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That immigration rights rally must have been something to see today.
Rush hour in downtown Chicago felt more crowded than usual late today as tens of thousands of people were dispersing from an immigration rights rally in the Loop.Police estimated between 75,000 and 100,000 people attended the rally at the Federal Plaza at Dearborn and Adams Streets. The event began breaking up in the afternoon.
As rush hour approached, police were urging people to avoid the area bounded by Madison Street on the north, Roosevelt Road on the south, Ashland Avenue on the west and all points “all the way east,” according to a police news release
Did anyone go? Or see it up close?
One TV station called it potentially the largest protest by Latinos in the nation’s history. Since I’m a political person, my thoughts were immediately how this might impact the future of the Latino vote. It’s a sad fact that Latinos traditionally vote in small numbers, but I’m wondering if something like this could finally start to energize them.
UPDATE:Interesting tidbit:
For such a huge crowd, it was remarkably peaceful: Police said there were no arrests. The only two marchers treated for injuries apparently fainted, authorities said.
· And this:
In a show of strength that surprised even organizers, tens of thousand of immigrants poured into the Loop Friday, bringing their calls for immigration reform to the heart of the city’s economic and political power.What started as a word-of-mouth campaign, then spread through the foreign language media, grabbed the attention of the entire city by midday, as a throng 2 miles long marched from Union Park on the Near West Side to Federal Plaza.
Police estimated the crowd as large as 100,000, making it one of the biggest pro-immigrant rallies in U.S. history, according to national advocates.
· Oberweis did a press conference. From a press release:
Jim Oberweis and Peter Gadiel, Co-Founder of 9/11 Families for a Secure America, join for a series of events in Chicago today to combat the pro-illegal immigration protest scheduled to shut down the Chicago Loop.
· Is increased immigration behind the drop in crime? (Hat tip: Moline Illinois Democratic Maverick)
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 6:17 pm
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I was driving down Ashland this morning on the way to the American Red Cross on Harrison in the IMD and we came across a huge throng of folks waving signs, American Flags, and Mexican Flags. Just past the el stop. Was about 10 am. There certainly wasn’t 100,000 but there was at least 10K.
Comment by Jake Parrillo Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 6:48 pm
It was HUGE. It tooks hours just for the participants to load on to the L afterwoords. VIVA
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 6:53 pm
I was at the event. It was CRAZY. 99% of attendees were hispanic. Most of the signs were anti-HR4437. That is the Sensenbrenner anti-illegal immigration bill. All the top politician were glad handing, Blago, Daley, Gutierrez, Houlihan, Peraica, Ricardo Munoz, and Police Chief Cline and a bunch on risers that I didn’t recognize.
Many signs said:
No HR 4437
Mexico loves the US
No Human is illegal
Bush step down
I vote and I’m watching you
I pay taxes
I am not a terrorist
The people chanted “Si, se puede” and at the end of the rally “Si, se pudo” or something like that.
The thing that struck me as funny was that probably half or more were undocumented or illegal, so they can’t actually vote.
However, if that number is indicative of groundswell, Rosanne from Minuteman better get out of their way - damn that was a lot of people.
The other thing that struck me was that it was still a selfish self-serving event. Mexicans trying to legalize other Mexicans. It had nothing to do than provide a better life for their own family members regardless of what impact it makes on US society.
The problem I have is that why should we reward the law breakers. We should send them back and let the people who actually filled out applications and are waiting in first. It may be a logistical nightmare, but my justice nerve sometimes acts up.
Comment by Jimmy Froglegs Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 6:54 pm
That is truly a good sign. And while voter participation isn’t what we’d like to see, it does show a pretty dedicated level of political participation. That means these people are vested.
Comment by Greg Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 6:58 pm
My daughter is up there and she said that all southbound busses towards the Pilsen area were already full and there were people all over the place still at 5:00 PM south of UIC.
Comment by Link Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 7:10 pm
If the marchers who rode the Blue Line with me were representative, it had to be a huge gathering. For a time, the El station at the Thompson Center was choked to immobility with the throngs.
I was particularly struck by the hundreds of U.S. flags that the protesters were carrying. You can feel how you will about the immigration issues, but it was heartwarming to see so many people who clearly believe in the idea of America.
Comment by So-Called "Austin Mayor" Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 7:40 pm
I have nothing wrong with illegal immigrants being here as long as they pay their taxes. However, there’s no reason that they should be eligible for public welfare services (other than education for children). It’s fine if people come here to work, but we can’t have people coming to take advantage of state welfare services.
Comment by Thinkingman Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 7:44 pm
Reply to: “The people chanted “Si, se puede†and at the end of the rally “Si, se pudo†or something like that.”…….
“Yes, we can!”, a rallying cry of Ceasar Chavez and Lantino people’s movements ever since. It is very motivating. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, next time join in, its fun!
(Obama used it in his campaign, in English and Spanish and I suppose will in future runs)
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 8:39 pm
I was there. I don’t know about the majority being undocumented or not, but here’s this: All ages were represented and to see so many young people, too young to vote and likely born here, suggests that reform or not a large charged-up generation will be reaching voting age in the next 5-10 years.
Won’t say much else other than politicians better hope they don’t pass legislation that brings back this crowd even angrier.
Comment by Carlos Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 11:06 pm
Along with masses of new immigrants come lots of expense for the taxpayers. Most of us are here because our ancestors immigrated here so that is nothing new. However, we cannot lower our standard of living and become a third world country because we have allowed illegal immigrants to come here. Around where I am from they work very hard, but they also work very cheap. Employers are forcing out high paid employees and replacing them with minimum wage employees who are gald to get the job. Only problem is you are in poverty at that wage trying to raise a family. Talk to anyone living in Arizona and California and see what the illegal immigration problem has done to their economy. It is frightening.
Comment by Paul Powell Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 11:07 pm
Impressive crowd, sure. But it’s always easier to get a bunch of people riled up to oppose something than to get them together to PROPOSE something. I’m not convinced getting a big turnout for the protest equates to massing at the polls. I tend to agree with the suspicions of the earlier poster that probably a small number of them are registered voters.
I believe in the melting pot, I believe in bringing in legal, honest immigrants to our country, but I cannot support rewarding people for breaking the law and evading border security. They depress our working wages, they drain our resources without contributing taxes to replenish them. They foster all manner of the worst crimes by being susceptible to manipulation by anyone who can out their illegal status and blackmail them.
The bill in question probably tried to do too much all in one go, but I think massive prosecution of those who hire illegals should be our national policy. That will shrink the demand, and the problem will be lessened. With that respite, we can work on a way to mainstream the ones that are here, and move towards an updated policy that’s more equitable all the way around.
Despite the American flags being waved, I feel most of the illegals are not here to participate in our freedoms, they are plain and simple economic opportunists, they were starving in Mexico, and their loyalty to our nation and their patriotism extends only as far as they can feed their families. If they believed in our principles, they would respect and abide by them. Until they do, I cannot support what they want to do. Every other generation and nationality had to play by the same rules, Mexico cannot be an exception.
Comment by Son of Immigrants Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 11:43 pm
Lets all take a step back and see how our country was fundamentally built upon - immigrants. Granted that the protesters today may not vote but guess what? Their kids can… their relatives can… so in other words they have awoken a sleeping giant that otherwise did not vote before today…and now they will!
What is the difference between the Irish, Italians, and the rest of the Europeans that crossed the pond in the early 1900’s? White anglo-saxons are easy to forget that their ancestors were immigrants as well. Why persecute the new generation of immigrants? And for all you downstaters that have the belief that they are ‘American’ lets put things in perspective: Mexico, Guatemala, Venezuelans and all the rest of the countries that are south of texas are part of what is known as North AMERICA or Latin AMERICA…what was that last word? AMERICA! So by people from the US distinguishing themselves as the sole Americans are wrong!
The new generation of Latinos coming up are educated and well aware of whats going on so dont take them for granted!
Arent republicans known to be the most Christian as anyone can get? What happened with love one another as I have loved you? what hypocrisy! I call this insecurity amongst those who do not recognize what this great country of ours was built upon on centuries ago.
God bless the USA! the land of the immigrants (i.e. Irish, Italians, Indians, French, Polish, Chinese, Eastern European, and yes even the Germans and Mexicans…im a felon for using the German and Mexican in the same sentence).
Wake up people!
Comment by Silas - Opus Dei Monk Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 1:26 am
Why not have a ‘European style’ open borders agreement with Mexico and Canada? Americans can work in those countries, and Mexicans can work here. Same for property owners rights, and banking and contract law,
If it works for the xenophobic Europeans..why not here?
I’d love to be able to buy an ocean front home in Cabo San Lucas (instead of ‘leasing’ it for 99 years like now), or be able to buy power or phone service from a Mexican company that competes will SBC.
Comment by Johnny USA Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 6:13 am
Well, one thing is certain…whatever Blago’s position is on illegal immigration, it is not well thought out, not intelligent, and he probably couldn’t even articulate it himself.
Again, as with NOIgate, it’s all about the votes.
Why not find a way of legalizing whatever immigration there is but make the slots more widely available across the world. Probably hundreds of millions of people across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East would love to move to
the United States and would take low paying starter jobs. Yet a high proportion of illegal immigrants are Mexicans, .
Meanwhile, the economic migration of Mexicans relieves pressure on Mexico’s oligarchic government to improve the economy and living conditions in that country.
Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 6:55 am
Silas-
I agree with you. In the end, arent’ we all immigrants in this country!
It was heart warming to hear an Irish immigrant speak at the rally.
Comment by Marta Elena Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 7:54 am
indeed. and while i agree that most participants where hispanic, not all were. made me miss my tan, though…
Comment by bored now Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 8:15 am
Si, Se Puede! Billy Lawless of Galway was in the thick of it yesterday. John McCain AND Ted Kennedy agree. People yearning to be free should not be hounded like rabbits. Exclusive clubs and organizations never did a thing for me. That is one reason why I refuse membersip in the National Honors Society in 1960! That and my grades.
America Welcomes Eveyone! Now, that’s awesome!
Comment by Pat Hickey Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 8:28 am
..arent’ we all immigrants in this country
No, we’re not.
Some where already here.
Many brought against their will.
Comment by Bill Baar Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 8:51 am
Here is a solution:
The Mexicans aren’t really about freedom and the US, they are about a better live for themselves and their families. They want to upgrade. Let’s face it - they aren’t altruistic.
So, lets give them the opportunity to help America. They can join our army for 1 year then join our workforce. If they are caught illegally, they have to join the army for 2 years or be deported.
How about a blood committment like the rest of us immigrants made?
Comment by Schiznitz Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 10:04 am
Schiznitz- I was in the US Infantry with many many Mexican Americans. Take a look at the great number of KIAs among Mexican Americans. Would that the chicken hawks would make a “blood committment like the rest of us immigrants…”
Comment by Lt von Saxon Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 11:22 am
“Son of Immigrants,” it’s never easy to get 75-100,000 people to protest anything, either for or against.
Comment by Rich Miller Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 11:27 am
Well, to all you “illegal-haters” out there… maybe the undocumented Mexicans can’t vote, but their kids can, and the naturalized ones can… about 500,000 in just Illinois. And the Ill. Coalition for Immigrant Rights, one of the groups that organized the march, has registered 33,000 voters in the last two years.
So first we march, then we vote! Nothing like fear and anger to mobilize your base… Right Mr. Oberweis?
And the Republicans have now politicized the Mexican community and pushed a whole group of very socially conservative (and patriotic) people into the Democratic camp for a generation.
dumb, dumb, dumb.
Comment by Senor Zapata Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 1:46 pm
1. I attended the rally. It was awesome…the huge number of people that were there, the strength of the crowd, the fact that everyone there was polite and friendly–even though it was an absolute madhouse. It made my heart hurt to see so many high school aged students there. I saw a sign that said “I’ve been here since I was six weeks old. I love this country. This is my home.” And it is. There is no where else the young man holding that sign could go and be home. And our high schools are full of “illegals” who came here as babies, haven’t ever been to Mexico, and should be able to be “regular” citizens, but they can’t.
2. All immigrants didn’t have to join the army to get to be Americans, and that is an ignorant thing to say. I’ve never been in combat, nor have my parents, our president, our governor, etc etc. Why should immigrants?
3. How many legal Americans are really about “freedom and the US” over “a better life for themselves and their families?” How many “Americans” forget about America except during the Olympics or national crises? How many Americans vote? It is foolish and ignorant to assume that all of us “Americans” are all patriotic, altruistic, freedom loving folks.
4. Doesn’t anyone find it strange that all of our ire is against the Mexicans/Latinos? What about all of the illegal Irish/Ukranian/Polish folks? Maybe it would be better to build a wall around the whole country? Oh–wait–I forgot. We don’t actually hate Mexicans because they are illegal, just because they aren’t white. Better get that wall up.
5. Si, se peude.
Comment by Chicago Girl Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 4:26 pm
Wait a minute, let’s not get carried away here.
Let’s not forget that there IS a process for becoming a legal immigrant. It’s not an issue of
illegal or nothing. It’s an issue of following the rules.
The US lets in hundreds of thousands of immigrants legally every year.
How about, “si se puede” follow the law and get things done legally.
Comment by Cassandra Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 6:24 pm
I think Cassandra hit it on the head when she said, “Meanwhile, the economic migration of Mexicans relieves pressure on Mexico’s oligarchic government to improve the economy and living conditions in that country.”
Mexico is an incredibly fertile country. If the government there were not so incredibly corrupt and inept it would be a wealthy nation. Letting the illegals in enables the government’s behavior.
“What about all of the illegal Irish/Ukranian/Polish folks?”
All what illegals from those countries? There are some, but not enough to make a difference in the economy. I don’t care much one way or the other about immigration, but this is truly a red herring.
If you’re for low wages, you should be for lots of immigration. That’s why it has been traditionally welcome. We hear a lot of talk about how immigrants do the jobs Americans won’t do, but that’s nto true. Immigrants will do the jobs that Americans would demand higher wages for.
Comment by handsome johnny Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 7:10 pm
Hey Cassandra and Handsome Johnny, you need to get some facts before you step into this debate with both feet. The current wait for a U.S. citizen to bring their child from Mexico legally is 8 years. For a Philipino to bring their sister here legally the wait is 23 years! A system that inhumane and dysfunctional fuels illegal immigration.
Now, a child brought here illegally at the age of 4, who has attended U.S. schools and never been back to Mexico, has NO WAY to become legal. Every small window for regularizing your status (petition by relative, employer, marriage, etc.) has systematically been nailed shut by right wingers, and now they are shocked, so shocked that there are so many “illegals” here.
They don’t WANT to be out of status… there is just no way currently to adjust, to get from here to there.
Now, Handsome Jack, let’s look at what is happening to the incredibly fertile Mexico. During the ’80’s and ’90’s, parallel to NAFTA and with U.S. support, the Mexican government moved away from collective farms (ejidos) and towards a more “modern” capital intensive agriculture. So cheap (subsidized) produce from the U.S. along with laws that reduce supports for small farmers. Presto, bingo! 20 million farmers pushed off the land.
And where did anyone think they would go? Well some of them are here in Chicago, and it is awfully hard to blame the person with the least economic power and call them an “illegal”, when their lives have been turned upside down by the free-marketeers both here and there.
And by the way, there are hundreds of thousands of undocumented Irish, Canadians, Poles, Pakistanis, etc. Most of them are visa overstays. Some 40% of illegal immigration are visa overstays, which is why the fence is a stupid, expensive, and ineffective idea… unless Chicago Girl is right and the main problem is that the wall is really to stop non-white immigration!
Comment by Elder Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 10:44 pm
Thanks for the info Elder. I didn’t know that “there are hundreds of thousands of undocumented Irish, Canadians, Poles, Pakistanis, etc”. That must make them almost 1% of the illegals from Mexico. I can’t imagine why the people who are 1% of the problem are getting so little press compared to the 99%.
As to the current wait for an American citizen to bring a child from Mexico, I don’t follow. Suppose I have a son with a Mexican woman, in Mexico. I have to wait until the child is 8 to bring him here? Or do I have to wait 8 years regardless of how old he is when I acknowledge him as my son?
This comment I can pretty much agree with, at least in sentiment, “a child brought here illegally at the age of 4, who has attended U.S. schools and never been back to Mexico, has NO WAY to become legal.” Of course that’s true. Making them legal would allow them to demand better wages. The whole point of mass immigration is to keep wages for unskilled wrorkers down.
Also, I’d appreciate it if you could elucidate further on your NAFTA/farm point. During the 80’s, somehow parallel to NAFTA, which didn’t yet exist, Mexican farms became more efficient but at the same time employed fewer people. Much as has happened in the US over the last 100 years or so. If the Mexican gov’t were less corrupt and anti-peasant, the people in Mexico would do as was done here, and migrate to the cities for better jobs.
Finally, I’ll point this out: “free-marketeers both here and there.” There are no free-marketeers there. That’s why they’re doing so badly.
Comment by handsome johnny Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 11:06 pm
It would appear that many, many posters here think the rally was composed of 100,000 illegals. Get a grip. What rock were you under when Latino and Hispanic persons became the number two minority in the US? These Americans, yes Americans are not stupid lawn mowing, table bussing morons. They have assimilated into US society and become more organized much faster than almost every ethnic group preceding them. They contribute to the economy more than they drain from it, and certainly less than many multi-generational “immigrants” living here now. They are a force to be reckoned with now and will become more and more influential within most of our lifetimes. You better start getting used to it now.
Additionally, Chicago has the second largest Polish population of any big city except for perhaps one or two in Poland. Do you think all of those people are here legally?
Comment by Papa Legba Saturday, Mar 11, 06 @ 11:11 pm
No, I don’t know how many were illegal and how many were illegal. It doesn’t matter who was down there, the focus of the rally was to protest the illegal immigration bill currently
progressing through the national legislature.
The impression I have is that many of the protesters believe that full scale illegal immigration from anywhere into the US should be fully legal.
Immigration reform is a complex matter and I don’t say that the bill is perfect or even that I wholly support it. However, the reason so many people all over the world want to live here is because we are a nation of laws that most of us actually try to follow. We don’t get to decide and disobey the ones we don’t like. The legislature is attempting, however imperfectly, make what immigration there is fully legal. Our national legislators (but not our opportunistic local politicians) deserve credit for that.
Comment by Cassandra Sunday, Mar 12, 06 @ 7:13 am
handsome johnny –
I say this with the utmost respect: you are truly ignorant on the immigration situation in this country. 56% of the “illegals” in this country come from Mexico. That means that 46% come from other countries. In addition, over 25% of illegals are not Latino. Now do the math and you’ll see that LARGE proportions of immigrants are coming from countries other than Mexico and Latin America.
But beyond that, what Cassandra and other conservative folks here are displaying is a severe lack of human compassion cloaked in protectionism. You could care less if a family who had to choose between starving and risking their lives to come to America to feed themselves goes hungry. You could care less whether a family that has made a home here, paid taxes, raised American-born children here is ripped apart because one or both parents are forcibly deported. You could care less if a Latino citizen volunteers for the US military and while he is fighting this unjust war in Iraq his illegal wife is being deported.
All of these are real-life incidents — but you don’t care. Unless your ancestors are Native American, all of you can trace back heritage to another country. Whether your ancestors fought for the right, battled discrimination or were welcomed with open arms, their struggles make it possible for you to blindly criticize folks who are trying to do the same thing.
Cassandra, the point isn’t that they are breaking the law and disrespecting this country, it’s that they are coming here despite the odds, the hardships and the unjustness of laws made to shut the door on immigrants — wrongly and narrow-mindedly — when this country would be nowhere without it’s history of immigrants. To change the rules now is wrong. An un-American.
Comment by Anonanonanon Sunday, Mar 12, 06 @ 8:35 am
Anonanonanon thank you for your post. I just got power back after being gone most of Sunday, so please excuse my tardiness. You are right that I was ignorant of the composition of illegals here. However, I was resopnding to a point made by anotehr poster, so I don’t think I made any material mistakes. Just as you point out that 56% + 46% = 100%, don;t seat the small stuff.
Referring to your second paragraph, I hope you’re not including me in the other “conservative folk.” I’m not a conservative, though I’m not a liberal either. I’ll also assume that your repeated use of “could” means couldn’t.
Your assuumption that people who are against illegal immigration don’t care about the human consequences is wrong. Flat-out wrong. Large numbers of illegal immigrants deflate wages for Americans. If you are a liberal, why do you care so little for poor Americans, both black and white, who could get better paying jobs if they weren’t competing with illegal aliens who will work for less? Where is your compassion for tehse people? It must be that you couldn’t care less about your fellow Americans who are jobless or make little money. And no, I don’t really believe that about you, I just don’t think that you’ve considered all the ramifications of your position.
The first sentence of your third paragraph is a bald-faced lie. You have no idea who I care about, how much I care, or why. I don’t like to put it that way, because I enjoy an honest debate without ad hominem attacks, but I can’t think of any other way of phrasing it acurately. For that matter, so too is the third. I’m not criticizing the folk who come here, legally or not. I doubt that I’d have the guts to go through what they do to get here.
My argument against illegal immigration, regardless of the origin of the immigrant, is that it depresses wages for people already here, when we’re already in a period of low wages. People may reasonably disagree.
You may think that low wages are good, or you may think that unlimited immigration is good for other reasons. I’ll do my best to respect your opinion and rebut it where I can.
In your fourth paragraph, you explain what the point fo the debate is. You’re wrong here. That may be your point, but that doesn’t make it the point. I’fd like to ask how a history of immigration makes perpetual immigration right. There are times when a nation neds labor, and times when it doesn’t. Why not adjust policy to fit those needs?
Finally, we’re not talking about changig he rules now, we’re talking about the government finally enforcing those rules, even aginst the wishes of Walmart and other rent-seeking companies. That’s not un-American.
All the best,
John
Comment by handsome johnny Monday, Mar 13, 06 @ 7:17 pm