Dalton residents part of immigration march
Published 9:39 pm Sunday, March 21, 2010
Frustrated with the pace of action to overhaul the country’s immigration system, thousands of demonstrators descended on the nation’s capital Sunday, including several from the Dalton area, waving American flags and holding homemade signs in English and Spanish.
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“People are seeking social justice,” Dalton resident Dr. Pablo Perez said during a phone interview while he was participating in the march. “They are asking the president to follow through with the promises he made … for immigration reform.”
Perez, who is a physician at St. Joseph’s Clinic, said he sees many families that have been broken apart because of the current immigration reform, and he’s worried about the emotional impact that has on children in the Dalton community.
Demonstrators from all over the country were asking for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants to be given a pathway to legalization and to stop deportations that separate family members.
“It’s a thrill,” said Saul Adame of Dalson about Sunday’s demonstration. Adame, co-founder of the Dalton-based Latin-American Community Alliance (ACLA), also traveled to D.C. for the march.
“This is like people coming out of the shadows filled with hope and a lot of expectations,” he said. “It’s very exciting. We have a long way to go, but I think it’s a really good, nice start.”
President Barack Obama, who promised to make overhauling the immigration system a top priority in his first year, sought to reassure those at the rally with a video message presented on giant screens at the National Mall. The president said he was committed to working with Congress this year on a comprehensive bill to fix a “broken immigration system.”
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Obama said problems include families being torn apart, employers gaming the system and police officers struggling to keep communities safe.
The president, whose comments were released as he worked to get last-minute votes on a health care overhaul, said he would do everything in his power to forge a bipartisan consensus on immigration reform.
Jessica Hernandez, 19, who works as a waitress in Dalton, said she went to the march because she has friends who are in the area illegally and can’t continue their education without documents.
“We don’t want words,” she said in response to Obama’s message. “We want action. I’m trying to fight for what I believe in. I hope Obama gives illegal people documents so they can have a better future for them and their families. … We’re tired of people being departed from their families. That’s what’s happening here in Dalton.”
Angel Silva, also of ACLA, said most of the illegal immigrants he knows want to be in the country legally.
“They are looking for a better opportunity,” said Silva. “They want to pay taxes. They want to be part of America. These individuals are working families like you and me just trying to provide food and shelter to their kids and make a better life. I’m here to support these individuals. … We are trying to make sure Obama keeps his promise. We’re here to remind him of that promise.
“It’s been very exciting,” he said. “It’s been a historic situation. I’ve been to several marches, but this has been the biggest I’ve ever been to. It’s amazing to see all these people come united to this location, all for the same thing.”
In the background as Silva spoke via cell phone from the march, demonstrators chanted “Si, se puede,” which translates to “Yes, we can.” He said the march was for all immigrates, not just Hispanics.
“We’re not just talking about Latinos,” Silva said. “There’s several other races — people from Asia, Europe. Give them the passage. Give them to opportunity to legalize. Give an opportunity to working families.”
Authorities in D.C. don’t provide crowd estimates.
Adame said Sunday is just the beginning.
“We won’t stop until we get results,” he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report