Recent controversy over illegal immigration has made its way to UB, and a protest held Monday reflected the concerns of UB students in regards to a House of Represented resolution that is at the center of the immigration debate.
The resolution, known as House Resolution 4437, would make being an illegal immigrant a felony and penalize employers for hiring illegal immigrants.
Proponents of the House bill say that illegal immigrants are breaking the law and that they take American jobs away from legal citizens and cost taxpayers money. They are now recognizing that some kind of legislation is needed to stem the tide of illegal immigration.
Some consider the situation is unfair to countless other immigrants, who enter the country and become citizens legally. Carlos Lizarraga, a junior nursing major who organized the April 10 rally, disagrees and sees the issue as being racially motivated.
"We will continue to fight," he said. "We will continue to speak up."
Organizers made t-shirts for the rally that read, "I am an immigrant," "You are an immigrant," and "We are immigrants." The other side of their shirts had the word "Felon," crossed out in red.
About 50 people were said to have turned out for the April 10 rally, according to several students present at the event.
Lizarraga said the rallies are not only in protest of the status of the controversial resolution, but are ensuing to raise awareness of the overall immigration debate, which has been plagued by bipartisan conflict and is currently stalled in the Senate until officials come back from break.
Organizers are planning a second rally in support of immigrant rights on May 1, where a larger turnout is expected. The April 10 and May 1 rally dates are part of a larger national movement by immigrants' rights groups across the country.
"We're trying to make it 20 times bigger," Lizarraga said. "I saw people at the rally who told me they're going to bring five or more people with them on May 1."
Lizarraga said he is strongly motivated in his work on the upcoming UB rally and that he identifies with the immigrant rights cause, having come to America from Bolivia at the age of 3.
He declined to give more information on his parents' plight for U.S. citizenship, but said that in America, everyone is an immigrant.
"Some people seem to think this is just a Mexican problem, but it's not like that," Lizarraga said. "People come in from all over the world."
Lizarraga also believes that it is impossible for anyone to be considered illegal.
"No human is illegal," Lizarraga said. "We all deserve equal rights, and we won't tolerate discrimination."
Indoallana Quinones, vice president for Poder, Latinos Unidos SA, said she was aware of the upcoming immigrant rights rally and that her club planned to attend on May 1.
"I'm a strong advocate for supporting immigration rights as the daughter of an immigrant," she said. "I just think people should educate themselves more about what's going on."
Quinones' parents are from Mexico and have relatives living in their native country.
Other international clubs could not be reached for comment.
