The immigration debate was a family matter at the Las Americas Business Center in Lynnwood last Monday. Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons made protest signs and drove to Seattle for the May 1 protest march.
The message: We live here. We work here. We want to be treated fairly.
“We are not criminals. We are not terrorists,” said Fabian Quiroga, 22, of Lynnwood. “They are hard-working people. They came for a better life.”
Quiroga was one of about a dozen people who met at the Las Americas Business Center Monday afternoon and traveled together to Seattle to join the immigrant march. They expected to be joined by dozens of family and friends from Snohomish and King County.
As a U.S. citizen and son of an immigrant, Quiroga marched to support his family and friends. He is worried that the economy will suffer and families will be split apart if undocumented immigrants are deported.
Juan Peralez, 57, who also met at the Las Americas Business Center, agreed. Immigrants need a safe, legal way to live and work in the United States and, if possible, become citizens, Peralez said.
“We do not want indentured servitude. We want to be treated like everybody else,” said Peralez. “Right now, there is no mechanism for people who are here illegally to gain residency.”
Peralez has watched immigration policies and attitudes change over the years. About 50 years ago, his father traveled between America and Mexico as a documented migrant worker. After a few years, he decided to stay. With a letter of recommendation from his employer, he applied for and obtained his residency papers.
“It worked then. Why can’t it work now?” he said.
Today, it is much more difficult to become a legal guest worker or a citizen, he said. Rosa (a woman who declined to give her real name), said she could not find a job in her native land, Mexico, that paid enough money to feed and clothe herself or her family.
To provide for her family, Rosa entered the United States in 1988 and obtained fake identification. She said she works at a manufacturing company and pays her taxes. Her employer does not know that she is here illegally, she said.
Her sister, who is a U.S. citizen, applied on Rosa’s behalf so that Rosa can live in the U.S. legally. Government officials said it would take at least eight years before she can enter the country legally, Rosa said.
“I am lucky,” she said.
Born in the U.S., Rosa’s children are citizens and attend local schools. Here, in America, she can provide for them.
When asked why she was marching, Rosa said, “My papers. I hope to get my papers.”
As she spoke, four school girls put their protests signs in the car. One read: “I am a school girl. My father is a farmer. We are not criminals.”
Spot checks with large south Snohomish and north King County employers — including city governments — uncovered little impact from absenteeism related to the protests.
In Edmonds, El Puerto, a Mexican restaurant, closed due to employees wanting to join the protest, reported owner Ramon Garcia. “We have to support those guys. I had to close because I didn’t have workers,” said Garcia, who said he did not personally attend the march.
Alvaro Castillo, owner of Las Brisas Mexican restaurant in Harbor Square, said “six or seven” employees attended the protest but the restaurant was open normal hours. “A lot of places said, ‘If you go, don’t come back the next day.’ No way. It’s only one day. It’s okay.
“This is just politics,” Castillo continued. “If they (illegal aliens) do something bad, go after them. Otherwise, just let people work.”
McDonald’s on Edmonds Way offered only drive-through service from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday. Management deferred to the Northwest region office of McDonald’s USA, which issued a statement that read in part:
“McDonald’s strongly supports comprehensive U.S. immigration reform. Immigrants have contributed to the growth and prosperity of our nation and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
“Some of our employees may be participating in today’s activities. We respect their right to do so.
“We encourage those who share our belief that the laws need to be changed to protect our employees, employers and ensure the security of our nation’s borders, to contact Congress and let your voice be heard by those who can change the law.”
Enterprise writers Jenny Lynn Zappala and Sue Waldburger contributed to this story.
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