Jackson Free Press

Also see: Immigration: Myths v. Reality

About 50 immigrants and immigrant-rights advocates marched on the Capitol Thursday afternoon, protesting raids on undocumented workers at Mississippi factories in Laurel and the passage of Senate Bill 2988, a new law making it illegal for undocumented workers to be employed in the state.

Protestors, joined by children holding signs reading "Working should not be a crime," "Raids tear families apart," and "Si se Pueda" ("Yes we can"), cheered at repeated attacks on SB 2988. Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance Executive Director Bill Chandler called the law, known as the Mississippi Employment Protection Act, the "ethnic cleansing act.

"The largest raid in U.S. history happened in Laurel, Miss. Some 595 Latino workers were arrested for working, tearing families apart by sending them to jail and deporting them for the crime of struggling to support their families," Chandler said.

Chandler called upon the "new federal government," under President-elect Barack Obama—who drew tremendous applause at the mention of his name—to end the raids and repeal SB2988.

Frank Curiel, vice-president of Laborers International Union, summed up both the raids and the Mississippi law as products of racist discrimination.

"It discriminates because we don't look like the governor; we don't look like most of the Republicans who voted for this bill, but I tell you this much: I'm a veteran; my brothers are veterans. I grew up in a house full of veterans," Curiel said. "We served this country. We pay more than our due, yet when times get hard, what do they do? They give us the raids. You know why they have the raids? Because they don't want to see people like us take over this house."

Previous Comments

ID

142051

Comment

To call those who would speak against illegal immigration racists is no different than those who called Obama terrorist simply because of his middle or last name. It's the last refuge of an ideologically bankrupt platform to resort to ad hominem attacks. They know they are wrong and its the only arrow left in their quiver. People who want the law enforced are not racists they are called citizens. I want the laws enforced not only against people here illegally but also against the employers who would exploit those workers. I think it's more important to hold the employers accountable if we are ever to get this problem under control.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-12-05T14:00:53-06:00

ID

142072

Comment

Working isn't the crime. Sneaking into the country illegally is the crime. It's a crime everywhere in the world that I can think of, not just the US. Every country has the right to place value on legal residence/citizenship and defend it's borders from intruders. Crime number two is the employers' hiring of illegals. Crime number three, is it allows the employers to exploit humanity by offering substandard wages, benefits, and working conditions. There would be no problem filling job positions with US citizens if the jobs offered fair and competitive wages, acceptable health care benefits, and safe working conditions. I'm a bleeding heart liberal 24/7...but I can't get behind allowing illegals when so many of our own brothers and sisters are doing without.

Author

HardTravelin

Date

2008-12-06T02:17:40-06:00

ID

142074

Comment

Well said, Hard Travelin. I think the job loss numbers that came out yesterday only make it more urgent that the competition for the jobs that are out there be between our own citizens and people who are here to work legally.

Author

WMartin

Date

2008-12-06T08:01:31-06:00