San Bernardino County Sun

http://www.sbsun.com/Stories/0,1413,208~12588~2577214,00.html

Day-laborer protesters, backers clash at popular SB hiring spot

By STEPHEN WALL
Staff Writer

Saturday, December 04, 2004 - SAN BERNARDINO -

The debate over illegal immigration reached the streets Saturday morning, as groups clashed at a popular gathering spot for day laborers seeking work.

About 20 opponents of illegal immigrants showed up at Highland Avenue and Lincoln Drive about 8 a.m. to protest against men seeking work at the nearby Home Depot and the employers who hire them.

A group of about 50 counter-demonstrators rallied across the street in favor of the day laborers.

The protests were peaceful, although police instructed both sides not to taunt or yell insults at each other.

Day-labor advocates chanted in Spanish, while their opponents responded in English.

"You're a drain. You're a tax on our economy,' shouted Jared Turner, a 26-year-old Perris resident.

"We are taking our land back,' replied Ron Gochez, a 23-year-old UCLA graduate student who came to support the day laborers. "You don't like it, but it's the reality.'

The rally against illegal immigrants was organized by Joe Turner, a 27-year-old Ventura resident.

Turner pulled together people who participated in a protest earlier this year against Rep. David Dreier, R-Glendora, who represents Rancho Cucamonga and Wrightwood.

Turner's "loose confederation of like-minded souls' got free publicity for the rally on American Patrol, a Web site by Arizona-based immigration opponent Glenn Spencer.

Immigrant-rights activists found out about the protest from the Web site and decided to hold a counter-demonstration.

Organizing it were Libreria del Pueblo, a San Bernardino immigrant assistance organization, and the National Day Laborers Organizing Network.

Day laborers who normally solicit work from passing motorists on their way to Home Depot participated in the rally, holding signs in English and Spanish espousing their message.

"We don't want to have to rob or sell drugs to be able to eat,' Javier Soto, a 29-year-old Mexican immigrant said, speaking in Spanish. "We are here looking for work. We're not criminals.'

Soto, who has a green card, held a sign saying, "Protect and Serve the Day Workers.'

Roberto Arreola, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, called the protesters against the workers racists.

"If they really want to change this country, they have to do the work we do, like in the factories and in the fields,' Arreola, 29, said, speaking in Spanish. "They don't want to do that because they have the good life. Unfortunately, we don't have the same opportunity.'

Arreola grew angry at a sign across the street that read, "Bin Laden Loves Open Borders.'

"It's an insult to us,' said Arreola, a San Bernardino resident. "We're not terrorists. We're not invaders. We're just trying to survive and feed our families.'

Turner, who held the bin Laden sign, said terrorists could easily sneak across a porous 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border.

"We need to end illegal immigration and close down our borders,' he said.

Tony Quayle, a 22-year-old Highland resident, said he can't cope with the illegal invasion.

"I'm a minority in my own country,' said Quayle, carrying a large American flag on his shoulder. "I was a minority in the high school I went to. I'm tired of learning a second language to earn more money when English is the language in this country.'

Earlier this year, a group of day laborers met with San Bernardino officials to discuss the possibility of opening a center for workers to gather and seek temporary employment. But talks have stalled.

Police have received complaints from nearby residents, businesses and Home Depot customers who say that some workers drink, deal drugs, urinate in public and harass passing motorists.

A new ordinance that took effect last month allows police to issue citations for "aggressive solicitation' of work, City Attorney James F. Penman said Saturday.

"If they were to walk out to a car in the street, that would be prohibited,' Penman said.

He said he didn't know if anybody has been cited under the ordinance, but "I'm sure they are going to be.'

The new ordinance is patterned after a law adopted by Los Angeles, which was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union several years ago. The ACLU argued that Los Angeles' former anti-solicitation ordinance was unconstitutional. The case was settled when the city approved a new ordinance that was acceptable to the ACLU.

Day-labor advocates brought another lawsuit against the city of Redondo Beach last month, arguing that its ordinance violated the First Amendment.

Redondo Beach has stopped enforcing its ordinance while the case is litigated, said Chris Newman, legal programs coordinator for the National Day Laborers Organizing Network.

Newman said San Bernardino's ordinance, like Redondo Beach's, is unconstitutional. He wouldn't say if his group planned a legal challenge against San Bernardino's law.

"There's nothing inherently illegal about looking for work on a street corner,' Newman said.

Penman said he believes San Bernardino's ordinance will stand up in court because it has a precedent in Los Angeles.

"We're going to enforce ours,' he said. "I'm sure someone will challenge it.'