The debate surrounding immigration moved to campus Thursday when an estimated 100 University students marched to the EMU and rallied to raise awareness about current legislation in Congress.
The rally followed similar demonstrations held throughout the nation in recent weeks regarding the issue of immigrants’ rights, including an all-day protest held in front of the Eugene Federal Building Monday.
Demonstrators gathered outside Condon Hall at 11 a.m., marched toward the Knight Law Center, and arrived at the EMU Amphitheater, where students gave speeches until after 1 p.m. Students held handmade signs and led various chants in Spanish and in English such as “Immigration built this nation” and “The people, united, will never be defeated.”
Students Against Anti-Immigration, which formed last week in partial response to the border and immigration bill HR 4437, organized the event through word of mouth, sophomore member Lupita Pena said.
The bill, introduced by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wisc., and passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in December, significantly increases the penalties for illegal immigrants and the fines for their employers and for the people who provide them with humanitarian assistance. The legislation makes offenders subject to prison sentences, with mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders. The bill also provides for the construction of a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Many speakers at the rally criticized various aspects of the bill, and organizers distributed “Talking Points” papers with information about it. The papers claimed that it targets immigrants while not contributing to security or immigration reform.
Currently, Permanent Resident Cards for immigrants may take up to several years to receive, depending on the application form and the country of origin, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Naturalization is offered after five years of living as a permanent resident in the U.S. and fulfilling other requirements, and the process may take as much as two years.
Pena said there should be a bill that makes it easier for people who have legally applied for citizenship to become citizens.
Some speakers at the rally used their time at the microphone to criticize general U.S. policy on immigration as well. Recent University law graduate Tony Garcia said his parents were undocumented immigrants who worked and paid taxes, but they could not use many services such as the police because of fear that they would be deported. Other speakers promoted immigrants’ rights, saying the U.S. is a land of immigrants.
A few critics made their voices heard. Junior history major Timothy Lowrey shouted to demonstrators that illegal immigrants in the country have broken the law and that they should not be allowed to cut in line in front of others who have legally applied.
“They’re correct that no person is illegal, but there is a difference between illegal residents and legal residents,” Lowrey said. “If I were to cross over into Mexico or any other country illegally, they’d put me in jail. Yet when they come here illegally, they expect to be welcomed.”
Lowrey said he opposes amnesty for illegal immigrants and supports strictly enforcing immigration laws and building the wall along the border. He said he wrote to Sensenbrenner thanking him for the bill.
Pena said even people against illegal immigration should oppose the bill because of the taxpayer costs of jailing and deporting immigrants.
“It doesn’t matter if you are anti-immigration. This bill will affect you, too,” she said.
The rally ended with speakers encouraging demonstrators to vote and to contact their legislators.
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