Did the protests or boycotts  have a positive impact on your opinions on illegal immigration?
486968
No, it did not change my mind. Most who protested are illegals (many were not) and by protesting and leaving the job for a day they thumbed their noses at the very people who gave them jobs (illegally or not, they were given jobs). Biting the hand that feeds you to use a cliche.  Also, they are here ILLEGALLY, that means they are in violation of our laws. I commend those who came here legally and fought long and hard for their citizenship, so we are now just to hand it over because they are protesting? What about all those people who have studied and worked hard to become citizens?  What a slap in their face.
386914
most probably haven't been or have yet to feel the effects of this problem most don't understand economics ,sociology, etc. we are labeled as racists but i think we have treated them pretty well. we just want everyone to come according to our laws. when you go to a friends house you just don't go in there and demand things, same thing here. they have a big country but expect us to change laws let more come in all the while doing nothing to improve their own land.and its ok if they run their country the way they want.\n\nNo other group has refused to become American more than Mexican illegals. I'm sure when we had a flood of LEGAL Italian and German immigrants nobody had to "press 2 for Italian" or "press 3 for German". I'm so sick of pressing 1 to hear my native language. Come here legally and become an American and learn English. I want people here who truly want to be here. For those of you who have come legally (like my great-grandparents), welcome and God bless you. Those of you who couldn't careless about our laws, you should be treated as law breakers and sent back to your native land.\n\n\n"Immigrants in past centuries came here to become Americans, not to remain foreigners, much less to proclaim the rights of their homelands to reclaim American soil, as some of the Mexican activist groups have done.... Today, immigrant spokesmen promote grievances, not gratitude, much less patriotism.
524269
I would probably feel differently. If they humbly asked for legalization, I think the American government and people would be more accepting than if they demanded rights (like voting) as they still are. The main problem is the way they're taking a position. If they want to become legal citizens, they should prove that they want to play fair and by the rules of the United States. I don't think the protests helped them.
179897
It didn't help at all. Think about it, Mexicans are marching in American streets chanting in Spanish, draping themselves in the Mexican flag, and dragging and stomping the American flag(yes, they stomped on the American flag, I saw footage of it from one of the protests). This is supposed to gather support from Americans. It solidified my postion against illegals. \n\nP.S. A Latino is one of Latin American decent or related to Spain.
1027478
Yes, I love it!  I look on the internet news daily for more stories like the one about the mayor of Hazelton, PA, or Sheriff Joe in Arizona, or big unexpected roundups of illegals in different cities.  It does my heart proud to see the citizens of the USA standing up against this injustice that the government has allowed to occur and get out of hand - illegal immigration.  I believe the power of the American citizens is now snowballing against illegal immigration and whether the Federal Government wants to or not, they are going to have to listen to the people whom they work for, and act accordingly.  The days of the freebies and handouts for illegal immigrants are quickly coming to an end and the smart ones will start planning their own voluntary self-deportations now, rather than wait until they are found and shipped out, possibly leaving family members behind in the USA.  Better they start planning and get themselves organized for an orderly return to their home countries before they get caught by immigration officials or the police or their landlord or their employer.  This way, if they have lived cleanly in the USA so far, without committing further offences since they first illegally came over the border, they have a hope of returning legally one day, if they go home now and apply to immigrate to the USA through the proper procedures.  WAKE UP ILLEGALS!  Do yourselves and your families a favour and return yourselves in an orderly fashion now, while you still can.  Otherwise, don't cry and whine when you get caught and shipped out on a moment's notice, when you aren't ready.  The jig is up!  Amnesty is NOT coming!!  Wake up and smell the coffee!
619496
I think it just solidified the antagonism felt on both sides. Personally, I am against illegal immigrants from any country.  The key word is ILLEGAL. By doing what they did, I think they just made legal citizens angrier with them and much less likely to feel any sympathy.  Why do they think they have the right to demand a privilege be given to them that so many others worked so hard to obtain? It lessens the value of what the legal immigrants obtained, and sends the message that we'll just throw our hands up and say, "Oh, okay, if you insist, come on in illegally.  We'll yell a little bit then let you stay."  Can you imagine the flood of illegals we'll get if these people are given amnesty?
970484
The May 1, Illegal Rally was the day America woke up!\n\nThe backlash was phenomenal!  Organizations like the Minutemen, Numbers USA, Fire Coalition, Grass Fire, the Patriot, and others have grown in huge numbers and are receiving lots of donations from loyal Americans.  Did you see where the Minutemen received a multi-million dollar donation to built the fence?\n\nKeep on Going, AMERICA....the movement has begun like a ripple in a pond and will continue until it reaches the power of a tsunami!
871826
What an informative article...but I am already against illegals in our country so this only reinforces not changes my stance.\n\nthanks!
568896
You're absolutely correct!  Ans people fail to realize the extent to which these "illegals" make all of our lives easier. I hope they continue to boycott and protest.
955325
Definitely, \n\nI have known people who were brought here by their parents as children\n\nThey excelled in school but couldn't get into a good university because of their 'illegal' status in the US.. \n\nThat sucks..
662341
I just cancelled a vacation to Mexico. I refuse to give them a dime. I am also boycotting Mexican made products. They are interfering with our sovereign rights. I hope more people join in this boycott.
607203
Too bad those of us here legally don't get together and boycott and see how that affects things.  What was the important effect - people off work, kids staying out of school away from their free education.  They should be in Mexico parading and boycotting for their own Country to change for the better.
528907
Immigrants are great, but these are ILLEGAL ALIENS.  It looks to me like a great opportunity for INS to find all these lawbreakers in one place and initiate arrests.  With our being told which companies HAD to shut down completely or partially, that the Attorney General, Homeland Security, or whomever is responsible for fining companies who do hire illegal aliens, really just have a list now that they can follow. \n\nThe protest offended, but didn't really affect me, or the town in which I live.  The following things bothered me:\na.  these protests were for ILLEGAL ALIENS, NOT regular immigrants.  Their PR machine was great in blurring the lines here.\n\nb.  The Mexican flags were still very prominent.\n\nc.  I was soooo tired of seeing all the posters written in Spanish!!!!!!  And the signs that were translated to English were often very critical of this counry that they claim to love so much.\n\nd.  One of the organizers, last name Rodriguez I think, was on some TV shows the day before.  He made very negative comments about the U.S. in general.  It seemed he was leading up to the one comment that made me wonder about the REAL agenda.....he said, paraphrasing, that the southern part of the U.S. was STOLEN from Mexico, and that the people just wanted to reclaim what was rightfully theirs.  Okay, we did fight and confiscate land way back in our early history......but wasn't just about every country formed by gaining land from somebody??  \n\ne.  The whole thing would have been so much less significant, had our media simply refused to give these demonstrations wall to wall media coverage!!\n\nf.  Do these illegal aliens have the constitutional right to assemble like this?  This is just a question I wondered about.......they are not citizens.\n\ng.  IF these folks are really protesting for rights, better conditions, etc., well, I can't help but be curious as to why they don't just demonstrate in their own countries where conditions must be worse.  Couldn't they use this energy to focus on problems at home?\n\nh.  I can't help but wonder WHEN the LEGAL CITIZENS of the U.S. will step up to the plate, care enough to organize as efficiently as these folks, and take our voices and opinions to the streets, all the way to Washington D.C.\n\nWhew, got some of that off my chest!  I understand the plight of these illegal aliens, and this IS a country of immigrants, but it's also a county of laws.  What do you think would happen to us if thousands of U.S. citizens decided to sneak into Mexico, Colombia, Venzuela, Russia, China, etc., and march on their capitols & make demands for rights while waving American flags and speaking mainly English?  How about trying that in Cuba or Iran?  \n\nWelcome to all immigrants, just do it LEGALLY!  We do have a process in place for that.  Many of us feel that we and our country are being greatly disrespected by the ILLEGAL ALIENS. (I am ever so tired of the term "undocumented workers"..............does that mean that we citizens can drive around freely with no drivers' licenses, and simply be "undocumented drivers"?  Political correctness can get way out of hand.\n\nI just about forgot one other thing that burns me, and that's the so-called Spanish version of our National Anthem!  This is not a translation, the lyrics are totally different.  This is the United States.  We speak English.  A common language is necessary for assimilation.  And our National Anthem should be sung in English!  What's next, translating our Constitution, the Pledge of Allegience, etc??
1043274
Yes, I wrote the President, the Vice-President, Congress and Senators.  I got several form letters, but I did get a hand written note from Senator Bozeman.\n\nhere is a copy of what I wrote.\n\nThe negative impact of illegal aliens in my life.  I wish I knew where to start.  This article \nhttp://www.snopes.com/photos/politics/mexicoflag.asp\nhas prompted me to write.  I am beyond disgusted.  \n \nI feel much of the blame for illegal aliens in Northwest Arkansas rests squarely on the shoulder's of Tyson Foods.  They have built and/or expanded plants  in Berryville and Green Forest knowing full well the population could not support the demanded work force.  I believe they systematically recruited illegal aliens and turned a blind eye to obviously sketchy or fraudulent paperwork.  I worked for Tyson Foods from 1988 to 1994.  I personally saw the treatment of longtime employees degrade when the illegal aliens arrived.  I personally was unable to get a job at Tyson's a few years ago, inspite of an excellent attendance and work record during a previous tenure.  \n \nAs a former reserve (volunteer) deputy sheriff and reserve (volunteer)police officer, I have witnessed the negative impact of illegal aliens on our justice system.  It is so difficult to convict many of the offenders because their identies are so fluid, unless you personally remember an individual - you have no way of knowing who they really are - and even then you can't be sure.  They drive with out driver's license and insurance.  They allow their underage children to drive.  \n \nArkansas schools were struggling when they only had to teach in one language!  Now with the influx of the children (many of whom are American citizens - by virture of the geographical location of their birth) of illegal aliens schools are stretched to the breaking point.  \n \nThe public service system is reaching a critical point.  According to one article I read the deficit per illegal household was in excess of $2000 and expected to reach $7000 if undocumented aliens were to gain legal status.  I believe the Social Secuirty system will cave under the weight of the illegal aliens turned documented workers.\n \nI don't know exactly what the answer is, but we have turned a blind eye far too long.  Something must be done.  I realize there are no easy answers, but I am not willing to become a MexAmerican.\n \nI don't believe that voting is a priviledge or a right.  I believe it is my patriotic duty to vote.  And I vote NO to allowing persons who entered this country illegally to stay.  I am not anti-immigration.  I simply believe that any immigrant (regardless of nationality) should have to follow the correct proceedures or face deportation.
612428
I don't hate anyone, and not the illegals either.  I can honestly say that I never had a problem with them until they began to protest for rights for something that was against the law....This came across as crazy to me....If someone is breaking the law, they are breaking the law.  That's it.
613990
I think the boycott hurt, because it was an attack.  No matter what they say, they lose on the economic argument against society as a whole.  Certain employers who basically have their 'health plan' and other benefits for their illegal alien employee paid for by the tax payer, they do make money.  \n\nHowever, if the illegal immigrants weren't there, and had never been hired, they couldn't turn meat packers or garment districts into ghost towns.  Again, all of these jobs get done every day in states with few illegal aliens.\n\nThe economic issue is bogus, and by the number of Hispanic people I saw buying things at Toys R Us and Best Buy, even  many Hispanics must think it was a bad idea.  (Since I am not racist and do not assume that all Hispanics are illegal aliens or even immigrants, I conclude that they, like I, were protesting the boycott.)\n\nI ended up my day buying groceries at Gelsons, which in our area serves a sizable Jewish community as well as the rest of us. Many of these people are immigrants.  I had to circle the parking lot a few times to find a space, and based on that don't think all businesses have lost customers today.  The faces behind the counter and bagging were new, but the tean aged baggers seemed very pleased to have the job.  This was during the business day, when shopping tends to be quiet in our area.\n\nI met a number of friends, shopping, one of whom decided today was a good day to outfit her son with camping gear, since he recently 'bridged' into Boy Scouts and will doubtless need to go camping someday.  He seemed very happy with his new tent, as my son was with his wave board.\n\nI think the boycott was irrelevant.  I was rather impressed by the marchers I saw on TV, though.  Then again, I only glanced in during the day, since I was working from home and had all of that shopping to do.
743344
Just another case of deaths that might not have been except for the illegal who caused it.  Remove illegals, reduce American deaths...have you seen this, my friend?\n\nhttp://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/ia05_king/col_20060505_bite.html\n\nOn May 1st, the activists who brought you thousands of Mexican flags flying in marches down the streets of our cities are now bringing you “Nothing Gringo Day”. With help from the Mexican government, Mexican unions, Mexican political groups, and through the Spanish language radio and newspapers, the call has gone out to make America experience a total boycott, both here and in Mexico. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.\n\nJust the word “boycott” sparks the image of noble dissent in the face of economic or social oppression. I think of American colonials bucking British economic interests in retaliation to the Stamp Act. Or perhaps the ostracizing of Irish landlord Charles Boycott, the namesake of the verb for all tyrannized people. If not tyrannized, at least disgruntled. If not disgruntled, maybe just bored.\n\nYet, isn’t the key to a successful boycott an economic or social upper-hand? The cost must be felt if the offending party be forced to reform. For example, how does boycotting a movie you had no intention of going to affect the box office? More people probably see a boycotted movie due to the attention than if it had simply been ignored.\n\nPresident Carter thought he was on to something when he kept American athletes out of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. That showed ‘em. That particular boycott neither got the USSR out of Afghanistan nor brought down the Berlin Wall. It just caused our own athletes to suffer.\n\nThe May 1st anti-Gringo-fest is also being billed as “A Day Without Immigrants” which is a misnomer on a couple of counts. First, the threatened boycott fails to conjure the image of a Norwegian refusing to buy his May 1 lutefisk at the corner Fareway. Second, the pro-amnesty groups are insistent on confusing legal and illegal immigration. Let’s not start mixing our apples and oranges. The issue before Congress is illegal immigration. Perhaps the May 1st boycott should give America a glimpse into “A Day Without ILLEGAL Immigration.”\n\nWhat would that May 1st look like without illegal immigration? There would be no one to smuggle across our southern border the heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines that plague the United States, reducing the U.S. supply of meth that day by 80%. The lives of 12 U.S. citizens would be saved who otherwise die a violent death at the hands of murderous illegal aliens each day. Another 13 Americans would survive who are otherwise killed each day by uninsured drunk driving illegals. Our hospital emergency rooms would not be flooded with everything from gunshot wounds, to anchor babies, to imported diseases to hangnails, giving American citizens the day off from standing in line behind illegals. Eight American children would not suffer the horror as a victim of a sex crime.\n\nOn the negative side, the price of a pound of tomatoes might go up from $0.79 to $0.80. That is unless you have a garden. But I’m guessing that the Mexican drug lords are not taking May 1st off. Neither will the 11,000 illegal invaders that pour over our border every other day of the year. It is a safe bet that the U.S. Border Patrol will have a very busy “Nothing Gringo Day.”\n\nSince September 11th, it remains true that OBL is the greatest threat to America. I will leave it to the reader to decide if the greatest threat is Osama bin Laden or the Open Borders Lobby. The emerging cheap labor “ruling class” in America is the strongest supporter of amnesty for illegals. Their anti-American “new servant class” has chosen to boycott them; the very definition of irony. On May 1st, Primero de Mayo, Americans will observe, as illegal immigrants celebrate, “Bite the Hand That Feeds You Day.”