Hundreds march for immigration reform in Phoenix

Eugene Scott
April 19, 2009
The Arizona Republic

Maria Ruis sat in the shade cradling her 1-year-old disabled daughter, Gracie, Sunday afternoon before marching in favor of immigration reform.

Ruis, a restaurant manager and a housekeeper, said the United States is the only place where Gracie, who has Down syndrome, can receive proper medical care.

"We're not asking for anything for free. We work and we pay taxes here. This is my seventh year paying taxes here," Ruis said. "We're not all bad."

In fact, most undocumented immigrants are good, law-abiding residents of the U.S., said many requesting that President Barack Obama honor his campaign promise to reform immigration as soon as possible.

Hundreds of individuals participated in the United Farm Worker campaign "Con La Union de Campesinos Tendremos Papeles" (With the UFW We Will Have Papers) Sunday afternoon. The march began with a rally at the Wesley Bolin Memorial Park and ended at Cesar Chavez Park in downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix was the last stop of a series of celebratory rallies across various states, including California, Oregon and Washington, asking that the U.S. government honor undocumented immigrants' contributions to the American economy.

Key figures at the event expect Obama to start looking at immigration reform next month.

"We are not here out of anger, we are here out of compassion," said Alejandro Chavez, Arizona chair of the United Farm Workers, organizer of the march.

"We just want to make immigration affordable and accessible for more people. You shouldn't have to wait 10 to 15 years to become an immigrant."

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/04/19/20090419immigration0420.html

Communities of faith rally behind arrested workers

August 18, 2008
Communities of faith rally behind arrested workers
Carol Motsinger
Citizen Times, Asheville, NC

ASHEVILLE - Inocencia Chacon sang hymns with a strong, proud voice in the sanctuary of First Congregational United Church of Christ on Sunday afternoon.

But her voice cracked and wavered when she shared the plight of a good friend from Honduras who faces deportation after being arrested during an illegal immigrant raid Tuesday at Mills Manufacturing Corp.

"They were not criminals," she said during a vigil for those affected by the raid. "They deserve a chance to have a better life."

An estimated 300 people packed the pews of the church to show support and express concern for the 57 workers arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

"The faith community felt we needed a voice of comfort and healing for the people who were affected by the raid," said Tyrone Greenlee, who read a poem during the vigil. Several congregations with ties to the area's Hispanic community participated in the service held in the church on Oak Street.

Some wiped away tears during the hymns of hope and prayers asking for strength. Chacon cried as she spoke about her friend, whom she said has two small children and a husband in Honduras who threatened to kill her if she returned.

"The question is now, what is she going to do?" Chacon said.

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808180301