Thursday, February 28, 2008

Illegals want protection

To stress even more the urgent need for those demands to be met, several community members shared moving personal stories of mistreatment and discrimination. One of them was Alejandro Carreras, who came from Ecuador six years ago and joined Make the Road by Walking two years ago.

Immigrants rally to demand fair treatment

"Due to my immigration status, it has been difficult for me to find a dignified job in this country," he told the audience. "I have to do very hard jobs, but I have no choice because I have to support my family and myself."

Carreras went on to recount a terrible experience of exploitation and abuse by an employer who took advantage of his undocumented status.

"Some time ago, I worked with a cement contractor. I worked for him two weeks, under the sun. And when the job was finished, he did not pay me one single cent," he said.

Then he added something that many others in the audience already had learned the hard way.

"Unfortunately," Carreras said, "these experiences are all too frequent. Thousands of workers in New York have had similar experiences," he said.

And, addressing the elected officials directly, he added, "That's why I am asking you to help pass stronger laws in New York to protect immigrant workers."


Immigrant workers we should protect. Illegal aliens we should help find their way back home. Why does Mayor Bloomberg invite undocumented people here and allow them to be exploited?

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Illegal aliens are not criminals like murderers or thieves. They are here illegally because our immigration laws and enforcement system have been broken or non-existent for many decades. They do the work we don't want to and they frequently get exploited. They are in essence, the new slaves. Your frequent rants against them do not make the immigration & naturalization service any more efficient or the immigration laws any more rational. Instead these rants attack the most defenceless folks in our society. Stick to attacking the fat cat politicians, contractors, and greedy landlords who subdivide their 2 family homes to 10 families (and forget to pay taxes on all the rent money they receive) not the people whom they exploit!

Anonymous said...

Immigrant workers we should protect. Illegal aliens we should help find their way back home.
Amen, amen & amen.

What does an illegal gringo from the US encounter in Mexico when he steals a job from a Mexican or legal Mexican residency? They pummel with beatings and throw em in jail with no representation, support etc. They don't throw money at a non-Mexican - that's for certain.

Anonymous said...

"Illegal aliens are not criminals like murderers or thieves."

I beg to differ. There are plenty of them who are. Take the case of the guy who killed the actress in Manhattan after she caught him trying to steal money from her purse.

Anonymous said...

If there weren't illegal immigrants, we wouldn't have 2 family homes converted for 10 families.

Anonymous said...

If you have a hard time being an illegal immigrant ("undocumented") in the US, the probably it's time to get the f*** out!

Anonymous said...

To add to your comment Anon #3, what about the lady in Long Island(?) who was killed by the gardener a while back? The one she used to help out by giving his family clothes and other things?

Anonymous said...

I agree - why is it that the City of New York has to protect and help people that came here illegally. Illegal immigrants should not be working - they should be not be protected. They work - get cash - do not pay taxes, but if something does not go their way they complain. They protest or call up one of the hundreds of sleasy lawyers out there and sue - most of the time they win. If they do get convicted or caught - they get a free ride home- paid for by us. They are protected - why do we have to advocate for them. Sorry, as a taxpaying citizen I have no sympathy.

Anonymous said...

"They do the work we don't want to and they frequently get exploited."

They do the work legal citizens would do if it was possible to attain a livable wage for it, but hundreds of thousands of new workers tends to drive salaries down a bit.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/256945772_efacbbabdf.jpg

I doubt these men were illegal aliens.

georgetheatheist said...

Just remember that when you are experiencing your massive heart attack there will be an illegal alien with a broken arm on the line in front of you in the Emergency Room. (Rest in Peace.)

Anonymous said...

WHAT PART OF ILLEGAL DO PEOPLE NOT GET.

THESE PEOPLE ARE BREAKING A LAW!

THIS IS WHY THIS COUNTRY IS GOING DOWN THE TUBES REAL FAST.

MOST OF THE ILLEGALS WORK OUR SYSTEM. OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE PAYING FOR THEM AND THEY ARE NOT PUTTING ANYTHING BACK IN TO IT. WHY DON'T PEOPLE GET IT! THIS IS WHY OUR HOSPITALS ARE CLOSING AND SSI IS GOING BANKRUPT.

JUST ASK AN ILLEGAL HOW TO GET SOME $ FROM OUR GOVT. THEY KNOW ALL THE TRICKS.

Anonymous said...

Funny how the immigrant advocacy groups encourage immigrants to move here, and for affordable housing.

Two things dear to the machine's heart.

But when it comes to fighting illegal housing and banning illegal exploitation on the workplace, well, you know ...

Anonymous said...

Came across a newspaper article talking about illegals, and all the money they are sending home.

First, how is it that in this post 9/11 age, money can flow undocuemented across borders.

Second, what happens to a community when, instead of money being spent to support the local economy, it gets sent out?

Oh I get it, the community looks like Elmhurst.

Anonymous said...

I bet if these people were white then we would accept them with open arms. Most of the people who have commented on this site are Jews. The Jews had to come from Europe because they were hated so much there, so they came into America and now the whole world hate us. Thanks for nothing Jews. I have experienced first hand the curse that the Jews have brong to us when I fought in the Iraq War. I think the Jews should leave America. Don't forget that the Mexicans are mostly descendants of the original people of this land so basically they are reclaiming there land back.

Anonymous said...

Second, what happens to a community when, instead of money being spent to support the local economy, it gets sent out?

Oh I get it, the community looks like Elmhurst.
>>>>> Tell me about it. Know of a circumstance, where the lady across the street had enough money to put down for a house, And did so by selling churos/ quesadillas on the street= cash business. True story! The cops bust her for not having a vending license. BUT she just pays the fine and does the same thing over again. Selling quesadillas and paying fines. My mom is a court interpreter and sees her all the time. Soak, rinse, repeat!

Anonymous said...

That last post was hysterical. thanks for the laugh!

Anonymous said...

The first comment said:
" ... Illegal aliens are not criminals like murderers or thieves. They are here illegally because our immigration laws and enforcement system have been broken or non-existent for many decades. ..."

Our immigration laws can implement any policy we citizens wish. Our laws need not - must not ever - be written to respond to the desires of people from other nations.

When was the last time the President of ANY other nation inquired of US Citizens regarding laws foe that country? When was the last time we were asked to give permission to ANY other nation to enact some law wanted there?

We do NOT need permission from non-citizens to pass our own laws. That's why we are a sovereign nation - no more or less sovereign that say, for example, Mexico.

The Mexican Army in South Mexico uses Guatemalans for target practice when they cross the river to enter Mexico. Mexico doesn't want no stinkin' illegal aliens and deals harshly with the problem. When was the last time an illegal alien from Mexico protested that "immigration policy"?

Go home, aliens! We don't need your stinkin' whining!

Anonymous said...

The first commenter said:
"... and they frequently get exploited. They are in essence, the new slaves....:

The illegal aliens would NEVER be exploited if they weren't here ILLEGALLY.

Now isn't that a mind-boggling, original idea? Why is it that when a woman is raped - for example, a grandmother who says she was raped in an elected official's private office - so many people immediately ask: Well, what was she doing there in the first place? If she stayed home, nobody would have raped her.

But, we are to pity illegal aliens who are "exploited" (by elected officials, and employers, alike) even though, in their case, if they had refused to violate our laws, and had stayed home to "take care of their family", they would be "exploited by nobody?

Illegal aliens are "slaves" to their own lawbreaking impulses. I don't care who "exploits" any of them. They are here to exploit us: free medical care, pay no taxes, break other of our laws with wild abandon, free schooling, welfare, SS, housing, and any other manner of exploitation of our generosity!

Go home, illegals. Protest the laws and actions of your own country INSIDE your own country!