Illegal aliens stage mass protests against immigration bill.More than 500,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. on Saturday, March 25, in a massive protest against 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. bills now before Congress. While the Los Angeles event was by far the largest demonstration for "immigrant rights," similar major rallies also took place in many other U.S. cities. In Chicago, the demonstrators--mostly Hispanic illegal aliens--reportedly numbered over 100,000. Other totals reported by news sources: Denver, over 50,000; Phoenix, 20,000; Milwaukee, 10,000. Significant demonstrations also occurred in Providence, Trenton, Minneapolis, Knoxville, Seattle, St. Louis, Staten Island Staten Island (1990 pop. 378,977), 59 sq mi (160 sq km), SE N.Y., in New York Bay, SW of Manhattan, forming Richmond co. of New York state and the borough of Staten Island of New York City. , Portland, Grand Rapids, and Tucson. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa addressed the enormous crowd at City Hall, as did the state's Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Their chief target was H.R. 4437, which was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives before last year's Christmas break. Among other things, H.R. 4437 would increase penalties for immigrant smuggling smuggling, illegal transport across state or national boundaries of goods or persons liable to customs or to prohibition. Smuggling has been carried on in nearly all nations and has occasionally been adopted as an instrument of national policy, as by Great Britain and for reentering re·en·ter also re-en·ter v. re·en·tered, re·en·ter·ing, re·en·ters v.tr. 1. To enter or come in to again. 2. To record again on a list or ledger. v.intr. the United States after being deported. It would also authorize funds to build barriers along 700 miles of our 2,000-mile border with Mexico. "We cannot criminalize crim·i·nal·ize tr.v. crim·i·nal·ized, crim·i·nal·iz·ing, crim·i·nal·iz·es 1. To impose a criminal penalty on or for; outlaw. 2. To treat as a criminal. people who are working, people who are contributing to our economy and contributing to the nation," Mayor Villaraigosa told the demonstrators. The organized protests continued the following week, spreading to the schools, as the Senate took up debate on the issue. On Monday, March 27, local news reports in Los Angeles stated that "tens of thousands" of Hispanic students had walked out of classes in protest. CNN CNN or Cable News Network Subsidiary company of Turner Broadcasting Systems. It was created by Ted Turner in 1980 to present 24-hour live news broadcasts, using satellites to transmit reports from news bureaus around the world. interviewed student participants. An unidentified female expressed the defiant, lawless attitude typical of many who voiced opposition to H.R. 4437: "It's going to affect our parents, our brothers, our sisters, everyone. And we are one people and we don't believe in borders." Another female student said: "If you're walking next to an immigrant, you are going to be arrested and that immigrant is going to be kicked out. What kind of country is that? ... Who cares if they're legal, [or] illegal?" |
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