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In 2006, millions of people were involved in protests over a proposed reform to existing United States immigration laws. The protests began in response to proposed legislation known as H.R. 4437, which would raise penalties for illegal immigration and classify illegal aliens and anyone who helped them enter or remain in the US as felons. As part of the wider immigration debate, most protests not only seek an overhaul of this bill, but also a path to legalization for those who have entered America illegally and fewer Immigration Services delays.

The largest national turnout of protests occurred on April 10, 2006, in 102 cities, and were the largest demonstrations in many years in cities such as Dallas, Texas, (estimated crowd 500,000), Chicago, Illinois, (estimated crowd 100,000), Atlanta, Georgia , (estimated 60,000), Salt Lake City, Utah, (estimated 40,000), Seattle, Washington, (estimated 30,000) and Madison, Wisconsin, (estimate 25,000). Almost all of the protests were peaceful and attracted considerable media attention, although there was also controversy over what many people considered anti-American symbolism at some of the protests. Additional protests took place on May Day and a many protesters that day carried portraits of revolutionary icon Che Guevara. Socialists and others left-wing organizations joined the protesters.

Role of Spanish-language media

Spanish-language media outlets, in particular Univision and Telemundo and various Spanish-language radio stations across the country, in large part aided in mobilizing people for the protests. Eduardo Sotelo, a Spanish-language radio personality from Los Angeles and known by the nickname El Piolin, persuaded eleven of his counterparts from Spanish-language radio stations based in Los Angeles to also rally listeners to attend planned protests. Gillian Flaccus, The Boston Globe: "Spanish-language media credited on pro-immigrant rallies" March 29, 2006 Melissa Block, NPR-All Things Considered: "Spanish D.J. Organizes Immigration-Reform Protests" March 28, 2006 NPR-Day to Day: "Immigration Protests, Part 1: Spanish-Language Media" April 7, 2006

Role of the Internet

Internet community sites containing personal blogs also played a significant role in helping to "get the word out" on the dates and locations for the marches and demonstration protests. Whereas Spanish language radio concentrated on the Spanish speaking audience only, the Internet catered to Mexican-Americans and other Hispanic youths. MySpace.com in particular was seen as a significant source for attracting the youth who speak English. Because of the Internet, the various marches and demonstrations which occurred around the nation attracted more than merely the illegal aliens, immigrant advocate nonprofit organizations and churches. The Internet was directly responsible for attracting a large percentage of the English speaking Hispanic American youth.

Controversy and backlash over flag symbolism and protests

The initial protests caused some controversy after a number of protesters waved Mexican and Central American flags. The issue of these flags was also repeated by media outlets and columnists.foreign flag rule" by Clarence Page, The Baltimore Sun, April 14, 2006, accessed April 14, 2006. One particular incident referred to involved a protest at Montebello High School in California, where a Mexican flag was raised on a flagpole over an United States flag flying in the distressed (or upside-down) position.Student punished for American flag incident by Tracy Garcia, Whittier Daily News, April 1, 2006, and "The American Flag Comes Second" by Michelle Malkin, posted March 29, 2006 01:15 AM. Both accessed April 14, 2006.

Because of the controversy, organizers of the protests encouraged protesters to leave their Mexican flags at home, with Cardinal Roger Mahony telling Los Angeles protesters to not fly any flag other than the United States flag because, "...they do not help us get the legislation we need.""Protesters work to change image" by Peter Prengaman, Associated Press, Long Beach Press-Telegram, April 11, 2006, accessed April 14, 2006. As a result of this controversy later protests featured fewer Mexican flags and more protesters carrying American flags."Immigrants Must Choose" by Charles Krauthammer, The Washington Post, April 14, 2006, accessed April 14, 2006. This fact, though, did not end the controversy over the protests, with some commentators and bloggers also questioning the statements on signs held by certain protesters, which they described as racist and anti-American."The Signs You Don't See..." by Michelle Malkin, posted April 11, 2006 12:14 PM, accessed April 14, 2006.

The Mexica Movement was the most notable group promoting controversial messages which were seen in the Los Angeles and Dallas marches. Their organization carried large signs stating "All Europeans Are Illegal On This Continent Since 1492" and "We are the ONLY owners of this continent!." They also carried large posters depicting Wisconsin Congressman James Sensenbrenner as a Nazi and the North American continent displayed under the heading, "Stolen Continent."

As part of the backlash over the protests and the controversy over the flag symbolism issue, a group who call themselves "Border Guardians" burned a Mexican flag in front of the Mexican Consulate in Tucson, Arizona, on April 9, 2006."Mexico says U.S. group burning Mexican flag is unacceptable" KVOA TV, Tucson, AZ, April 11, 2006, accessed April 14, 2006. The following day the group proceeded to burn two Mexican flags during protest in Tucson, Arizona, which was estimated to have had 15,000 participants. After the police seized a student who had thrown a water bottle at the "Border Guardians" followed the police officers calling for them to let the student go. As the situation escalated violence broke out and 6 were arrested with dozens being pepper-sprayed. The next day the police arrested the leader of the Border Guardians, Roy Warden, for charges including assault and starting a fire in a public park.

In addition, California's Oceanside Unified School District "banned flags and signs from its campuses after Mexican flag-wavers clashed with U.S. flag-wavers."foreign flag rule" by Clarence Page, The Baltimore Sun, April 14, 2006, accessed April 14, 2006.

While most of the protests have been peaceful, a May 1 protest in Los Angeles turned violent, with protesters throwing bottles at police. "Immigration Protest Turns Violent" Associated Press Video, filmed by KABC, accessed on RedOrbit Video News May 2, 2006.

Citizens opposed to illegal immigration have also been active. The Washington Post recently reported that, in one U.S. town, a day labor center at which suspected illegal immigrants congregated was closed and its mayor and two aldermen were voted out of office as a result of immigration concerns. *,*

Membership in the Minuteman Project increased due in part to backlash from the protests. * On May 3, responding to the May 1 boycotts, the Minutemen embarked on a caravan across the United States in an effort to bring attention to the need for border enforcement. The caravan was expected to reach Washington D.C. on May 12.

Timeline

February

El Puente Magazine

March

  • March 25: 750,000 (average estimate) marched from Olympic and Broadway to the City Hall in Los Angeles in what was called by a coalition "La Gran Marcha" (aka "The Grand March"). According to the Los Angeles Police Department, "500,000 plus" marched to City Hall in protest the proposed Congressional legislation HR 4437 which passed the House of Representatives and moved onto the Senate for debate. Organizers and other group participants estimated the crowd at closer to or over one million.
  • March 25: 50,000 demonstrated in front of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver.Kirk Mitchell and Annette Espinoza, Tens of thousands protest bill, Denver Post, March 25, 2006
  • March 26: 7,000 people rallied at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.*
  • March 27: 50,000 marched to the McNamara Federal Building in Detroit.
  • March 29: 8,000-9,000 marched from The Coliseum to Legislative Plaza in Nashville.
  • March 31: High school students protested in several cities.
  • 3,000 high school and middle school students in Las Vegas walk out of class to protest. Some college and community college students join them on their protest; many were charged with truancy.

  • Approximately 6,000 people met at Chicano Park in San Diego and walked through Downtown to City College. Most of the attendees were from several middle and high schools.

April

  • April 1: Thousands rallied at the Oklahoma state capital in Oklahoma City.
  • April 1: 10,000 marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to Foley Square in New York City.Herbert Lowe, Rally in NYC, Newsday, April 2, 2006
  • April 6: Hundreds of Aurora, Illinois students left school to march downtown to protest.*
  • April 8: Several hundred people rally at Chicano Park in San Diego. http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2006/04/115129.shtml
  • April 9: Demonstrations in several cities across the United States, including:

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "2006 U.S. immigration reform protests".

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