I notice that the news coverage doesn't highlight that legislation is intennded to addresss illegal immigration, give illegals already here possible temporary worker status, and provide some with a chance for U.S. citizenship. What is the theme of these protests across the U.S.? What does the participants want to accomplish?
126472
On the surface it looks like they are marching peacefully to show they just want to be legal Americans like the rest of us. But this is really a march through our country by a group who believes we are in their country on their soil. They make jokes that White America is getting old and dying and that young White America is not reproducing quickly enough to maintain our majority status and that all they have to do is wait, and then they'll easily take over without bloodshed...and there are others who wouldn't mind shedding white blood to take over now...but no one seems to have a problem with any of this....I mean, I do, but if I say so, I'm racist or paranoid or both.
591748
They shouldn't be even considering most of the proposals on the table, as they give benefits to illegals that even US citizens do not get (tax amnesty, social security amnesty/fraud, etc...).  \n\nHopefully they won't be our elected officials too long if they keep this up, but most voters are apathetic/uninformed and that's probably the biggest issue we face.  If the elected officials are not "punished" (i.e. not re-elected), then they will get the message that they don't "know better" than the rest of us.
86478
The government is under pressure from the citizens to do something about all the illegal immigration and unsecure borders. I think what the citizens of any country want should be top priority. I'm not against legal immigrants and I'm not racist. My husband is a legal immigrant and he had to go through the proper channels to get to live here. Maybe the people doing the protesting should do it their own countries to try and improve the situation there and put some pressure on their governments.\n I'm not sure it should be a felony. They should just legalize the ones who are here, and do some type immigration reform to prevent any more problems. My concern isn't really hard working people coming here, it drugs and terrorists getting into our country. That's scary!
265506
http://www.alipac.us/article-1242-thread-1-0.html\n\nThe US Senate could go to a vote any day or hour now on S. 2611 which \ncontains amnesty for both illegal aliens currently in the US and for \nemployers that have broken the law hiring them.\n\n\n\nSenator Sessions says S. 2611 to bring 217.1 million new immigrants in 20 years    http://www.alipac.us/article1223.html\n\n\n\n\n\nGOOD NEWS\n\n1.  This bill is so full of amendments now that neither side really \nlikes it increasing the chances it will fail.  If it does pass, the \npoliticians that voted for it will face even more opposition from the voters \nfrom both sides of the issue!\n\n2.  If they pass S. 2611 the fight is not over yet so do not get \ndiscouraged.  It still has to pass our House lawmakers.  Also, there are \nbenefits from a Senate vote that passes this amnesty bill.  On one hand, it \nwill allow us to determine exactly who we need to target for removal in \nthe elections.  On the other hand, passage of S. 2611 will INCREASE THE \nELECTORAL BACKLASH on this issue.\n\n3.  Even if the Guest Worker amnesty program is passed into law, it \ncontains a fatal flaw.  It does not grant instant amnesty.  This will \nallow time for the majority of American citizens to assert their influence \nover the lawmaking process through the elections.  If signed into law \nby George Bush, we will immediately announce our intent to seize \npolitical control of the program, remove any citizenship plans, and use it as \nan effective targeted deportation tool for illegal aliens that do not \nreturn to their home nations on their own volition.
331336
I think the illegal immigration bill has nothing to do with legal workers. Here it states:\nLabor certification: the process an employer must go through with the Department of Labor to certify that no American workers are available to fill the job for which the employer is sponsoring a foreign national for legal permanent residence.\n(B) the employment of the alien in such labor or services will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers in the United States similarly employed. \n\nThe Immigration Bill is more about enforcing current laws, protecting the borders better and  what should be done with the present illegals in the country.
172428
On March 17, 2006, an estimated 25,000 illegals from Ireland marched boldly in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in NY without fear of any enforcement of our immigration laws. I told my friends at the time: this unchecked in-your-face, "we demand respect" display by illegals will embolden them to demand they be given a free pass and when that doesn't happen, it will reach the point of violence.\n\nOn March 24, 2006, hundreds of high school students in LA walked out of their classrooms to protest the newest piece of completely unnecessary immigration legislation by the incompetent fools in Congress. Within hours 15,000 criminals (illegals) were marching in Phoenix and roughly 10,000 in Georgia.\n(Seems Fairly ORGANIZED)\n On March 25, 2006, waving their Mexican flags chanting the same worn out "racist" garbage and demanding their "rights" 50,000 of these criminals marched in Denver, thousands in North Carolina and here in Sacramento. All because the House of Representatives has passed legislation that would make it a felony to be in the U.S. illegally, impose new penalties on employers who hire illegal immigrants and erect fences along one-third of the U.S.-Mexican border.\n\n(AGAIN Seems Fairly ORGANIZED On A NATIONAL Level)\n \nThe counterfeit Senate is to begin their bickering on March 28, 2006.\n\nOur economy will not fail by rounding up illegals and deporting them. \nOn ABC This Week, March 26, 2006, weasel Arlen Specter, hauled out the other big lie, "We have created a need for these workers who will do the work Americans won't." \n\nBull. Once we begin to deport these criminals, Americans \nwill step in and do the jobs - jobs that have been taken away from them because employers have turned a blind eye to the law and are looking for cheap labor. As for Arlen Specter: why is he still sitting on his backside doing nothing while banks in this country are knowingly and aggressively violating federal law by giving home mortgages to criminals (illegals). Congress and the Department of Justice are simply ignoring this outrage, yet Specter blathers on the stupid tube that these 15 million plus criminals should be given a free pass.\n\n According to Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who is head of the \nCongressional Immigration Reform Caucus, \n  \n"Massive immigration of low-skilled, low-wage workers ... \ndepresses wage rates for people who are at the low economic end of the scale. ... \nThe overall effect will be the decline of the living standard of every American, \nor most Americans."\n\nIllegal immigration cuts into the wages of American workers. \nAccording to Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), who is head of the \nCongressional Immigration Reform Caucus, \n  \n"Massive immigration of low-skilled, low-wage workers ... \ndepresses wage rates for people who are at the low economic end of the scale. ... \nThe overall effect will be the decline of the living standard of every American, \nor most Americans."\n\nAccording to TNRIP, the financial cost of this foreign invasion to U.S. taxpayers \nis staggering! Here is a break down of the annual costs: \n\nEducation: $22.5 billion \nBi-lingual Education: $3.3 billion \nAFDC: $2.4 billion \nSSI: $2.9 billion \nSocial Security: $24.8 billion \nHousing Assistance: $2.6 billion \nCriminal Justice: $2.6 billion \nJobs Lost by Americans: $10.8 billion \nOther Programs: $51.4 billion \nFood Stamps: $7 billion \nHealth Care: $1.4 billion \n\nTom Tancredo was the other guest on the aforementioned show and he said it right: We don't need any new laws, enforce the immigration laws that are already on the books.\n\nThis IS what's coming right to your neighborhood: One of these days in the near future, these millions of illegals are going to become berserkers. It is the intention of Mexicans to "reclaim" the four border states and merge them back with Mexico and they are willing to do it with violence. These 15 million
311409
Yeah, I already knew this before the video.  Any non-illegals that marched are just sheep that dont understand the issue at all.  Its time to get all the Illegals sent home.  Legals are great, but our social structure cannot handle this flood of illegals.  Some good news- the INS just arrewsted 70 illegals from a single builder in the Cincinnati area yesterday, and they say that more arrests are coming at other builders shortly.  They also arrested a number of the Americans that hired them, and raided the coirporate HQ to get the financial records.  Hopefully they step up this initiative nationally, and really start throwing them out.
573633
Its not gonna work this time. In Texas the were expecting 1500 Hispanic folks to show up for a rally. They got 500,000 or more. When they get legal and can vote, the changes will happen so fast the right wing hateful people will wonder what happened. I'm looking froward to it. We are a nation of immigrants or at least Grandchildren of Immigrants. How can we consider people criminals just for being here and working hard?
161218
The one thing you are wrong about it was not organized by people who entered this country illegally. These illegals are not educated enough to put on an Easter hunt no less a mass protest. This is done by very organized advocates for a political power agenda. These people are the most anti American group in the country and dangerous.\nThey are gaining more power political. \nWe have let this issue get so far out of hand. No matter what happens tomorrow it is only the beginning.
285756
This is a legitimate and encouraged celebration of freedom.  It is traditional and should be continued.\n\nWe, American citizens, object to PROTESTS by illegals and not celebrations.
158565
To be fair its mostly illegal aliens protesting.  \nWhy should they even have a say in what the new immigration law is?  They should come over here legally.  \nIt isn't fair to the people who go through the proper channels for these people to come here and ruin it for them.\nThey're even making it harder for those of us who were born here to get ID's  and licenses and such, it makes me really mad.
112634
I think it is election year politics. I think they will all talk tough and then when it comes time to vote, this bill will be so watered down and ineffective that it will actually add to the problem rather than solve anything. Illegals need to be removed from this country. Illegals need to be turned away before they can get into this country. Our borders need to be secured for more than this reason. What good does it do taking lighters and nail files from american citizens on flights if there are over 800,000 undocumented, unscreened security risks entering ovewr our southern border each year. We are arranging deck chairs on the titanic.
215548
It seems odd to me that the only ones demonstrating are the illegals.  Where is everyone else?  I have been writing and calling my represetnatives about this but it is curious why there are NO organized marches AGAINST illegals.\n\nCould it possibly be that the illegal immigrant marches are secretly organized by the Bush administration to give him ammunition for his idiotic Guest Worker program?  Hummm.
269225
Reform means many things, and you have to be clear here. One bill already passed in the House would make being, smuggling, or aiding an illegal immigrant a felony, and would strengthen the border.\n\nAnother Bill in the Senate is still subject to amendments, but would largely follow Bush's plan of legalizing non-felon working illegal immigrants here and letting them 'earn citizenship' by working, paying a fine and learning English.  In addition, the Senate/Bush bill would nearly double legal immigration in the future with a temporary guest worker bill.  It is not clear how the guest worker program would be policed to make sure the workers go back. Overstaying has historically been one of the main ways legal tourists, etc. became illegal immigrants.  The Senate bill now would also strengthen borders.\n\nAfter the amendments on the Senate bill the two bills need to be reconciled in conference.  Once a joint bill is negotiated, all Congress needs to vote yes or no on it. (No further amendments.)\n\nThere are Democrats and Republicans on both sides of both bills.  It really is an issue that cuts across parties. Here is one poll on the issues.  Note that when it asks if people favor the House bill, however, it does not say the House Bill would make illegal immigrants felons. That provision is what stirred the marches this spring.  http://www.cis.org/articles/2006/2006poll.html
267798
I think we should break down the question into three parts, and address the overarching themes (since we do not know what the final shape of the immigration bill will be).\n\nFIRST PART:\nShould there be immigration? The answer is a resounding yes. America is a nation of immigrants, and unless you're the great grandson of Sitting Bull, you are of immigrant origin. Immigration is what gives strength to this country: where do you think George Washington and Lincoln came from, spontaneous combustion? What about Einstein? \n\nFurthermore, while many sit around and complain about immigrants, the US is the country with the most transnational corporations in the world, which means we derive a great portion of our wealth from doing business abroad--so I think we can take a few immigants from those countries in which we do business. Mexico happens to be our fourth largest trading partner which means a lot of Americans have jobs because Mexicans are buying our products. \n\nAlso note that a lot of Americans are staffing the branches of US transnational corporations in other countries. For instance, Japan is the country with the second largest population of Americans (after the US, evidently, and excluding Iraq and Afghanistan were American populations are in theory temporary) and Mexico is the country with the third largest population of Americans (besides businessmen and women, note that a lot of Americans retire in Mexico, upwards of 1 million retirees, which is about 1% of the Mexico's population).\n\nIt's true that it would be good if Mexico could provide enough work for its own citizens, but the fact is that it cannot do that yet; as neighbors the US and Mexico need to sit down and work together to find a solution. Building a fence will not even help; we'll probably have to hire immigrants to help us build it! \n\nSeparately, someone claimed that immigrants come here to take advantage of Social Security and our welfare state. In fact, statistically speaking, it has been proved again and again that immigrants work hard enough to earn their Social Security, just like any other worker in America. In addition, it's also a statistical fact that there are more Americans on welfare than immigrants; illegal immigrants do not really have access to it, since they are not US citizens and cannot receive it.\n\nHaving said that, you might say, "OK, but there ought to be a legal process to allow immigrants". Fair enough. Which leads me to the second part of my answer.\n\nSECOND PART: \nShould there be a temporary guest workers program (which President Bush has proposed) that will eventually allow immigrants to become citizens?\nBy all means. Immigration is actually good to oil the global economy and the American economy. As economies develop, such as the US economy has, the citizens become more wealthy and better educated, which leads them to look for better paying jobs. If you are well educated, you are not going to apply for a fruit-picking job, you'll try to become a lawyer, businessman or a college professor, for example. Immigrants are the ones who help us do the jobs in sectors that suffer from labor deficits.\n\nThere are those who argue that if immigrants didn't come to the US, the minimum wage would be higher and therefore US citizens would be more willing to do those jobs. That's nonsense, because of what I just explained: a better educated population does not want to work in agriculture, work as house maids or delivery boys! If Mexico and the rest of Latin America fell of the face of the Earth, other immigrants would come from other countries to take up the jobs that nobody else is doing. In fact, that's what happened when most people came from Europe over the last 200 years. Do you think my or your great-great grandaddy was the Duke of Earl? He was likely as uneducated as any immigrant you meet on the Texas border!\n\nHaving said that, I understand the frustration that many people feel wh
365756
That's a great question.....I live in a sanctuary city, on the border.....We have many day workers who are illegal and come for the day to work and then go back home and they bother no one.....They are never really asked for status.....Some of course live here.....We rarely have crimes committed by illegals, all crime is committed by citizens.....Illegals, for the most part come only to work and do there best to stay out of trouble or the limelight, they would not dare protest, because no one here really minds them living here......And there is nothing to protest....This has been my experience, and I can only speak from my experience.....
242259
HHR437 is a bill that if passed will make all illegal immigrants felons and deported. The protest for today is supposed to show the US how much they supposedly mean to the US economy