"Just a Thought" Column usually in La Prensa but cut this week

Just a Thought: Immigration Town Hall
By Steve Walker

Last week I attended an Immigration Town Hall at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church to address the crisis of unaccompanied children from Central
America and the overall issue of undocumented immigration.

The event attracted over 80 participants to include community activists, and a panel of distinguished guests. The event drew two Keynote Speakers, Congressman Lloyd Doggett and former HUD Secretary and former Mayor Henry Cisneros.

The program was officially referenced as Immigration Reform’s Future, sponsored by the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Education Foundation headed by Jaime Martinez and his son, Ernest who oversees the Cesar E. Chavez Scholarship Program. The battle cry was “Stop Deportation Now!”

A number of local community activists that participated and answered or asked questions included Henry Rodriguez, Peace Initiative representative Patsy Castillo, College Professor Joseph Fonseca, PhD. and Gabriel Rosales, son of former National LULAC President Rosa Rosales. District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzalez also addressed the crowd.

Having participated in a number of protest marches and even an occasional picket line with Jaime Martinez, and Henry Rodriguez in the past, I felt right at home covering the event for the Walker Report. For the past 15 years I have marched alongside Jaime and Henry in the annual Cesar E. Chavez March of which I have in the past written columns on the yearly March as well as a column on Jaime, a close friend of Cesar E. Chavez.

Back in the day when I taught at McCollum High School my public speaking students participated in a televised forum in which Patricia Castillo was a panelist. That year I also walked a picket line with Jaime and others in front of a well-known grocery store down the street from the school.

Valeria Rodriguez an immigrant advocate from Del Rio, J.A. Garcia, immigration lawyer, Jonathan Ryan JD, Raices Executive Director, Houston immigration lawyer and former San Antonio City Councilman Bennie Euresti served as panelists.

In 1982 when I worked as a KENS-5 Eyewitness News Reporter I interviewed then Councilman Euresti on numerous occasions.

One of the more inspiring speakers was Dreamer Tanairi Ochoa who gave her testimonial about her family, focusing on her father who worked to ensure she not only attended college, but receive scholarships to complete her education. She mentioned that for 20 years as an undocumented worker her father kept boxes of tax records, receipts of all his paid bills and “never even received a traffic ticket during that time.” She pointed out that when her father was finally unable to work she found a job as a manager of an apartment complex when she only 16 years old!

She related when her father apologized to her for not working, she told him, “You were always there when I needed you and you took care of my needs and I will be there to care for you as well.” The crowd cheered and gave Tanairi a standing ovation.

With the number of children scheduled for deportation, how many other Tanaira’s might be in that group?

As always, I write “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice of the Peace.