Activists rally against sweeps targeting illegal immigrants

By Monica Rodriguez, Staff Writer
Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
Article Launched:01/27/2007 12:22:42 AM PST
Photo by Marc Campos/Staff Photographer

POMONA - A group of about 200 people marched through downtown Friday calling for an end to recent immigration sweeps.

Day laborers, college students, clergy and others walked from the 1600 block of West Mission Boulevard to Gordon Street chanting slogans and holding signs in both English and Spanish.

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Among the marchers was Roberto Aguila of Pomona, who is here illegally and works as a day laborer.

The general construction worker said he joined the march because the sweeps are unfair and he would like the nation's leaders, including President Bush, to address the immigration issue.

"President Bush must realize there should be legalization soon so people can get driver's licenses and identification cards and go out on the street without fear," he said.

Aguila said he came here from the Mexican state of Jalisco in 1992. He has returned to his native country twice but found he needed to come back.

"There is work (in Mexico) but the wages are low and the cost of everything high," he said.

Let me get this straight, their country is incapable or unwilling to make the necessary changes to help its own people so the U.S. is obligated to allow them to violate her sovereignty, break the law and then provide benefits for them. I don't think so! -mm