CITY BACKS IMMIGRANT RIDE FOES SAY AMNESTY BID WOULD REWARD NATION'S SCOFFLAWS.Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer Los Angeles City Council  The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles, California, United States. members, insisting they were seeking to
further civil rights, came out Friday in favor of the planned freedom
ride by immigrants to Washington, D.C., this month.
In its 15-0 action, council members said they were looking to put immigration reform Immigration reform is the common term used in political discussions regarding changes to immigration policy. In a certain sense, reform can be general enough to include promoted, expanded, or open immigration, but in reality discussions of reform often deal with the aspect of back on the national agenda - a discussion that has been abandoned since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ``At one time, President Bush talked about amnesty and immigration reform,'' Council President Alex Padilla Alex Padilla is a politician in California. He was elected as the State Senator for the 20th District of California in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. In order to enter the Senate he had to resign as Councilman for the 7th District on the Los Angeles City said. ``We haven't heard that since Sept. 11. We think it's time to open the discussions again.'' More than 1,000 Los Angeles residents are expected to participate in the event, leaving next Saturday from City Hall with plans to visit a number of cities along the way, including an appearance in Washington and a rally of some 100,000 people in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. . ``Los Angeles is the new Ellis Island of the United States,'' Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa said. ``This is about having a fair immigration policy for people who have lived here for years and helped build this country. Immigrants are not terrorists, and it's time we made the distinction.'' However, those involved in the immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. movement have criticized the ride and its goals. Ira Mehlman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization in the United States that advocates for reforms of U.S. immigration policies that would result in significant immigration reduction. said his group viewed it as an effort to get a new amnesty program for all immigrants. ``We are against the objective here, and we don't think there is any justification for granting another amnesty,'' Mehlman said. ``What they are talking about is rewarding people who have broken the law. A new amnesty program would be a betrayal of the promise made to the American public in 1986.'' The ride is being supported by unions across the country, said Maria Elena Durazo Maria Elena Durazo is the current executive secretary–treasurer of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. She was appointed the interim executive secretary–treasurer following the resignation of Martin Ludlow in February 2006, and was voted as the permanent of the Hotel and Restaurant Employees union. ``There are 8 million to 10 million immigrants in this country who have been living in the shadows,'' Durazo said. `It is time to get them out of legal limbo that leaves them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.'' Durazo said the goal of the group is to promote citizenship for immigrants who have lived in the country and paid taxes, reunify re·u·ni·fy tr.v. re·u·ni·fied, re·u·ni·fy·ing, re·u·ni·fies To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided. immigrant families and develop worker protections. Padilla said he wants to see the issue of immigration revived as a matter of discussion and believes the government needs to look at developing ways to accommodate those who have lived in the country, held jobs and paid taxes. ``Too many immigrants live in poverty and fear,'' Padilla said. ``We have to give them an opportunity to succeed.'' Los Angeles has no official policy on immigrants. The Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . has come in for criticism, however, for its Special
Order 40, which prohibits officers from asking people about their
immigration status. Police officials argue it is designed to allow
people to report crimes without fear of any government action.
Rick Orlov, (213) 978-0390 rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion