Call for amnesty and equality in immigration legislation
Green Party US Senate hopefuls charge Senate changes in immigrant legislation don't go far enough

SACRAMENTO - Green Party candidates for U.S. Senate heavily criticized proposals that would continue to criminalize immigrants, demanding "amnesty" and "equality" for all undocumented workers. The Green candidates outcry accompanied massive rallies across the country in March attended by more than a million people, by many estimates.

Cartoon by Khalil Bendib, www.bendib.com (3-18Trouble-in-GOP-paradise.jpg)

Green representatives said a measure approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee shortly after protests still doesn't go far enough towards protecting immigrant rights. The measure also must still pass the full Senate and withstand compromises with the House bill (HR4437), which calls for criminalizing undocumented immigrants. 

Three Greens-Tian Harter, Todd Chretien, and Kent Mesplay-are running in the June Primary for the right to meet incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein in November. They called on her to do more than guarantee workers for the agricultural industry and stand up for the estimated 11 million hardworking undocumented immigrants now in the U.S. 

"Nothing short of equality is acceptable," said Chretien. "We need amnesty for those who are here," said Harter. 

"We are witnessing the birth of a new civil rights movement, which is demanding amnesty for undocumented workers, the demilitarization of the Mexican-American border and general equality for immigrant workers," said Chretien. "These protests announce the arrival of the immigrant community as a powerful political force. I oppose proposals for a new bracero program, the so-called guest worker programs, because they do not grant amnesty and equality to all undocumented workers." 

"HR 4437 would impose great hardship on many hardworking and decent people. The first step is to stop that legislation," said Harter, who marched in late March in Watsonville, Calif., with 1,000 others, including Fernando Suarez del Solar, whose son Jesus was one of the first people that died in Iraq.

"As an engineer, I am painfully aware that the immigration system has been manipulated to bring down wages in the high tech sector. I want to ensure everyone gets jobs, and is treated equally," added Harter.

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