Opposing Sides Discuss Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON -- There are some things that both sides in the battle over immigration reform can agree on.

"I think we are in agreement with the position that the immigration system is broke, and we need to find a solution to that," says Gustavo Torres, of CASA of Maryland.

That belief is something groups like Let Freedom Ring America, led by Melissa Gardener of Sacramento Calif., have been complaining about for years.

As Gardener prepared for a three-day demonstration and lobbying effort for Let Freedom Ring America and a coalition of other groups, she detailed her agenda:

"If an immigration bill is passed, it has to first and foremost, secure our borders. And let's find out who's here first before we let in anybody else."

Gardener says she wants to "help wake up America" so people can realize there are other people who are concerned about what the government is doing about illegal aliens.

"We've been calling and phoning and faxing for months on end, and that doesn't seem to work," she says.

So, Gardener is taking a page out of the anti-war demonstrators' playbook. She's "getting out there and showing that American citizens will stand up for what is right...securing our borders, stopping the illegal immigrant invasion that is coming into our country."

While the two sides agree that U.S. borders must be secured, they differ in what else they'd like to see happen.

Speaking at a rally outside CASA's University Boulevard offices, Torres outlined the four components he'd like to see as part of immigration reform:

"Number one: to ensure that we have the legalization for the 12 million people who are are undocumented here. Number two: to ensure that we secure our borders. Number three: to ensure that we have a guest worker {program} that is going to help our future workers. And number four: to ensure that we unite our families. We don't believe in the point system. We believe that the system that we have has a lot of problems but that we can fix it."

For Gardener, "legalizing" illegal immigrants is a non-starter -- she labels that amnesty. She's also concerned about what she calls the "victims of illegal immigration" and displayed a wreath -- a memorial of people she says have been victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens.

Eddie Sotelo, a popular Los Angeles radio personality who goes by the nickname of "Piolin," is bothered by the characterization of illegal immigrants as criminals.

Sotelo commented as fans swarmed around him at CASA's offices.

"Not everyone comes to do damage. Not everybody does criminal acts. There's a lot of people...I'm sure there's records of more people that--we come here to succeed. Most of the people come to work," Sotelo says.

Another point on which the two sides agree? On the greatness of the United States.

Sotelo is passionate on that point, especially regarding business opportunities.

"We have the best companies in the world! Why? Because we're united!"

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