I read about this protest in the NY Times.
Photo From NY Times
In an escalation of protest tactics, five immigrants dressed in caps and gowns held a sit-in on Monday at the Tucson offices of Senator John McCain, calling on him to sponsor legislation to open a path to legal status for young illegal immigrants.
Four of the protesters, including three who are in the country illegally, were arrested Monday evening on misdemeanor trespassing charges. The three were expected to face deportation proceedings.
It was the first time students have directly risked deportation in an effort to prompt Congress to take up a bill that would benefit illegal immigrant youths.
The folks in the picture of the protesters seemed rather old to be students, so I did some legwork. Tania Unzueta, for example, traveled a long way to protest outside McCain’s office. In fact, she came from Chicago.
As you can see, she is the person from the protest. She also has a website.
Tania Unzueta is a queer, Latina immigrant rights activist living in Chicago. She works at 90.5 FM WRTE, as director of their journalism and digital media training program, and as producer of Sin Papeles, a Spanish-language radio show on immigration issues. She is also a member of the Chicago Dyke March Collective, and the Immigrant Youth Justice League.
So then, the question is, who is paying these folks to be here? Apparently, several of the “students” were arrested, and may face deportation. However, Unzueta descided to leave before arrests were made. I wonder why she left her “comrades” to face deportation, while saving herself? We’ll probably never have an adequate answer for that, but it seems interesting.
Also at the protest was Lizbeth Mateo.
“I’ve been organizing for years, and a lot of my friends have become frustrated and lost hope,” said one of the students, Lizbeth Mateo, 25. “We don’t have any more time to be waiting. I really believe this year we can make it happen.”
Here is some additional information on Ms. Mateo from The Dream is Coming.
- Graduate of California State University of Northridge, B.A. in Chican@ Studies
- Founding member of Dreams To Be Heard, a support and advocacy group at California State University of Northridge
- Co-?founder of Dream Team Los Angeles, a youth-?led organization of students, educators, and community members seeking to empower immigrant youth
- Testified at the California state capitol on the barriers faced by undocumented youth
- Testified in Congress on the urgent need for the DREAM Act
So, again, it seems that these folks are organizers, as well as staying in this country illegally.
Sadly, when we see a leftist protest, we almost always have to assume that some other party is funding it. These “activists” come from various parts of the country. While the “Dream is Coming” website seems to be the lowest common denominator, there is no clear evidence posted of where they are getting their funding. Someone has to be paying for the website, as well as for legal defense, and their transportation, they’re just being deceptive in not posting it.
They are setting themselves up for deportation (with the noteable exception if Ms. Unzueta). I see this as being done for the emotional impact. If I wanted to “fight fire with fire,” I could post the names and pictures of people that have been killed by illegal aliens, but since I’m not on the left, I’d be condemned for it.
Well we’re seeing it from all sides at this point. We have La Raza calling for revolution, leftists lying about the Arizona bill for all they’re worth, and now these “activists,” that are trying to put a human face on the human trafficking, drug running, murder, rape, molestation, over crowded prisons, closed hospitals, budget deficits, decreasing wages, and communist revolutionaries, that are all part of the illegal immigration debate.
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Just a thought, but if this group of protesters would stop organizing long enough, maybe they could do what it takes to get on the path of legal residency. Instead, they choose to remain illegal and then want to protest because someone doesn’t gift wrap legal residency for them. Call me harsh or whatever, I just do not understand why so many people feel sorry for illegals when they are clearly not trying to help themselves.
In a sense, they are trying to help themselves, to our country. Sarcasm aside, I do agree. The legal way does not provide instant gratification, nor does it allow sufficient numbers here to retake any amount of the country.
I think you are 100% correct when you wrote that this protest was held for emotional impact. They want to portray these people has helpless victims who only want what is right. They hope to play on the hearts of Americans in order to achieve amnesty for illegals.
Great legwork on this Matt, it certainly appears as if this was an organized effort and it had to be funded from somewhere.
They’re trying to get people to react emotionally. They fail to recognize that this tired tactic isn’t quite working anymore. I’m working on a post with facts to correct them.
The American public is getting tired of hearing about the poor illegal immigrants who take American jobs, use American benefits, and then complain that they are not being treated fairly and demand they get amnesty. Just the other week there was a story where there were a bunch of illegal immigrants working somewhere and when they were found out and removed Americans lined up for jobs, so much for Jobs Americans won’t do.
And come to think about it there was another country that let illegal immigrants come into their country when they fled from bad circumstances and stay, they would come to regret that too, that happened almost two thousand years a go and that country was Rome. They let people fleeing from Attila the Hun stay in their country and some started setting up their own kingdoms.
Well said Solomon. I think the well has run dry on sympathy. I think as bloggers and other alternative media sources continue to expose the real cost of illegal immigration, their cries will fall of deaf ears.
Hey this is Tania Unzueta, as you can see, I’m the person in the pictures above. Just to clarify, I am indeed a student, and will be starting my masters degree in Chicago next fall. Yay! Also, just a clarification none of us participating in this organizing are getting paid. We are all doing this by being volunteers and fund raising from our own families and friends. This is as real as organizing gets. Thanks for promoting our website! Aren’t we undocumented immigrants talented web designers and organizers?
NOTE: This appears to be Tania Unzueta. The email address checks out, but the IP is coming from San Diego. At any rate, it might be her.
Ms. Unzueta, I am not publicizing your site, I am exposing your actions. You are attempting to distract from the death, crime, and economic loss that you, and other illegals cause for our country.
I do have two questions:
1. What gives you the right to violate our laws, assist others in doing so, and then demand amnesty?
2. Why did you abandon your friends to face deportation? I wonder where your strength of conviction is there. You can post at my site and claim that I’m publicizing yours, and all the while, your friends are in ICE custody.
We’ll see if we get a response.
i doubt you’ll get a response, activists like this aren’t interested in anyone else’s opinion nor have any respect for anyone apart from their own various beliefs.
If you do get a response, it’ll just be some platitudes that paper over the borders remaining porous and illegals getting an exemption from the laws of the land. They just don’t care about the security of the nation or maintaining any sense of justice for the taxpayers and law-abiding.
You make some good assumptions based on the behavior of other leftist “organizers.” I will allow this one the opportunity. Her response, or lack thereof, will speak volumes. After all, she’s “brave” enough to speak out here, yet left her friends in ICE custody. Not exactly the stand up thing to do.
Nice work, Matt. These people have one hell of a nerve.
They certainly do. Thanks Karen.
Nice work, Matt. Unfortunately for the Tasmanian devil with the nose ring in your post, I won’t be giving her any hits … your word is good with me. If I remember correctly from my own days “going for my master’s degree” … I had a full-time job, but it wasn’t with Organizing for America.
And she still hasn’t answered the question why she left early.
But, don’t worry, people who make themselves “known” usually get what they deserve. I’m sure her master’s degree will do her well when she has to go back to Mexico and use an outhouse.
She isn’t going to answer. I’m getting the idea that they weren’t anticipating any meaningful attention.
Unfortunately, while they force themselves upon us and our country, they could be learning english and have begun a path to citizenship. These people do want a violent revolution, and want all the entitlements in our country that they are not entitled to, promoting the spread of Marxism, and are behaving in an irresponsible manner. Gee… I guess they could “assimilate” into the Democratic Party (sarcasm).
Heh, the Dems think that they’re going to assimilate the illegals.
If you had really done your research, you would know why I walked out. I have explained it in several interviews…. and you have not seen the last of us, or me, yet. Hope you have a good day.
We assumed you wouldn’t provide a substantive answer to any question. You certainly didn’t disappoint.