Passionate protesters on both sides of immigration debate turn out in Irving.

[pampango]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-irvrally_14met.ART0.West.Edition1.424c12f.html

"For the second time in as many months, demonstrators clogged Irving's streets over the Criminal Alien Program, which allows local police to turn suspected illegal immigrants over to federal authorities."

"Irving has found itself in the national spotlight in recent weeks for its use of the program. But at least nine North Texas law enforcement agencies have a Criminal Alien Program or similar effort in which federal officials are routinely notified about arrestees whose immigration status is suspicious."

"Several Irving minority leaders, activists and Hispanic pastors formed Irving Forward this week, a group that opposes some aspects of CAP. But they have tried to distance themselves from Carlos Quintanilla and his Accion America group. Accion America organized Saturday's protest march and rally, but members of Irving Forward urged people not to attend. They said it would do little more than stir up racial tensions."

"But Jesse Two Hawks, a Pueblo Indian, said he wasn't going to back down. His beef with the immigration debate goes back to what happened centuries ago. His argument: Hispanics are descendants of indigenous tribes present in the Americas long before the European explorers discovered the land."

"Diana Dove, a young woman from Fort Worth, carried a double-sided sign. "Racist: Mexican slang for person who wants the law to be enforced," read one side. "Red, White, Black and Brown, if you're illegal get outta town," rhymed the other."
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Immigration reform seems to be on hold on a national level, but ferment continues in many localities.

[budibudinski]

1. Oklahoma's New Illegal Imm. Law may be difficult to enforce.

http://www.newsok.com/article/keyword/3147157/

OK's new law is similar to Irving Tx, but police seem reluctant to enforce it, claiming it is a Federal issue. Others argue that breaking the law is just that - Breaking The Law, and police should arrest anyone who breaks the law since THAT is their job.

snip)----------------------------
The bill, officially named the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizens Protection Act of 2007, makes it illegal to transport, move or attempt to transport any undocumented person. It will also be illegal to conceal, harbor or shelter any undocumented person.
Any person found guilty of violating the law can be imprisoned for up to a year.

That would include anyone who rented to or employed an illegal immigrant. Technically, it could translate to social service agencies that work with these populations.

But realistically speaking, HB 1804 might not mean much without funding or the will to enforce it.
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[pampango]

2. With the failure of the national government to lead on immigration,

state and local governments have taken the lead. There were, I suppose still are, "sanctuary cities" within which legal status is ignored. At the same time there are cities and states that are enacting legislation to go after employers, landlords, etc. who employ or rent to illegal immigrants. Enforcement of these laws is sometimes blocked by courts or underfunded and ineffective, but it is creating a haphazard patchwork of rules and regulations across the country.

Sooner or later, the immigration will have to be revisited on a national scope. With another election always in the offing, though, it always seems to happen later rather than sooner.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. "Racist: Mexican slang for person who wants the law to be enforced,"

Yeah, that's only slightly more subtle than "Get a brain, morans."