Counterprotesters reply to recent migrant rallies

Hundreds gather outside Mexican Consulate in Phoenix

Eugene Mulero
The Arizona Republic
May. 7, 2006 12:00 AM

Several hundred people rallied outside the Mexican Consulate on Camelback Road in Phoenix on Saturday afternoon in the Valley’s first major counterprotest in the immigration debate.

Organizers said the rally was a chance to speak out on the issue after witnessing weeks of nationwide demonstrations by undocumented immigrants and their supporters.

Police would not offer a crowd estimate, but organizers said the rally attracted nearly 300 people. Many waved American flags, sang the national anthem in English and held up dozens of signs with messages like, “While we slept, the United States was stolen,” and “This is your country. Protect it.” Motorists driving by the crowd honked occasionally to show their support.

The Minutemen border watchdog group, which held its own smaller rally outside the Phoenix Capitol last week, was on hand recruiting volunteers. The groups United for a Sovereign America and Mothers Against Illegal Immigrants passed out brochures and collected signatures, which they said would be forwarded to elected officials.

J.T. Ready, who recently lost a City Council race in Mesa, was the event’s main organizer. Through Americans First, a group he formed during his political campaign, Ready called on supporters to protest against the “illegals,” the Mexican government and the federal government’s lax border patrol.

“I speak ‘American.’ If they want to speak Spanish, I know a great place for that,” Ready said from a makeshift stage outside the consulate.

Mike Harris, a GOP candidate for governor, was at the event. He told the crowd that if elected, he would deport immigrants who break the law.

People at the rally had varying reasons for showing up.

Phoenix resident Liz Jimenez blamed media and elected officials for portraying undocumented immigrants in a positive way, when she said most of them are criminals.

“Buffalo” Rick Galeemer, a Vietnam War veteran, said that if the federal government didn’t spend money on immigration, he would have more benefits.

About a dozen individuals hiding their faces and wearing sunglasses held up signs calling the Minutemen racists. One of the counterprotesters said she hid her identity because the Minutemen had threatened her life.

Ready and his supporters denied those accusations and criticized them for not showing their faces.

Edmundo Hidalgo of Chicanos Por la Causa said the nation’s immigration policies need to be improved, but he also praised Ready’s group for exercising freedom of speech.

“We’re not against any group,” Hidalgo said. “We’re trying to resolve the immigration issue.”

Arizona has been depicted as one of the main gateways for illegal immigration from Mexico. It’s estimated that Arizona is home to about half a million undocumented immigrants.

###

�UNITED WE STAND� National Demonstration

All anti-illegal immigration groups will be asked to participate in a demonstration at high noon on 05/06/06, the day after Cinco De Mayo at their nearest Mexican consulate throughout the country (listed below).

The goal is to bring national attention to the use of the Matricula Consular cards that undermine America�s national security and sovereignty. The Justice Department and FBI have concluded that the Matricula Consular is not a reliable form of identification due to the nonexistence of any means of verifying the true identity of the cardholder.

Americans demand that Mexico discontinue aiding and abetting illegal aliens and instead help secure our mutual borders from terrorists, drug dealers, and those who refuse to pass through US Customs.

Mexico continuously demands increased immigrant visas for their citizens, an expanded guest-worker program, and amnesty for their illegal aliens living north of the Rio Grande. Mexico can no longer expect the United States to solve its social problems by allowing the border to serve as a safety-valve for job seekers.

All pro-American political candidates will be invited to speak to future constituents at this important event.

Please take a stand for America on 05/06/06, UNITED WE STAND!

*Participants include: SOS Borders, The American Resistance, California Coalition for Immigration Reform (CCIR), Americans First, Minuteman Civil Defense Corp (MCDC), Illegal Immigrant Protest dot com, American Patrol, Mothers Against Illegal Immigration (MAIA) and United for a Sovereign America (USA).

###

Anti-illegal immigration group to demonstrate Saturday

Daniel Gonz�lez
The Arizona Republic
May. 4, 2006 05:02 PM

Opponents of illegal immigration plan to demonstrate Saturday in front of the Mexican consulate in Phoenix to protest activities by the Mexican government they say help fuel illegal immigration.

Members of Americans First plan to demonstrate at the consulate’s offices on Camelback Road from noon to 1 p.m.,the second time in two weeks, said J.T. Ready, the group’s leader.

“We are advocating that the government of Mexico should be designated a ‘threat nation’ because they are openly subverting our laws and sovereignty,” said Ready, who lost a bid to be elected to the Mesa City Council in March. Saturday’s demonstration is not in response to recent immigrant rights marches and rallies, Ready said.

He said consular ID cards issued by the Mexican government have helped thousands of undocumented immigrants gain legitimacy in the United States by gaining access to banking and other services.

He also criticized the Mexican government for publishing a comic-book style guide with advice for migrants, saying it promoted illegal border crossings.

Larissa Valenzuela, a spokeswoman for the Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix, said Mexico does not promote illegal immigration.

“J.T. has his opinion. We respect that,” she said. “But Mexico does not support illegal immigration and that is why President Fox is fighting for an immigration agreement” with the United States.

The consulate will not be staffed this Saturday, she said.

Justin Higgins, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said there is no such thing as a “threat nation” designation and that the United States and Mexico have a close relationship.

Arizona is the main gateway for illegal immigration from Mexico, and is home to about 500,000 undocumented immigrants.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or (602) 444-8312.

###

Protesters state views, trade insults near Mexican Consulate
By Shanna Hogan, Tribune
April 23, 2006

About 100 illegal immigration protesters gathered Saturday outside the Mexican Consulate in Phoenix in an event organized by former Mesa City Council candidate JT Ready.

�The Mexican people have to realize the government of Mexico is a threat,� Ready said. �They are corrupt against their own people.�

Ready said the protest was not in response to the immigration rights demonstration earlier this month, where more than 100,000 mostly Hispanic protesters marched to the state Capitol. But some of the protesters who showed up Saturday spoke out against that event.

�I look at that demonstration as an attack on our government and an attack on the American people,� said Glendale resident Iva Underwood.

The American government needs to focus on Americans, she said.

�I believe charity begins at home,� Underwood said. �We�ve got too many problems within our own country.�

Demonstrators carried signs that read: �Mexico Please Respect Our Laws and Our Border,� �Build the Wall,� and �Seal the Borders.�

�We hate the illegals, our border should be closed,� said Louise Lonsdale of Phoenix. �People need to realize we�re being taken over.�

Debates flared between the protesters and about 30 proimmigration activists who showed up to counterprotest.

One pro-immigration activist, Phoenix resident Eric Malatesta, 32, wore a black handkerchief across his face and waved a sign that read: �JT Ready is a Racist and Trigger Happy.�

�I am here to show solidarity with the immigrants and the poor people,� he said. �They insist they are not racists despite the fact that they are a very angry group of white people protesting the Mexican Consulate.�
Contact Shanna Hogan by telephone at (480) 970-2339.

###
Arizona

DOUGLAS, AZ
1201 �F� Avenue,
DOUGLAS, ARIZONA 85607
Tel. (520) 364-3107 Y 3142
Fax. (520) 364-1379
WebSite: http://www.consulmexdouglas.com

NOGALES, AZ
571 N. Grand Avenue,
NOGALES, Arizona 85621
Tel: (520) 287-2521, 3381, 3386
Fax: (520) 287-3175
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/nogales

PHOENIX, AZ
1990 West Camelback, Suite 110
PHOENIX, Arizona 85015
Tel: (602) 242-7398, 3649, 249-2363
Fax: (602) 242-2957
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/phoenix/

TUCSON, AZ
P.O. Box 1790 (85701).
553 South Stone Avenue
TUCSON, ARIZONA 85701
Tel: (520) 882-5595 y 6, y 623-0146
Fax: (520) 882-8959
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/tucson/

YUMA, AZ
600 West 16TH Street,
YUMA, Arizona 85364
Tel. (928) 343-0066 Y 343-9600
Fax. (928) 343-00777
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/yuma

California

CALEXICO, CA
408 Heber Avenue,
CALEXICO, California 92231
Tel: (760) 357-3863, 4132
Fax: (760) 357-6284
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/calexico

FRESNO, CA
2409 Merced Street,
FRESNO, California 93721
Tel: (559) 233-3065, 9770
Fax: (559) 233-5638 y 6156
WebSite: http://consulmexfresno.net/

LOS ANGELES, CA
2401 West 6th Street,
LOS ANGELES, California 90057
Tel: (213) 351-6800 al 07
Fax: (213) 389-9186
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/

OXNARD, CA
Transportation Center,3151 West 5th Street
OXNARD, California 93030
Tel: (805) 984-8738, 2162, 2673, 4105
Fax: (805) 984-8747
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/oxnard/

SACRAMENTO, CA
1010 8th. St,
SACRAMENTO, California 95814
Tel: (916) 441-3287, 3065, 2987
Fax: (916) 441-3147
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sacramento

SANTA ANA, CA
828 North Broadway Street
SANTA ANA, California 92701
Tel: (714) 835-3069, 2749, 0042
Fax: (714) 835-3472
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/santaana/

SAN BERNARDINO, CA
293 North �D� Street
SAN BERNARDINO, California 92401
Tel: (909) 889-9836, 9837, 9808, 384-8114
Fax: (909) 889-8285
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanbernardino

SAN DIEGO, CA
1549 India Street,
SAN DIEGO, California 92101
Tel: (619) 231-8414
Fax: (619) 231-4802 y 3561
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/sandiego/

SAN FRANCISCO, CA
532 Folsom Street
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94105
Tel: (415) 354-1732
Fax: (415) 495-3971
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco

SAN JOSE, CA
540 North First Street,
SAN JOSE, California 95112
Tel: (408) 298-1954
Fax: (408) 294-4506
WebSite: http://www.consulmexsj.com

Colorado

DENVER, CO
48 Steele St.,
DENVER, Colorado 80206
Tel: (303) 331-1110, 331-1112
Fax: (303) 331-1872
WebSite: http://www.consulmex-denver.com/

Washington, D.C.

SECCION CONSULAR
EMBAJADA DE MEXICO
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2827 16th. St. N.W.
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20009-4260
Tel. (202) 736-1000 al 02
Fax. (202) 234-4498
WebSite: http://www.embassyofmexico.org

Florida

MIAMI, FL
5975 SW 72nd Street Suite 301-303
MIAMI, Florida 33143
Tel: (786) 268-4900
Fax: (786) 268-4895
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/miami

ORLANDO, FL
100 West Washington St.,
ORLANDO, Florida 32801-2315
Tel. Conmutador (407) 422-0514
Fax: (407) 422-9633
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/orlando/

Georgia

ATLANTA, GA
2600 Apple Valley Rd.,
ATLANTA, Georgia 30319
Tel: (404) 266-2233, 1932, 2302,
Fax: (404) 266-2302, 2309
WebSite: http://www.consulmexatlanta.org

Illinois

CHICAGO, IL
204 S. Ashland Ave. Esquina con Adams CHICAGO, Il. 60607
Tel: (312) 855-1380 con 12 l�neas
Fax: (312) 855-9257 y 0315
WebSite: http://www.consulmexchicago.com

Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS, IN
39 West Jackson Place, Suite 103
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana 46204
Tel. (317) 951-0004, 5, 1044
Fax. (317) 951-0006
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/indianapolis

Massachusetts

BOSTON, MA
20 Park Plaza, suite 506
BOSTON, Massachusetts 02116
Tel: (617) 426-4181, 426-4942, 8782
Fax: (617) 695-1957
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/boston

Michigan

DETROIT, MI
The Penobscot Building. 645 Griswold Avenue,
Suite 1700, DETROIT, Michigan 48226
Tel: (313) 964-4515, 34 y 32
Fax: (313) 964-4522
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/detroit

Missouri

KANSAS CITY, MO
1600 Baltimore Street, Suite 100
KANSAS CITY, Missouri 64108
Tel: (816) 556-0800 AL 03
Fax. (816) 556-0900
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/kansascity/

North Carolina

RALEIGH, NC
336 East Sixth Forks Road
RALEIGH, North Carolina 27609
Tel. (919) 754-0046 Protecci�n 754-0524
Fax. (919) 754-1729
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/raleigh

Nebraska

OMAHA, NE
3552 Dodge Street,
OMAHA, Nebraska 68131-3210
Tel. (402) 595-1841 al 1844 y 1862 y 63
Fax. (402) 595-1845
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/omaha/

Nevada

LAS VEGAS, NV
330 South 4th Street,
LAS VEGAS, Nevada 89101
Tel.(702) 383-0623, 9129, 6892
Fax.(702) 383-0683
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/lasvegas/

New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, NM
1610 4th St. NW,
ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87102
Tel: (505) 247-2147, 39 y 4177
Fax: (505) 842-9490
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/albuquerque

New York

NEW YORK, NY
27 East 39th. Street,
NEW YORK, New York 10016
Tel. (212) 217-6400
Fax: (212) 545-8197
WebSite: http://www.consulmexny.org

Oregon

PORTLAND, OR
1234 SW Morrison Street,
PORTLAND, Oregon 97205
Tel. (503) 274-1442 y 1450, 478-0435
Fax. (503) 274 1540
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/portland

Pennsylvania

PHILADELPHIA, PA
111 South Independence Mall East,
Bourse Building, Suite 1010,
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania 19106
Tel: (215) 922-4262, 3834, 4312
Fax: (215) 923-7281
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/filadelfia/

Texas

AUSTIN, TX
800 Brazos St. Suite 330,
AUSTIN, Texas 78701
Tel: (512) 478-2866, 9031
Fax: (512) 478-8008
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/austin/

BROWNSVILLE, TX
P.O. Box 1711, 724 E. Elizabeth & 7th St.
BROWNSVILLE, Texas 78520
Tel: (956) 542-4431, 2051, 5182
Fax: (956) 542-7267
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/brownsville

DALLAS, TX
8855 Stemmons Freeway,
DALLAS, Texas 75247
Tel: (214) 252-9250, 2 y 3, 55, 56
Fax: (214) 630-3511
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/dallas/

DEL RIO, TX
Edificio South Park Plaza 2398, Spur 239
DEL RIO, Texas 78840
Tel: (830) 775-2352, 774-5031, 703-882
Fax: (956) 723-1741
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/Delrio/

EAGLE PASS, TX
140 Adams Street,
EAGLE PASS, Texas 78852
Tel: (830) 773-9255, 56
Fax: (830) 773-9397
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/eaglepass/

EL PASO, TX
910 E. San Antonio Avenue,
EL PASO, Texas 79901
Tel: (915) 533-8555, 3644, 45, 3611
Fax: (915) 532-7163
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/elpaso

HOUSTON, TX
4507 San Jacinto Street,
HOUSTON, Texas 77004
Tel: (713) 271-6800
Fax: (713) 271-3201 y 772-1229
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/houston

LAREDO, TX
1612 Farragut St., LAREDO, Texas 78040
Tel: (956) 723-6369, 0990, 6360
Fax: (956) 723-1741
WebSite: http://www.sre.gob.mx/laredo

MC ALLEN, TX
600 So. Broadway Street,
McALLEN, Texas 78501
Tel: (956) 686-0243, 44 y 0554, 630-1777
Fax: (956) 686-4901
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/mcallen/

PRESIDIO, TX
Highway 67, Block 17, Kelly Addition 1.
Kelley Building, PRESIDIO, Texas 79845
Tel. (915) 229-2788, 2790
Fax. (915) 229-2792
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/presidio/

SAN ANTONIO, TX
127 Navarro Street,
SAN ANTONIO, Texas 78205
Tel: (210) 227-1085, 6 271-9728
Fax: (210) 227-1817 y 7518
WebSite: http://www.consulmexsat.org/

Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, UT
230 West 400 South, 2nd. floor
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah 84101
Tel: (801) 521-8502, 03 y 328-0620
Fax: (801) 521-0534
WebSite: http://www.consulmexslc.org

Washington

SEATTLE, WA
2132 Third Avenue,
SEATTLE, Washington 98121
Tel: (206) 448-8435, 3526, 6819, 8971
Fax: (206) 448-4771
WebSite: http://portal.sre.gob.mx/seattle/