Thousands March Against ‘Z Visa’

More than 10,000 people, according to local police, marched Saturday from the intersection of Broadway and Olympic to Broadway and Spring St, where protest organizers and speakers addressed the crowd.

Immigrants are in the country to work, to put food on the table, pay taxes, contribute to the economy and be part of the culture… it’s time that this community be respected,” said Juan Jose Gutierrez, director of Latino USA Movement, a principle organizer of the march.

“President Bush’s proposition is ridiculous and unfair because it doesn’t guarantee the undocumented sector citizenship. Families would have to separate and many have [already] been separated from their families by the raids and the excessive cost of visas,” said Gutierrez before thousands of participants waving American flags and signs.

Gutierrez was referring to a proposed plan made some days ago by the White House that focuses on, among other things, the creation of a “Z Visa ” that would permit undocumented immigrants to apply as many times as desired for a $3,500 three-year work permit to be in the country.

But the plan also calls for requiring an undocumented immigrant who wants to apply for permanent residency to do so at an American embassy in their home country, and to pay a $10 thousand fine.

“These charges are too much… if I would have been able to obtain that kind of money in my country, I wouldn’t have come to Los Angeles,” said Mexican activist, Jacinto Fonseca.

“I have a wife and kids. I would have to leave my children in Columbia and pay my fee and my wife’s fee to come and work; I would pay more than $20 thousand,” said Manuel Trejo, another participant.

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