A lack of immigration reform and its effect on the local economy will be the subject of an open public forum set for April 22 at the Santa Maria Public Library.
The Immigration Committee of PUEBLO—People United for Economic Justice Building Leadership through Organizing—is putting the forum together. The organization supports the legalization of undocumented migrant workers and humane comprehensive immigration reform.
“The state and federal government know that there are people here without documents, but they are contributing to the economy,” said PUEBLO North County organizer Antonio Rivera Sanchez. “They are working hard, going to the stores, and spending money.”
Sanchez said police sobriety and driver’s license checkpoints are also negatively affecting businesses in Santa Maria, and his organization would like police and city officials to reconsider their implementation.
“Those checkpoints are confiscating cars of working families,” Sanchez said. “If it’s for DUI that’s fine, but if not, we want to work [with police] in order to make a change in the manner they’re conducting them.”
According to Sanchez, laws against immigrants being able to get a driver’s license have a negative effect on the local environment as well. Because of the laws, many illegal immigrants purchase inexpensive used cars, many with emissions problems.
The bilingual forum runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the library at 421 South McClelland St. Four panelists are scheduled to appear, including University of California-Santa Barbara sociology professor William Robison, who’ll speak on the contributions of illegal immigrants to the economy.
Santa Maria business owner Mario Cervantes will discuss the impact of driver’s license checkpoints on local businesses, and PUEBLO Immigration Committee members will speak on the ways the organization works with city council members, police chiefs, and mayors to push immigration reform and find solutions to current problems.
In addition, Maywood city councilwoman Ana Rosa Rizo is scheduled to speak on changes to confiscation laws and driver checkpoints in her city.
The organization states that immigrants not only make a large contribution to the U.S. economy, but enrich the cultural life of communities as well.
Rivera said immigration reform and a spirit of cooperation are necessary elements to pulling the country out of recession.
“People talk about the economy and about immigrants like they’re separate issues,” Rivera said. “Here, the people will work hard to help reconstruct this economy.”
This article appears in Apr 16-23, 2009.