Spring Break
Thousands marched and the debate goes on
HR 4437 - The immigration debate
Ryan Sholin
Issue date: 4/13/06 Section: News
"Think about it," Tejeda said. "If I shelter my grandparents, I'd be considered a criminal."
A spokesman for the California-based Minuteman Project, Tim Bueler, said in a phone interview that both the Mexican and American governments should both take responsibility for solving the immigration problem.
"We have a right way and a wrong way to do things," Bueler said. "Illegal aliens are marching in our streets and breaking our laws."
The Minuteman Project calls itself a "multi-racial and multi-ethnic" group advocating the "rule of law," according to its Web site. Group members patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border in April 2005.
Bueler said individual states should be denied federal funding if they are unwilling to classify illegal immigrants as felons.
Terry Christensen, a professor in SJSU's political science department, said the question of how to deal with immigrant workers and their families is nothing new for the Golden State.
"Immigration has been an issue in California politics for about 150 to 200 years," Christensen said. "We've gone through several anti-immigration movements. What's different about this is that it's a pro-immigration movement."
Maria Ochoa, a social sciences lecturer, said immigrants were "coming out of hiding."
According to Ochoa, white undocumented immigrants from places such as Ireland have begun to step forward in a display of solidarity with those from Mexico and other nations.
"The face of undocumented immigrants isn't strictly a brown, black, or yellow face," Ochoa said.
"Middle America" needs to balance its desire for inexpensive workers with its desire for inexpensive goods, Ochoa said.
Juan Montes, a junior accounting major born in Mexico, said he thinks the government doesn't enforce immigration law because of the strong demand business has for "cheap labor."
Montes called the situation "a joke," but he said American consumers share the blame.
He held up his fruit smoothie as an example of something that would cost more if workers were paid what he called a "fair wage" in American fields and kitchens.
A spokesman for the California-based Minuteman Project, Tim Bueler, said in a phone interview that both the Mexican and American governments should both take responsibility for solving the immigration problem.
"We have a right way and a wrong way to do things," Bueler said. "Illegal aliens are marching in our streets and breaking our laws."
The Minuteman Project calls itself a "multi-racial and multi-ethnic" group advocating the "rule of law," according to its Web site. Group members patrolled the Arizona-Mexico border in April 2005.
Bueler said individual states should be denied federal funding if they are unwilling to classify illegal immigrants as felons.
Terry Christensen, a professor in SJSU's political science department, said the question of how to deal with immigrant workers and their families is nothing new for the Golden State.
"Immigration has been an issue in California politics for about 150 to 200 years," Christensen said. "We've gone through several anti-immigration movements. What's different about this is that it's a pro-immigration movement."
Maria Ochoa, a social sciences lecturer, said immigrants were "coming out of hiding."
According to Ochoa, white undocumented immigrants from places such as Ireland have begun to step forward in a display of solidarity with those from Mexico and other nations.
"The face of undocumented immigrants isn't strictly a brown, black, or yellow face," Ochoa said.
"Middle America" needs to balance its desire for inexpensive workers with its desire for inexpensive goods, Ochoa said.
Juan Montes, a junior accounting major born in Mexico, said he thinks the government doesn't enforce immigration law because of the strong demand business has for "cheap labor."
Montes called the situation "a joke," but he said American consumers share the blame.
He held up his fruit smoothie as an example of something that would cost more if workers were paid what he called a "fair wage" in American fields and kitchens.
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