American-Latino Immigrants Proudly Assisting the Community
An Hispanic Advocacy Website with the credo NO ONE IS ILLEGAL.
Watching the Watchmen Minutemen headed here warned they, too, will be watched | Minutemen headed here warned they, too, will be watched |
|
|
|
| Contributed by Tony Cheek | |||||
| Sunday, 04 February 2007 | |||||
Page 1 of 3
Rights groups, archbishop say border watchers aren't welcome
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, an organization working to stop the flow of illegal immigrants, announced this week that it would send observers to watch day laborers in Houston beginning in October. Previous plans called for placing patrols only along the Mexican border. But Archbishop Joseph A. Fiorenza said the Minutemen would not be welcome in Houston. "We stand against any attempts of outsiders to come into Houston to abuse and intimidate our immigrant communities," Fiorenza said in a statement issued Friday. Separately, immigrant rights organizations announced that they would fight fire with fire by forming an organization to counteract the Minutemen. "For every Minuteman patrolling, we will have at least 10 people patrolling them," said Maria Jimenez, a longtime local activist now associated with the Central American Resource Center, or CRECEN. Jimenez and CRECEN leader Teodoro Aguiluz threatened to file a lawsuit if they observe the Minutemen doing anything illegal. "We will respond to your organization with our organization," Jimenez said to the Minutemen. "We're not shy about it." The advocates have called on the city to officially "disinvite" the Minutemen, but city leaders say that is unlikely. The mayor has said he does not see the need to pass an official resolution on the subject, and City Councilman Adrian Garcia said it would be hard to promote such a measure without mayoral support. Jimenez estimated that there are 50 informal labor markets in Houston where day laborers gather looking for work from contractors. She said pro-immigrant groups would have at least 10 observers at each site. One of the sites is just down the street from the CRECEN office, at the corner of Bellaire and Hillcroft, where dozens of workers gather every morning looking for work. A city-funded day labor site is in the area, but the vast majority of workers prefer to seek work in the streets. Some of those workers said Friday that they worry about the Minutemen. "It's like racism," said one, who identified himself only as Juan. "All we want is a chance to survive." |
|||||
| Last Updated ( Sunday, 04 February 2007 ) | |||||
The local Catholic archbishop and immigrant rights activists want to
roll up the welcome mat before the Minutemen arrive to patrol for
illegal immigrants in Houston.
| < Prev |
|---|