of Education
grants for Charter Schools, and undisclosed amounts to get-out-the-vote
efforts supporting La Raza political positions including lobbying for open
borders and amnesty for illegals. Had the Senate's immigration bill passed,
several million more dollars were budgeted for La Raza.

Behind the respectable front of the National Council of La Raza lies the
real agenda of the La Raza movement. This radical agenda, pushed by
secondary groups contains the reasons behind the demonstrations and the
strong lobbying efforts in our communities.

Key among those secondary groups is the radical racist group Movimiento
Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, or Chicano Student Movement of Astlan
(MEChA). MEChA seeks to carve a racist nation out of the American West.
MEChA opposes assimilation into American society. MEChA is a leader in the
effort to "Reconquista" or reconquest our western states.

MEChA's founding principles state: "In the spirit of a new people that is
conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal
gringo invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and
civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers,
reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our
people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our
responsibility, and our inevitable destiny.Aztlan belongs to those who plant
the seeds, water the fields, and gather the crops and no to the foreign
Europeans.For La Raza to do. Fuera de la Raza nada." That closing
two-sentence motto is chilling to everyone who values equal rights for all.
It says: "For The Race everything. Outside The Race, nothing."

These words don't come from a fringe radical element. These come straight
from the official MEChA sites at Georgetown University, the University of
Texas, UCLA, University of Michigan, University of Oregon, and many other
colleges and universities around the country.

Another leading Hispanic group involved in community organization, promoting
the pro illegal position is Mexicanos Sin Fronteras. The translation of the
name means "Mexicans Without Borders." This group is active throughout the
country and many times works with the "Zapatista Army of National
Liberation." These groups seek to radicalize the Latino community. The
official website of the Mexicanos Sin Fronteras states that it is
"anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist in the capital of the most terrorist
country of world-wide history" (Washington, DC). It goes on to say it
pledges its support to "other campaigns" of the radical illegal Hispanics
with material and financial assistance.

In Manassas, Virginia the Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and the Zapatista Army of
National Liberation are the two most prominent "pro-Hispanic" voices. In
fact, these two groups are spearheading the illegal alien lobby in Prince
William County, where Manassas is located. This is the "mainstream
opposition" to efforts to curb illegal immigration in that community.
Together, these groups are holding rallies and calling for boycotts and even
the violent overthrow of the United States. Again, these groups are not
fringe radicals. They are the most prominent voices for the illegals.

The photo on this page is of a meeting in Mexico with many of these groups.
It is interesting to note that speaker in this picture, with his face
covered, is Arnoldo Borjas a member of Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and a
resident of Woodbridge, Virginia. He is one of the main leaders in that
local movement. Further, in Prince William County, there are several
candidates running for local office as well as the state legislature who are
closely aligned with these two radical organizations.

FIGHTING BACK

While Congress fiddles and the Bush Administration issues meaningless
pronouncements on "get tough" programs it never intends to enforce, local
communities and state legislatures are beginning to fight back. And they are
meeting with success.

State Legislatures, forced to deal with the failure of the federal
government to fix the immigration laws, have considered 1,404 immigration
bills this year and enacted 170 of them. These laws are aimed at curbing
employment of illegals and making it more difficult to obtain state
identification documents like driver's licenses.

In May, Oklahoma passed the "Taxpayer and Citizen protection Act" which
denies illegals state identification, and requires all state and local
agencies to verify citizenship status of all applicants before authorizing
benefits.

On the local level incredible success is being achieved in Northern
Virginia. Last year two residents of Herndon, Virginia, with no prior
political experience, began an effort called Save Herndon. The issue was the
establishment of a day labor center in the community. The center would give
illegals a gathering place in the community to help them get jobs,
identification and benefits from the community.

The two began a campaign that at once made a major issue out of the
establishment of the center. When the mayor and the city council moved
forward and voted to establish the center over the objections of a majority
of the citizens, Save Herndon began a campaign to assure these
representatives were not re-elected. They succeeded beyond their wildest
expectations, helping to out the mayor and everyone on the city council who
voted for the center.

Now the movement is growing across the Northern Virginia area. There is now
Help Save Manassas, Help Save Loudoun (County), Help Save Fairfax, Help Save
Virginia and Help Save Maryland. Together these purely grassroots movements
have succeeded in enacting legislation in Loudoun County (the nation's
fastest growing county) and in its neighbor, Prince William County which
stops county tax-payer services to illegals. Incredibly, under challenge
from federal and state officials, the members of county commissioners are
holding tough behind the laws.

The key, as stated earlier, is the day labor centers. If your city has one,
then the message has gone out to the illegal infrastructure that your
community welcomes them. Get rid of it and send the message that they are no
longer welcome. If faced with lawsuits from the ACLU and La Raze, welcome
them. Tell them you will gladly have a news conference to discuss their suit
in front of the cameras. Do not be afraid.

Here are a few guidelines to help organize locally and face the coming
onslaught of charges of racism.

DON'T express anger at what is happening to your community. DON'T express
annoyance because illegals refuse to assimilate into your community or abide
by your customs. DON'T make the issue economic and safety issues.
Overcrowded housing and commercial vehicle zoning violations or that
specific individuals are illegal aliens.

The pro-illegals will try to tell the public that there is uncertainty as to
who is illegal, creating doubt. They will talk about how impossible it is to
check everyone's legal status. It will be easy to charge racism.

Instead, make the issues about the abrogation of law. Focus your efforts
against the individuals, businesses and politicians who create this problem
and cheat honest business owners and workers by allowing illegal hiring
practices under the table. In short, make the issue about enforcement of the
law, cost and corruption. It's working in Virginia."

Pete Coyotl         MInute Man Pete

Different name,same game!

You know   MInute Man Pete if you want people to "Reply" to your comments,you should allow it instead of  "Send a Compliment"