Anti-illegal immigrant activists in America's oldest immigrant entry point
By Bret Liebendorfer
New York Press
In recent days, massive rallies, like A Day Without an Immigrant, drew tens of thousands of flag-waving participants in New York and captured most of the city's attention regarding the immigrant debate. Most New Yorkers tend to think of anti-illegal immigrant groups as Wild West-style vigilantes patrolling the Southwest border looking for brown-skin invaders. But it has now become clear that these groups are hardly limited to just the border, as the anti-illegal immigrant movement is now targeting New York and working persistently on what they describe as efforts to secure America. With overlapping memberships, it's difficult to differentiate one group from another, but what their opponents fear most is that some of these incestuous relationships may be marginally linked to America's white separatist groups. Nevertheless, this negative suspicion has done little to dampen the anti-illegal immigrant movement.
"We, as concerned New Yorkers, got brave enough to voice our anti-illegal immigrant position and are taking it to the streets," said Joanna Mazullo, president of New York Immigration Control and Enforcement (I.C.E.) on why the group formed. NY I.C.E. mirrors many of the ideals of anti-illegal immigrant groups around the country: They are against the granting of amnesty and driver's licenses to current illegal immigrants and believe the solution to solving the illegal immigrant problem is enforcement of existing laws.
Despite being a newcomer to the scene, NY I.C.E. had a busy month in June. Three rallies were held separately at the Mexican Consulate, Revolution Books and the offices of Senators Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer. "We wanted to make our group known," Marzullo said. "We're planning other actions where people can be less afraid to come out."
While anti-illegal immigrant groups are generally united in their beliefs, there are variations in regards to tactics. The 9/11 Families for America, for example, chose to pursue legislative options. "We go to Washington, states and cities and try to speak with people in policy positions to put legislature into action to make our country more secure," said Bruce DeCell, a board member for 9/11 Families for America. "We had people failed by the federal government, and we're trying to not let that happen again."
For others, direct action is the only form of action. The New York Minutemen have shut down day labor centers frequented by illegal immigrants in Long Island and have even patrolled the United States/Canada border.
Other anti-illegal immigration groups like NY I.C.E. specialize in protests or rallies in hopes of getting media attention. A recent rally targeted Revolution Books, a radical bookstore that is located near Union Square and is home to the Revolutionary Communist Party, because, according to a NY I.C.E. press release, they wanted to "expose the supporters of illegal immigrants, bringing them 'out of the shadows.'" It was here that members of the rally admitted to being part of other groups such as the Minutemen when confronted by their opponents. As it turned out, Marzullo said outsiders-some she had never seen before-participated as well.
Overlapping memberships and widespread support from other anti-illegal immigrant groups makes it difficult to know where one group ends and another begins. "We'll be involved with anyone furthering the causes. There are many aspects, and there are many groups trying to do something about it," said DeCell. "As for the people on the borders, we support them. I have been to the border, but we figure legislature, if we put pressure on our leaders, is the best process."
Countless reports have shown the interconnectedness of the anti-illegal movement to other causes, most of which the movement does not dispute. One association leaders in the anti-illegal immigrant movement are adamantly against, however, is the notion that racism plays a role in their efforts. Ron Lewenberg, who is well known for his conservative college activism at Columbia University and helped found NY I.C.E., said it's unfair for both sides to play the extremist card.
"We officially denounce racism," Marzullo said. "Since [pro-illegal immigrant supporters] can't handle the facts, they resort to name calling."
"If someone says I'm discriminating against an immigrant, that's a terrible thing, and that's something I would never do," DeCell said. When asked about racist elements, Marzullo said she is a granddaughter of legal Hispanic immigrants, and she's unaware of any members with racist beliefs.
Supporters of illegal immigrant groups said tokenism is used to disguise racist tendencies. "The primary tactics these groups use to hide their bigotry is to use black Americans and Hispanics to join their groups," said Mark Potok, director for Intelligence Report, a publication of the Southern Poverty Legal Center. Jenkins voiced similar concerns and said tokenism is a new strategy. "[Anti-illegal immigrant groups] have started getting blacks and Hispanics into anti-immigrant groups. Then they put them in the front to make it look like they're not racist."
Potok claims that the SPLC has seen a 33 percent rise in hate groups from 2000 to 2005 with 41 new groups forming since the Minutemen formed last year. "No matter what anti-immigration supporters might say, we're talking about people with brown skin," Potok said. "There's no question the immigration issue is helping hate groups grow."
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