OK, no, not really. I’m Irish, folks! Well, a quarter anyway. Ok not really a quarter, there’s some German and French in there somewhere, too.. just don’t tell my Indian (dot, not feather) and Dominican (“Spanish”) sides. The point is I’ve got freckles gosh-darn-it. Well, in the summertime mostly. Whatever.
Look, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, and I’m an Irish mutt… At least I’m not Mexican!
Ok, ok, I know what you’re thinking. Is this crazy lady racist? Nope, just pointing out that “Mexican” is the new “Irish.” It’s pathetic, but just saying the term “Mexican” these days sounds like a slur.
Mexican, Mexican, Mexican.
There’s even a California-based blog and regular L.A. Times column called, “Ask A Mexican!” that pokes fun at this disturbing reality.
As the drumbeat toward Sunday’s March for America continues, the Spanish-language media also covers yesterday’s press conference announcing the launch of the national Esperanza for America campaign, and developments in several states regarding immigration raids and enforcement.
Esperanza for America. The Hispanic Evangelical network Esperanza held a press conference yesterday featuring Democratic Senator Bob Menendez and Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart to announce its Esperanza for America grassroots campaign for immigration reform. An EFE report quotes Reverend Luis Cortés saying:
“We reject the notion that conservatives do not support immigration reform… The purpose of Esperanza for America is to make sure that Congress hears that 60% of Americans consistently support immigration reform.”
Cortés leads the Esperanza network, which includes over 12,000 congregations and community organizations.
The tipping point is here. The time has come. In all political and social movements there comes a moment when the confluence of events is so powerful they just can’t be ignored or dismissed. The long-running effort for comprehensive immigration reform is one such movement and its moment of truth is at hand.
Our immigration system is badly broken and a majority of Americans support reform. The White House supports it. Most Democrats and some Republicans are prepared to vote for it. Only a vocal minority oppose it. Yet the question remains whether President Obama will make a forceful and public push for reform legislation, and whether Congress has the guts to pass it.
If they needed any indication that the time to act is upon us, they will get it on Sunday when tens of thousands of people from across the country – citizens and immigrants alike – descend on the National Mall in Washington in a show of support for immigration reform aptly named the March for America.
Americans of every hue and political stripe will be demanding action on yet another item that has languished for too long at a time when it is in the interest of every American to pass immigration reform. The participants strongly believe that our immigration system is horribly out of step with our interests and our values. They want legislation that addresses the myriad problems in the current immigration laws. Mostly, they want immigrants here without papers to get them and families that are separated by a heartless bureaucracy to be united. They are so frustrated with the lack of action that they are doing that most American of traditions: they are assembling to petition their government.
Those of us who have been in the trenches of the battles for immigration reform, who have listened and taken part in the endless debates, fought against the mischaracterizations of the issues and the demonization of immigrants, are wondering just what more will it take for Congress to move.
Today features several op-eds and columns in the Spanish-language press about this Sunday’s march. Meanwhile, all are urged to participate in the Census, and controversies continue over old and new programs to deport immigrants from jail.
The need to march. La Opinión (Los Angeles) writes, in an editorial titled “Time to act,” that
“Time is short. The process is now a race against the clock to see if the White House wants to fulfill its campaign promise of passing reform this year.”
Univisión host Jorge Ramos writes in his weekly column, titled “The march and TPS for Chileans”:
“The anger doesn’t just stem from the absence of legalization. Even though we still don’t have immigration reform, deportations continue. In fact, during Obama’s first year in the presidency there were more deportations (387,790) than during George W. Bush’s last year (369,221), according to figures from his own Department of Homeland Security (DHS)…With more deportations and without legalization of undocumented immigrants on the horizon, at the moment everything seems to be an uphill battle. This is why, organizers say, the march this coming Sunday, March 21st, in Washington is so important. It is, quite simply, a march to make them hear us. To make the invisible people visible. To make sure the politicians never forget the promises they’ve made. And to make sure they know that the Latino vote usually supports those who support immigrants.”
From the Reform Immigration for America Blog:
If you need more proof that the upcoming March For America is gaining attention from Washington, check out an op-ed from Saturday’s New York Times. While we’ve always known passing immigration reform wouldn’t be easy, we have never let the naysayers stop our movement.
Unless Republicans come around, Mr. Obama pulls some political capital from his depleted account, or Mr. Schumer and Mr. Graham pull off some legislative magic, we may be headed for another stalemate. That’s the worst ending: each side blaming the other, trying to extract political gain from an abject legislative failure.
There is one possible game changer: an immigration march in Washington planned for March 21, designed as a last-ditch try to put reform on the agenda. Nothing like 100,000 angry, frustrated, impatient marchers, representing millions of voters, to focus the Congressional and presidential mind, if it’s not too late.
The march represents the power of our movement and our commitment to ensure justice for all America families. Will you stand up with us?
Learn more about March for America here.
The Spanish-language press keeps its attention on the preparations underway for the March for America taking place next Sunday, March 21st, in support of immigration reform. Meanwhile, NumbersUSA and other anti-immigrant groups are planning actions of their own, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) took to the airwaves yesterday to press the Obama administration on immigration reform.
March for America. La Opinión (Los Angeles) runs the headline “A national call to march; organizations expect 100,000 people to attend.” A Univisión.com story headlined “March to impact future of reform” includes links to videos promoting the demonstration; another story on the site, “Immigration reform regains force,” contains details from last Thursday’s meeting between President Obama and community leaders. The article quotes Joshua Hoyt, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR), saying: “He seemed a bit frustrated, like he didn’t understand why we were unhappy…with him. We told him that if 400,000 people a year are being deported, how could he not think we’d be frustrated with him?”
