Illegal immigration continues to rile Southwest County
By: JOSE CARVAJAL - Staff Writer | ∞
Illegal immigration continued to be a hot-button issue in Southwest County ---- so much so that a popular Los Angeles talk radio duo came to the region in support of a state border police initiative.
In the same year that activists took to patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border as part of the Minuteman Project and other similar efforts, KFI's John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou broadcast their daily show in November from Warm Springs Middle School in Murrieta to amplify the effort attempting to put the measure before voters.
The ballot initiative was the brainchild of Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, and though backers were unable to garner the 600,000 signatures necessary to get the measure on the June 2006 ballot, the initiative received a lot of local support. In August, more than 30 supporters rallied for four hours in front of Brunswick Cal Oaks Bowl in Murrieta with petitions in hand.
Murrieta wasn't the only place in Southwest County where anti-illegal immigration sentiment continued to simmer in 2005.
Among the Riverside County residents who went to Arizona as part of the Minuteman Project to patrol the border in early 2005 was Temecula resident Arne Chandler. At a rally in Naco, Ariz., Chandler said that the goal was to send a message to President Bush.
"What we hope this will accomplish is that our message will get back to Bush that the American public wants our immigration laws enforced and our borders secured," he said.
"Our word to him is that we are being vigilant, which is watchful," he added. "We're doing the job that he is not doing and that he is not letting our Border Patrol do."
In June, Temecula leaders got an earful from activists who contended that day-laborers in the city are illegal immigrants. The Temecula City Council was set to discuss possible ways to deal with day laborers loitering on Butterfield Stage Road, but were first bombarded with comments from riled residents.
One of those to address the council on June 28 likened the day-laborers' soliciting work on Butterfield Stage Road to prostitution.
"If there were illegal alien women and they were soliciting as prostitutes, I have no doubt Temecula would clean it up in 15 seconds," said anti-illegal immigration activist Freeman Sawyer, a former resident who is a member of the Temecula-based Citizens Alliance for a Secure America. "There should be equal treatment for men. They are violating laws."
To handle the day laborer situation, the city posted "No stopping" signs on Butterfield Stage Road ---- with some apparent success. In October, police officials said that day laborers weren't standing around on the road as much as they used to.
And in February, some locals reacted just as forcefully to President Bush's renewed call for a guest-worker program for new foreign workers and undocumented immigrants.
Sawyer, again, was one of those who spoke up.
"I would say that this is absolutely the worst idea that has come along in a long time," Sawyer said. "We have currently in the U.S. an estimate of 20 million illegal aliens. We have 10 percent of Mexico's population living in our country. Most people are not interested in bringing more illegal aliens into the U.S., no matter what you call them or how you get them here. We have enough."
The reaction to Bush's plan wasn't all negative.
"A lot of people are hungry. There's no work in Mexico. (And when there is), they pay very little money," said Moses Lopez, a laborer who is working in the United States legally.
Still, anti-illegal immigration sentiment dominated the ongoing dialogue on immigration in 2005 in Southwest Riverside County.
Contact staff writer Jose Carvajal at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2624, or jcarvajal@californian.com.
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June wrote on Jan 1, 2006 4:10 PM:People are not only tired in the Southwest. They are tired all over the country. It wasn't illegal aliens that built this country, or made it great. America produced the architects, artists, musicians, teachers, inventors, builders, entreprenuers, financiers and all the bright people it took to build a great nation like the United States. Those old enough to remember what this country once was, are as sad as I am today, on my 75th birthday,to see what has become of our land.We are told we are lazy, so we must accept illegal aliens to do the work we disdain. We are stupid, so we must import foreign workers to continue building this country. We must be politically correct and welcome those who refuse to assimilate in the name of multiculturalism and diversity . We must apologize for wanting to assure the sovereignty of our nation and the security of our borders. This is all courtesy of our elected officials who are obsessed with making us the next third world nation. I hope as they leave office, they collect their thirty pieces of silver.
Anthony wrote on Jan 2, 2006 10:14 AM:Sir, I am not 75 but 38 and remember that somewhat and know my great grand parents do who came to this country legally. It truly is a shame on our country. I am a third generation Mexican-American but American first, who, feels that illegal immigration is has been and will be a greater problem because of the failure of these immigrants to assimilate, when you add the political correctness of our native population why would they want to assimilate there’s no need to learn English or anything about our country and some are even saying that it was there country to begin with. What ever happened to the melting pot. “America First”
Anne wrote on Jan 2, 2006 3:28 PM:I totally agree with Anthony and Anne. This is the time to use our right as voters and get rid of all those who will ruin our country. Enforce our immigration laws and do not patronize any who hire illegals, inparticular those who have anything to do with the food industry. Are these people carrying contagious diseases such as tuberculosis? A good place to start is with Walmart and some storefront cafe's. My pet peeve is all the hyphenated-Americans, either we are Americans or not. We are being downgraded to a third world country. In 1848, when we reached the Halls of Montzuma, we should have stayed there. Then Mexico would have progressed as we have.
Amy wrote on Jan 3, 2006 5:31 AM:Illegal immigration is just that-Illegal. By allowing it to continue it promotes other illegal activity to occur. For example, to allow day laborers to hang out on corners and in a community has other negative effects. I currently live near the much contested day labor site in Herndon, VA and residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the increase in overcrowded housing in the area where as many as 20 people rent space in a single house designed for a family of 6. Low income Day laborers have to live somewhere after all, but when it becomes a huge issue that touches a large part of a small community, like it has in Herndon and surrounding communities, people start to worry about their property values declining and wonder why they pay taxes when their quality of life keeps going down but their taxes still increase every year. Contractors in the area are also finding it difficult to compete with competitors who are hiring day laborers in an effort to outbid others for contruction contracts and other lucrative jobs in the area-some that are even local, state, and federally funded such as road enhancement projects. In Herndon, VA the city has now spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in county tax funds to try and elimintate the day laborer impact on the community. While they may have elimintated the eye sore of men hanging out at the local 7-11, it does not erase the fact that tax payer money is going to support a large illegal immigrant population. Efectively aiding people who have broken our nations laws. Herndon residents are among the most heavily taxed in the state of Virginia. As a current bennefit, they must fight increased crime, overcrowded housing, and overcrowded schools. I for one am tired of a segment of our society getting a free ride, free work assistance, health, education, and federal services when the people have not even bothered to follow our nations laws in the first place. I am a big fan of LEGAL Immigration since it has traditionally been one of our nations greatest strengths. But I am opposed to helping people who are in this country illegally.
Bob wrote on Jan 6, 2006 9:01 PM:Funny how in other parts of the country kids, college and high school, are doing the work illegals here are doing
Josh wrote on May 1, 2008 7:30 AM:Maybe there wouldn't be an employment problem if we did not have over 20 million undocumented workers in this country.
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