University community members rallied near the Amphitheater yesterday as part of a national effort to protest the recent legislation approved by theU.S. House of Representatives which could affect the lives of approximately 11 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.
In 2005 there were 1,578 non-resident aliens enrolled at the University, according to the University's online Institutional Assessment and Studies Data Catalogue.
HR 4437 was passed by the House in December and is known as the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005.
The U.S. Senate is currently debating the House's bill and has yet to finish their version of the bill.
Third-year College student Melissa Guillen said student protesters are opposed to the bill because it would classify all illegal immigrants and those who help them as criminals.
The bill states that one who "assists, encourages, directs or induces a person to reside in or remain in the United States ... knowing or in reckless disregard of the fact that such person is an alien who lacks lawful authority to reside in or remain in the United States" can face penalties.
Certain provisions of the bill have proven to be particularly controversial. Federation for American Immigration Reform spokesperson Susan Wysoki said many people are misinterpreting the intent of the legislation.
"I think that there have been some concerns about felony provisions for church workers and priests who are giving communion," Wysoki said.
Wysoki said she thinks the legislation is fine as it is; everyone needs to understand that the intent of the legislation is not to criminalize soup kitchen workers and religious leaders.
According to Wysoki, the legislation is important because it addresses the issues of border security and enforcement as well as enforcement of laws against companies that hire illegal aliens.
The bill states that anyone who knowingly hires at least 10 unauthorized aliens within any 12-month period can be fined or imprisoned for up to 5 years.
Student protesters saw the bill as inhumane.
"We know immigration is an issue, but HR 4437 is not a solution," student Melissa Guillen said, noting that the bill would prevent immigrants from receiving adequate health care, food, education and work.
La Alianza President Patrick Martinez said the protest lasted for 3.6 hours in order to represent the 3.6 percent of the University population that is Latino.
Martinez said the protest on Grounds attracted an "eclectic group," not just La Alianza members.
"A lot of them, I have no idea who they are," Martinez said.
Martinez said some University students also participated in a rally in Washington, D.C. yesterday afternoon.
The event in Washington, organized by the National Capital Immigration Coalition, was expected to attract over 200,000 participants, coalition member Avril Smith said.
A number of organizations, including labor unions, religious groups, student groups and small businesses have helped to organize the effort, Smith said.
Smith said the coalition would support legislation which would create a plan to allow immigrants to gain citizenship after returning to the border, paying taxes and generally "playing by the rules." The coalition would also like to see an "orderly, controlled process" created for future immigrants, she added.
Such a process would result in increased national security and would reduce the number of border enforcement issues, Smith said.
Martinez said he is uncertain about what will happen next in Congress.
"I'm kind of scared," Martinez said. "The news changes every day."
Politics Prof. Larry J. Sabato said it's too early to say what the end result of this debate will be.
Sabato noted, however, that the decision could have a significant impact on future elections.
"Arguably, the party that gets its wish will be the dominant party as the Hispanic and Latino vote grows [during] the 21st century," Sabato said.
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