Immigration Reform

HUMBERTO CASPA James Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project, was just a few miles away from Costa Mesa last month to give a speech at the California Coalition for Immigration Reform headquarters in Garden Grove. There's little reason to doubt his love for this country -- but his tactics raise many concerns. Gilchrist is the man who led the controversial and highly publicized border patrols along the U.S. and Mexican border in Arizona a month ago. He has said he would like to extend his vigilante approach to California.

Immigrant rights activists blocked traffic in front of South Coast Plaza Monday to protest against Costa Mesa's recent "Rule of Law" proclamation and to call for comprehensive immigration reform. A dozen protesters bound themselves with duct tape to plastic chairs while sitting around a table in the middle of the busy intersection of Bristol Street and Anton Boulevard around 3 p.m, blocking an entrance to the upscale shopping mall. About 200 others chanted from the corners, some beating drums and waving signs.

TUSTIN — If a group of Republican state legislators gets its way, California will start cracking down on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Penalizing employers who use illegal workers was the dominant suggestion at a Wednesday hearing by a state GOP task force that aims to bring forward immigration-reform bills in 2007. Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who is helping lead the task force, said he's already working on a system of penalties and incentives for employers based on whether they check the legal status of people they hire.

COSTA MESA — If you are arrested, don't answer questions, don't show any documents, and don't sign anything, especially not a voluntary deportation order, immigration attorney Gloria Curiel told an overflow crowd at a church Friday night. Two protesters outside held an American flag and a sign that read, "stop the illegal invasion," but inside Harbor Christian Fellowship Church, the audience was hungry for information on immigrants' rights, whether in the U.S. legally or not. More than 200 people packed the church for a forum, at which they were urged to work for immigration reform by writing to their elected representatives and also to protect themselves by keeping silent if confronted by authorities.

For Orange County political players, Tuesday meant another day, another photo op and another 2008 presidential candidate looking for a financial boost. This time it was Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain, who appeared at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach. McCain is the latest candidate to pass through with his hands out. Republican hopefuls Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani held Orange County events in March. On the Democratic side, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton was in Laguna Beach in March, and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama raised money at a breakfast Monday in Newport Coast.

Passersby brandished thumbs up or down, as well as a few other fingers as Brea activist Robert Lauten stood on a street corner near the OC Fair & Event center, where President Barack Obama attended a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon. Waving a large, yellow sign promoting immigration reform, Lauten was one of hundreds who came out to cheer or jeer the president during his visit to Costa Mesa. “I don’t think Obama is any better than George Bush. I haven’t seen any difference yet,” Lauten said, as cars whizzed by and spectators anxious to catch a glimpse of the president gathered across the street at the fairgrounds.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an open letter to the governor of Arizona. Dear Gov. Jan Brewer, against common sense and the American values of fair play, you signed the anti-illegal immigrant legislation passed by your state politicians who prey on the weak for political gain (illegal immigrants don’t vote!). The Arizona legislation making it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state is reprehensible, as it reminds one of the Supreme Court’s Jim Crow decision in the 19th century.

Nearly six months after the Costa Mesa City Council blazed a trail by voting to be the first U.S. city to enforce immigration laws, there has been a scattering of local immigration reform efforts around the country but no mass movement by other municipalities to follow Costa Mesa's lead. Recent estimates peg the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. at as many as 12 million, and some have blamed them for a litany of problems such as crime, crowded hospitals, lower property values and schools' poor test scores.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is an open letter to the governor of Arizona. D ear Gov. Jan Brewer, against common sense and the American values of fair play, you signed the anti-illegal immigrant legislation passed by your state politicians who prey on the weak for political gain (illegal immigrants don't vote!). The Arizona legislation making it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state is reprehensible, as it reminds one of the Supreme Court's Jim Crow decision in the 19th century.

Immigrant rights activists blocked traffic in front of South Coast Plaza Monday to protest against Costa Mesa's recent "Rule of Law" proclamation and to call for comprehensive immigration reform. A dozen protesters bound themselves with duct tape to plastic chairs while sitting around a table in the middle of the busy intersection of Bristol Street and Anton Boulevard around 3 p.m, blocking an entrance to the upscale shopping mall. About 200 others chanted from the corners, some beating drums and waving signs.

. FOR THE RECORD: An A1 article in Sunday?s edition, ?Experts: ?Rule? solves nothing,? incorrectly stated that Costa Mesa City Councilman Eric Bever joined Mayor Allan Mansoor in voting in favor of the city?s hard line against ?immigration.? In fact, the article should have stated that Bever and Mansoor oppose ?illegal immigration,? but support legal immigration when applicants follow the law.. Many conservatives may side with the Costa Mesa mayor?s strong stance against illegal immigrants, but his resolution to make this a ?

Many conservatives may side with the Costa Mesa mayor's strong stance against illegal immigrants, but his resolution to make this a "Rule of Law " city should have little impact on the local economy or overall quality of life, academic and business experts said. "It's symbolic because it's not materially improving people's lives in Costa Mesa," said Stephen Lee, professor of administrative and immigration laws at the UC Irvine School of Law. "If it's not materially improving the lives of people in Costa Mesa, it's important to ask the question of, 'Whose lives is it benefiting?

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is an open letter to the governor of Arizona. D ear Gov. Jan Brewer, against common sense and the American values of fair play, you signed the anti-illegal immigrant legislation passed by your state politicians who prey on the weak for political gain (illegal immigrants don't vote!). The Arizona legislation making it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state is reprehensible, as it reminds one of the Supreme Court's Jim Crow decision in the 19th century.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an open letter to the governor of Arizona. Dear Gov. Jan Brewer, against common sense and the American values of fair play, you signed the anti-illegal immigrant legislation passed by your state politicians who prey on the weak for political gain (illegal immigrants don’t vote!). The Arizona legislation making it a crime to be an illegal immigrant in the state is reprehensible, as it reminds one of the Supreme Court’s Jim Crow decision in the 19th century.

Passersby brandished thumbs up or down, as well as a few other fingers as Brea activist Robert Lauten stood on a street corner near the OC Fair & Event center, where President Barack Obama attended a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon. Waving a large, yellow sign promoting immigration reform, Lauten was one of hundreds who came out to cheer or jeer the president during his visit to Costa Mesa. “I don’t think Obama is any better than George Bush. I haven’t seen any difference yet,” Lauten said, as cars whizzed by and spectators anxious to catch a glimpse of the president gathered across the street at the fairgrounds.

About six weeks or so ago, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher’s closest supporters sat him down and told him something he hasn’t heard in many, many years. “You’re going to have to campaign this time.” Let’s face it. The 46th Congressional District, which looks like the boot-shaped Italy upside down, is safe political territory for Republicans. It stretches from Costa Mesa up to Long Beach and then over to Rancho Palos Verdes. Many representatives in the House perpetually run for office since they only serve two-year terms, but the former President Reagan speechwriter has been on a victory lap for two decades.

Huntington Beach Mayor Debbie Cook, who is running in the fall for the congressional seat held by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, says the question of illegal immigration is really a question of sustainability. Right now, more immigrants are coming into the United States than the country can handle, according to Cook. To stop the flow of illegal immigrants, she said, government needs to hold businesses accountable. “We always talk about the illegal immigrants but we never talk about the illegal employers and the illegal consumers,” Cook said.

Composer and pianist Vern Nelson does not have a crush on Democratic congressional candidate Debbie Cook, despite what his recent musical composition would have you believe. Nelson, 48, played the piano and sang his multilingual political ballad “I’ve Got a Crush on Debbie Cook,” at a campaign event Saturday. The song is modeled after the popular YouTube video “I’ve Got a Crush on Obama,” but Nelson says that his song has more substance. “Her song just talks about her sexual fantasies about Obama.