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Will Day Without Immigrants Protest Impact U.S. Economy? Rallies Occuring Across the Country; Mexico Considering Legalizing Many Drugs; Wounded Iraqi Soldier Receiving Care in the U.S.
Aired May 01, 2006 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the wave heads west.
It's lunchtime in California and go time for a monumental rally for immigrant rights.
CNN's Jen Rogers once again live in Los Angeles -- Jen.
JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, the crowds keep coming here to City Hall. That is one thing, for sure.
We have seen, definitely, tens of thousands of people. We do not have exact crowd estimates at all by now, but organizers were hoping to at least match the 500,000 figure that they had back in March.
Now, the organizers for this protest, which is just one of two major protests that are going on in Los Angeles today, have called for a boycott of work, of school, and of buying anything, really to flex the immigrant muscle, to show how important they are to the economy.
Now, one person that is following that boycott is Giovanni Gomez. She actually is not going school today.
Tell me why you decided to come here today.
GIOVANNI GOMEZ, STUDENT PROTESTER: I think it's really important to show how much we contribute to the economy. It's very, very important, because it was just -- how badly we really affect it. And we need to show that to everybody, to politicians, and to show it.
ROGERS: Now, you marched the nine blocks up here to City Hall. What was it like in the crowd? Has it been peaceful? What are people saying?
GOMEZ: It's very peaceful. And I thought it was pretty amazing. I actually got chills at one point, just seeing how united everybody came here, and how they got -- and it was just pretty amazing. It was very, very peaceful. Everyone is just supporting, and it has been great.
ROGERS: Do you think it is going to make any difference?
GOMEZ: I am hoping. I think -- I think we could show -- I think it is going to make an impact just to show.
You know, if hopefully enough people do actually boycott, I think that's very important, for us to boycott, and to not buy absolutely anything, you know, and not going school, and not selling anything. I think that shows how united we are. And it shows how much we are really contributing.
I'm hoping. I honestly don't know if it will get some. I don't know if it will make a difference, but I'm hoping. And that's why we are here, to try today.
ROGERS: Now, the mayor, whose office is right here in this building, has said to students to stay in school today, to go to the later protests. Are you afraid you're going to get in trouble at all? Is this -- is this something you're worried about?
GOMEZ: No, not really. I thought it was important to miss school. You know, it's the same thing as a boycott. You're -- you're boycotting. We're making them lose money, not that I'm wanting to necessarily, but I think it's very important we are going to show. So, no, I'm not worried.
ROGERS: Oh, thank you very much. We appreciate your talking us to.
Kyra, that is just one voice from the many that are coming here to City Hall in Los Angeles -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jen Rogers, thanks so much.
Straight to Tony Harris now -- he's monitoring demonstrations on other California cities.
Tony, what did you find?
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Kyra, just as you mentioned at the top here, just, oh, noon, noon in California, demonstrations are under way in San Diego.
At times -- we are going to show you pictures of -- of a couple of cities where demonstrations are under way right now. At times, the demonstration in San Diego and -- that's San Francisco. We will show you San Diego in just a moment.
But, as you can see, we have got demonstrations up and down the West Coast right now. In a real way, with so many immigrants, so many migrant workers in California, this state was always going to be sort of the epicenter of activities today. And so it is, as the demonstration unfold all along from the border in San Diego, up through Los Angeles, as you saw just a moment ago with Jen Rogers, and into Central and Northern California, into San Francisco, and across the bridge in Oakland.
There you have it. Triple-box it for you, so you can see it all as it unfolds in California. This unprecedented demonstration continues. And, as you like to say, Kyra, we will keep bringing it to you.
PHILLIPS: Tony Harris, thanks so much. (LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, U.S. Border Patrol has come a long way over the past century. Its duties have grown. And so have the dangers that it faces. Here's a fact check.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The U.S. Border Patrol got its start in the early 1900s. For a handful of agents on horseback, the job involved patrolling desolate, often rugged areas along the borders with Mexico and Canada. More than 11,000 men and women continue doing that work today, patrolling nearly 6,000 miles of border area, as well as some 2,000 miles of coastal waters and the island of U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.
While horses are still used, the Border Patrol covers deserts, canyons and mountain in SUVs, all-terrain motorcycles, snowmobiles, bicycles, and planes -- a recent addition to their equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles. While charged with stopping the flow of illegal immigrants, another crucial job is trying to ensure, terrorists and weapons of mass destruction don't get into the U.S.
The Patrol says that, last year, over one million people were arrested for illegally entering the country. Agents also play a war in the war on drugs. With help from sniffer dogs, agents seized more than 12,000 pounds of cocaine and over a million pounds of marijuana last year.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, this is, by no means, a day without immigrants in Malcolm X Park in Washington.
Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN en Espanol is there.
Juan Carlos, has it changed since we last talked?
JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: More people keep -- people keep arriving, especially families, people arriving with American flags and with flags from other countries. But I can say that most of the flags they're waving are American flags. And it's mostly families with small children.
Now, some people did have to go to work, but others didn't. And there -- they're here. We expect, in a couple of hours, they will have the main -- the main acts of this rally in Washington. We did hear reports that there was a higher absentee rate at schools in the region than usual.
And traffic -- this is probably some -- some good news for people who live in the region -- was at holiday level. So, rush hour is probably going to be better today than it has been other days, Kyra. But that's the story. There are people here listening to the live act and walking around and waiting for the -- for the main rally to begin.
PHILLIPS: Now, Juan -- Juan Carlos, I don't want to put you on the spot, but I have a -- a couple personal questions, if you don't mind. Where are you from?
LOPEZ: OK.
Originally, I'm from Colombia.
PHILLIPS: You're from Colombia.
So, have you had a chance...
LOPEZ: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... to talk with family members, with relatives? I'm just curious, just even watching CNN en Espanol grow over the past 20 years, I mean, I remember when I interned at CNN. And CNN en Espanol, I think, was about three people. And now it's a massive network.
Is this interesting for you as a journalist, as a Colombian, to be a part of this, to observe this? And, you know, what are you talking about at the dinner table with family members?
ROGERS: Well, this is a story I'm covering, and I will keep on covering. So, I would like to leave those -- those -- those opinions in the -- at the dinner table.
But it is an important subject for all Hispanics, for all of people like me, who come from other countries.
And you can hear babies crying. That's -- we are in a park.
But it is a very important topic, because there is not consensus. People -- some people said, yes, it's good to protest, but not going to work is not good, or not sending your kids to school, that sends the wrong message.
So, it's a big debate inside the -- the Hispanic community. It's -- it's a huge community, over 40 million Hispanics in the U.S. Most of the 11 million illegal immigrants are Hispanic. So, this is a very important issue.
And I think, Kyra, what has been different about these protests is that a voice that wasn't being heard is -- is being heard now. At least people are -- are -- are understanding that they have to -- they have to get involved in the political process.
And -- and we are -- we're probably going to see that happening with this protest, with the protests being called for May 19, and -- and all these events. It is going to have an impact.
PHILLIPS: Juan Carlos Lopez of CNN en Espanol -- Juan Carlos, thank you.
LOPEZ: You're welcome. PHILLIPS: Legal, but slow, illegal, but faster, both ways are difficult, but the first way of migrating to the United States is largely overshadowed by the second.
CNN's Tom Foreman sheds some light on the by-the-book route.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that I will bear true faith.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES AND FEMALES: And that I will bear true faith.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Look at the pictures, hope and inspiration of legalized American citizens.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES AND FEMALES: ... and justice for all.
FOREMAN: ... and the question about illegal immigrants seems obvious.
(on camera): Why don't people come here legally?
(voice-over): And the answer is just as clear to Brent Wilkes, an activist for immigrant rights.
BRENT WILKES, LEAGUE OF UNITED LATIN AMERICAN CITIZENS: Well, they can't play by the rules, when the rules are, you can't play.
FOREMAN: Well, you can play, but the rules are strict, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service -- first, through family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "GREEN CARD")
ANDIE MACDOWELL, ACTRESS: This is ridiculous.
GERARD DEPARDIEU, ACTOR: No, no, no. Look, for the green card, I would do anything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN: As the movie "Green Card" portrays, immediate families of U.S. citizens can come in with relative ease, as long as they prove the relationship is not a fraud.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "GREEN CARD")
DEPARDIEU: I do.
MACDOWELL: I do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOREMAN: But bringing in others is difficult and time-consuming. If you are from the Philippines and want your grown, married son to join you this year, you should have applied for his legal entry in 1988, because that waiting list is 18 years.
SAMMY SOSA, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER: Thank you.
FOREMAN: Immigrant sport stars, celebrities, people with highly specialized skills or advanced educations can be brought in by employers, but, the less special they are, the harder it gets. People seeking political asylum are legally admitted while their cases are evaluated. So are investors who commit $1 million to build a U.S. business, a half-million if it helps a struggling industry.
And, finally, there is the diversity lottery. Out of the millions of low-skilled and unskilled laborers who want to move to America every year, 55,000 essentially have their names pulled from a hat. But -- and this is important -- if you are from Mexico or a handful of other countries that already send a lot of immigrants, the State Department has said your name cannot be in the hat.
Immigration was once much more open. When the nation needed many workers, people hopped on a boat overseas and hopped off here.
WILKES: That was it. There's nothing like that anymore. It's much more complicated and it's much harder to come into the country legally. And, for that reason, that's why we have got illegal workers.
FOREMAN: Taking the citizenship quiz, saying the oath, those are the easy parts. Getting legally in line for the test, that can be hard.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: I want to read some more e-mails from a number of you that have written in, talking about this issue of illegal immigration.
Hank writes in: "I have been affected with the rally. Today, I lost 75 percent out of my daily business in the first six hours. I can be out of business in two weeks if this happens repeatedly."
Albert says: "I don't see that large of a change today without the illegals. In fact, it was nice to have someone that could speak English at the grocery store checkout" -- or "the grocery store," rather, "check me out."
Sarah said: "How are the protests affecting me? Not at all, business as usual."
And William says: "If it is unappealing for an illegal immigrant to be here, they will not come. Fine the people helping them, employing them, feeding, and sheltering them."
Thanks for your e-mails. We want to hear from you. Continue to send us more. How's this day without immigrants affecting you? Is it affecting you at all? Just e-mail us. The address is LIVEFROM@CNN.com. Our live coverage continues. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Gasoline prices holding steady today -- the price at the pump mostly unchanged across all three grades, according to AAA. The club's nationwide survey show regular grade running at $2.92 a gallon, mid-grade $3.10 a gallon, and, premium, $3.21.
Now, yesterday, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said that it may be a matter of two or three years before petroleum supply is able to meet world demand.
Well, deep in the heart of Texas oil country, gas outrage is bubbling over. A boycott begins today against ExxonMobil. Bee County commissioners voted for the boycott. Commissioners say the goal is to bring gas prices down to $1.30 a gallon. Exxon is being targeted because of billions of dollars in profits and millions in executive payouts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE JIMMY MARTINEZ, BEE COUNTY, TEXAS: I want to know, you know, why people are getting in the millions for -- for -- for salaries and bonuses, when I have got people in my county that can't even travel to Corpus Christi to get services, health services.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: In response, ExxonMobil says it does not control the market price of gas. And the owner of Beeville's three Exxon stations say her workers are worried about their jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LETICIA MUNOZ, GAS STATION OWNER: We are independent. We are not affiliated with ExxonMobil. Therefore, it's not going to -- they won't probably even know that this is going on down here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Seventy-two percent of people surveyed by the Beeville "Bee-Picayune" say that they plan to boycott Exxon.
Now, San Diego officials are up in arms over a planned Mexican law that would make it legal to have small amounts of drugs for personal use.
The story from Tina Azedin (ph) of our affiliate KGTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TINA AZEDIN (ph), KGTV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The strongest, most dangerous drugs -- cocaine, marijuana, Ecstasy and heroin -- could soon be legal in Mexico, a stunning move that has San Diego leaders outraged. BONNIE DUMANIS, SAN DIEGO DISTRICT ATTORNEY: I just cannot believe it. One has to ask the question, are the drug lords running the show?
AZEDIN: Possessing the drugs in limited amounts would be legal. Yet, selling them would remain illegal under the proposed law.
MAYOR JERRY SANDERS, SAN DIEGO: I want to call this action what it is: appallingly stupid, reckless and incredibly dangerous.
AZEDIN: Mexico's Congress says the change would allow the police to focus on major drug traffickers, rather than smaller drug users. Critics say, at a time when Mexico is pushing for open borders for immigrants, this latest proposal couldn't come at a worse time.
AL DOMINGUEZ, OPPONENT OF PROPOSED LAW: It would be a sad day, I think, for both sides of the border, and -- and, really, a scary time for both sides, I think.
AZEDIN: On a Friday evening at the border, as hundreds cross into Tijuana to party, Randy Arms will visit Tijuana with his 11-year- old son. He is concerned.
RANDY ARMS, TIJUANA, MEXICO VISITOR: I have two other sons, too, and I'm constantly, you know, overlooking them and making sure they don't get involved in gangs and -- gangs and drugs. And -- and the drugs come from somewhere.
AZEDIN: The debate over legalizing drugs can be sobering, when you listen to this 19-year-old, who says if drugs are legalized, people won't be so curious to try them.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not curious about it, and they will just forget at drugs and don't use it.
AZEDIN: America's old war on drugs has become San Diego's latest battle at the border.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Once again, that report from Tina Azedin (ph) of our affiliate KGTV, out of San Diego, California.
Live pictures out of California, this time Los Angeles. The demonstration is beginning to grow, not only here in downtown Los Angeles -- this -- these live pictures coming to us from affiliate KABC -- but, also, protests starting to form for later in the afternoon there Los Angeles, down in the Wilshire district. Can't get an estimate on numbers right now, but they're expecting hundreds of thousands of people to turn out.
The news keeps coming. And we will keep bringing it to you -- more LIVE FROM next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Live pictures now from our affiliate there in Los Angeles, KTTV. You can see that the boycott and the demonstrators increasing, as -- as the day goes on. It's even expected -- this is in downtown L.A. -- it's expecting to grow even bigger, move down into the Wilshire district. Don't know how many people are going to turn out, as it continues to increase throughout the afternoon there in L.A.
And we have also been trying to figure out what is the bottom line here? Will a daylong immigrant boycott even make an economic dent state by state? Would it be nationwide? Or is it just spare change?
Ali Velshi has been crunching the numbers, at least trying to crunch the numbers.
And I guess you really won't know, Ali, until the end of the day, but we can at least sort of look at certain businesses...
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You could look at the impact.
PHILLIPS: Right, the impact of...
VELSHI: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... who's not showing up...
VELSHI: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... for what types of work...
VELSHI: Right.
PHILLIPS: ... in certain states, right?
VELSHI: There are -- there are...
PHILLIPS: I mean, that's how we can do it right now.
VELSHI: That's exactly it.
There are certain industries we know of -- I know you talked to Susan a little earlier -- there are certain industries where illegal workers tend to -- tend to be a bigger proportion of the work force. We know that that's the case in construction. We know in agriculture. And we know in domestic services, things that you do inside your -- your home.
So, in -- in certain places where those industries are very big, you will see an effect. We know that construction is big in -- in lots of the country, but in the Southwest in particular. In the Southwest, that's also where a lot of our agriculture is. So, in the Southwest, you're probably seeing greater rates of people not showing up for work, also in inner cities.
But, if you took everybody in the United States who was an undocumented worker and sort of plucked them out of the economy for a day, which means they didn't work and they didn't spend, there's no input or output from the economy, the number that we can associate with that is about one-and-a-quarter billion dollars; $1,297,000,000 is what undocumented workers put into and -- and -- and contribute to the U.S. economy. That's the value of it.
Now, that assumes that all of them didn't -- didn't do anything today, that the participation rate is very high. And, also, no matter whether you're working or not, Kyra, you're -- you're -- you're usually spending on something, because, you know, if you own a store and you shut it, well, there's still rent and utilities to pay. But that's a pretty big number, any way you cut it.
PHILLIPS: So, let me -- OK, let me ask you a question, because there's a number of things, doing -- you know, reading various magazines, articles...
VELSHI: Sure.
PHILLIPS: ... you try to find some type of numbers. And the only number I can find, with regard to the labor force, if we talk about without immigrants, we would have a decline in the labor force from about 3 to 4 percent.
VELSHI: Right.
PHILLIPS: That's basically what...
VELSHI: Right. I have -- I have heard that.
PHILLIPS: OK. So, that's the same number that you have heard.
VELSHI: That's right. I...
PHILLIPS: So, put that into perspective. I mean, when I see the numbers -- the number you just brought up, I think, wow, that's -- that's a lot of money.
VELSHI: Right.
And that's a...
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: That's a good point, because the number I'm talking about is the percentage of -- of the economy that is...
PHILLIPS: OK.
VELSHI: ... taken out if these people are not there.
But when you actually think about, that's not the same as -- you take 3 or 4 percent out of -- out of the work force -- and -- and I know there's a big debate about whether Americans would do these jobs that the undocumented workers don't do, or whatever the case is -- but, fundamentally, these are workers who typically work at close to minimum wage or -- or -- or less.
Now, if you have to do the work that they're doing and you don't pay those wages, you pay increased wages, in addition to all that money that's not in the economy, you are paying more for the services that you need done, that these people are -- are performing.
And, I mean, that's -- that's economics. That's not a -- that's not a political opinion. That's a fact that, that that work has to be done, or the work doesn't get done. There's some work that you hire people for, because it's economical to do so. If you didn't have those workers, you just wouldn't get it done, or you wouldn't get it done as quickly.
PHILLIPS: Now, looking at past effects, one other thing that I found -- and I don't know if you -- if you read this also -- this -- this came, actually, from a senior fellow an the Independent Institute. It's an Oakland-based think tank.
VELSHI: Mmm-hmm.
PHILLIPS: And -- and one of the -- the fellows said that the last crackdown on illegal immigration was in 2004. And he said it caused a shortage of workers needed to bring in the lettuce crop in the Western United States, which he said caused a $1 billion loss for the industry, as many growers had to leave their fields unharvested -- unharvested.
VELSHI: Yes.
PHILLIPS: So -- OK. So, does that -- do you remember -- I mean, that's the only thing I could find. And I don't even know how...
VELSHI: Well, there's tomatoes.
PHILLIPS: Yes?
VELSHI: Well, we don't have -- yes, there's not a lot of examples of exactly what it does do.
PHILLIPS: Right.
VELSHI: But it doesn't take much science to figure out what it could do.
PHILLIPS: Hmm.
VELSHI: When you think of the -- let me give you an example. In March, it was the highest spending on construction in -- in -- ever, in March, believe it or not. There was more construction going on. Well, we know that undocumented immigrants, and immigrants in general, those with documents, make up a big proportion of the work force in construction.
Well, what happens? You round up all these folks and take them out of the game, what happens to the house prices? What happens to all that construction that actually needs to happen? So, you can extrapolate and say, just like it happened with lettuce, it can happen in tomatoes. It can happen in any kind of agriculture. It can happen in construction. So, it can happen.
And that's what it is. Now on a one-day thing, no, because, if the house doesn't get built today, they will finish building it tomorrow. A shop that doesn't open today will open tomorrow. But what that is all in the streets that we're seeing is a -- is an economic message.
More than economic impact, it's an economic message, that we can rally these troops. These are people who have come around a common cause. And, if they choose to direct their spending or their behavior in a certain way, that can have an economic impact.
PHILLIPS: We are going to interview Christine Chavez. She's the granddaughter, Ali...
VELSHI: Right.
PHILLIPS: ... of -- of Cesar Chavez. You know, she's running for the 45th District California State Assembly seat. And she actually called in before the interview and said that she's getting reports back -- and this is through the United Farm Workers union -- that, from Bakersfield all the way to Salinas Valley, that no farm workers have showed up with regard to the -- the vegetable and fruit fields, and that, right now, the agriculture industry in those areas have completely come to a halt.
VELSHI: And -- and we have heard in other places -- we heard Goya Foods, the largest Hispanic-owned food distribution company in -- in the United States, they have suspended deliveries to urban centers, partially in observance of this, but partially because don't want to see -- a lot of these -- these people we are seeing rallying today are Hispanic. They don't want to see their own companies doing this kind of thing.
So, you are actually seeing that. Southern California is probably being hit disproportionately by this, but, remember, also, a lot of the workers in those industries in that part of the country, the entire industry has greater dependency on undocumented workers, as opposed to -- let's say you're doing this in Boston, where you decide to not show up for work. You might get reprimanded for it.
We have also seen a great increase in the number of people who did ask for leave today. They asked for paid time off, days off today. So, they didn't want to walk out on their employers, but they wanted to make the point that they're not coming to work.
So, there's definitely -- there's no way to -- to -- to -- to portray this without saying there's definitely impact. Whether it's entirely economical or it's a message, there's impact about the money that is in the -- the immigrant communities in this country.
PHILLIPS: Well, it's causing all of us to look a lot deeper...
VELSHI: Yes. PHILLIPS: ... into the subject, too.
PHILLIPS: Ali Velshi, thanks. We will see you in a little bit...
VELSHI: OK.
PHILLIPS: ... coming up toward the closing bell.
Let's get straight to Tony Harris, working, actually...
HARRIS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: ... right -- right -- right off this subject matter.
HARRIS: Right off this subject, yes, absolutely, Kyra.
Julie Rodriguez is with us. And she's with the United Farm Workers Union. She's involved in the protest in Los Angeles.
Julie, are you there?
JULIE RODRIGUEZ, UNITED FARM WORKERS UNION: Yes, I'm here.
HARRIS: Julie, first of all, did you ask -- did you ask workers within your union not to work today?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, no. We wanted to respect the workers themselves and ensure that they weren't jeopardizing their own position and own status at the company.
But, as I think was previously mentioned on this -- on this newscast, that, across the state of California, the fresh food and vegetable harvest has come to a halt. It has literally shut down today, from the strawberry and lettuce fields in the Salinas Valley, all of the way to the table grapes and carrot industries in the Central Valley, and to the (INAUDIBLE) wine grapes up in Sonoma County.
Work has come to a halt, because the farm workers are -- are in solidarity with today's actions and in demonstrating justice for immigrants.
HARRIS: The members of -- of your union, are we talking about all legal citizens, legal? Or are we talking about a mix of folks who are here legally and illegally?
RODRIGUEZ: There is a mixture of both documented and undocumented workers that work in the agricultural industry.
And, today, you know, tens of thousands of farm workers aren't working today. And, instead, they're joining in nonviolent marches and vigils and rallies organized by the United Farm Workers across the state of California.
And, so, I think that, you know, those that are undocumented obviously see the impact directly of legislation that's currently before us. And those that are -- do have their documentation are working in solidarity, because they understand the -- the difficulties and some of the, you know...
HARRIS: Sure.
RODRIGUEZ: ... hardships of undocumented workers.
HARRIS: So, Julie, what is the position of the union with respect to undocumented workers?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, the union believes that, if farm workers are here and they're working in our fields, that they deserve basic human rights; they deserve basic labor rights and legal rights.
And, so, that's our position on undocumented workers, is that, if they're working in our fields, then they deserve to be protected, like any other worker, like any other human being.
HARRIS: Isn't there -- isn't there, sort of by definition, then, a natural split within the union, when -- when you're talking about those who are here legally and those who are here undocumented, as you put it?
RODRIGUEZ: No, actually. As the USW has for years, it's fought for issues that the workers are concerned about. Issues like education, like healthcare, like pension plans, like higher wages. Those are the rallying points for our workers.
It's really about the workplace issues because all of them are working together. You know, they're working in the same fields. They're working side-by-side one another and they believe that they deserve better, more fair, more just treatment and so that's really where our issues lie.
HARRIS: Couldn't your legal migrants and immigrants -- couldn't your legal immigrants get a higher wage if they weren't in competition with those who are here illegally?
RODRIGUEZ: Well, I think that, you know, unfortunately folks that claim that undocumented workers and undocumented immigrants are driving wages down. And I think that, you know, I think there are other factors at play.
When the agriculture industry is willing to pay workers no more than what they feel like they can to make a certain profit, then they're willing to do that at any cost. And so I think unfortunately, as oftentimes is the case, we're blaming the victim here rather than really looking at enforcement and concern that our workers are treated with dignity and respect.
They're contributing a tremendous amount, not just here in California and to the Californian economy, but throughout the country and I think today is witness really of the impact and the power of immigrants. HARRIS: So much more to say. So much more to ask you, Julie. But thanks for your time. Julie Rodriguez with the United Farm Workers Union, who was involved in the demonstration in Los Angeles, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Tony Harris, thank you so much. We're going to keep following that of course. And once again, we will be interviewing Christine Chavez, the granddaughter of Cesar Chavez coming up on the very same issue with regard to the United Farm Workers and how this is impacting agriculture and other parts of the economy.
Well would Las Vegas be Las Vegas without immigrant labor? Don't bet on it. Armies of behind-the-scenes migrants keep the city rolling and they plan to show just how important they are. Our live coverage of a day without immigrants continue. You're watching LIVE FROM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's take you now to the streets of Manhattan. They're filling up, but just ahead of a huge rally. They're not at work, they're not at school, they're not spending money, but they're definitely making their presence known. Our senior correspondent Allan Chernoff is there.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, this is the main event today here in New York City. Earlier today, we had rallies at nine different locations around town, people joining hands and calling attention to the House bill protesting that House bill that would make illegal immigrants here guilty of a felony.
But of course, this is the main event right now. We do have many people here who have taken the day off from work. I've met painters, I've met construction workers, restaurant workers, many of them illegal immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador none of whom wanted to appear on camera.
We are expecting more and more people here already. There are several thousand here in Union Square. Joining us now is Jeffrey Hernandez and he actually was born here in the U.S., but his parents were here illegally. Jeffrey, why did you come today? You traveled pretty far away.
JEFFREY HERNANDEZ, CHILD OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS: Yes, I did. I want to support the immigrants here because my family were immigrants. They came to the United States, established themselves and supported me to be a better American overall.
CHERNOFF: Very quickly, do you think that this sort of protest can result in amnesty for a lot of the illegal immigrants?
HERNANDEZ: I would hope so. I would very hope so, that's the reason I'm here and that's the reason all of the people are here to get that. That's their goal.
CHERNOFF: As Jeffrey says, many people here are calling for amnesty right away for all of the illegal immigrants. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, Allan Chernoff, thank you so much, 300,000 and climbing. Immigrants in Chicago are rallying in the parks, on the streets, in the loop today. Our Keith Oppenheim has been following them all day. He joins us now live from Chicago. Hey, Keith.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. And as you know, I spent the earlier part of my day at the beginning of this immigration march about three miles away from where I am now. In the past hour, one of my producers was able to sneak me around traffic and get me to where I'm standing now, to Grant Park along the shores of Lake Michigan.
And in this field in Grant Park is where all those marchers, a steady stream keep on coming. Now you mentioned the figure of 300,000. I don't think we really know how big this rally is just yet and it's something that we will assess as we get toward the end of the day because the folks just keep on coming.
In about an hour and a half from now, perhaps, is when the main speeches will begin. We're getting some of the earlier speeches now, but again, this is going to be a series of ball fields down in Grant Park where people will get a chance to take it all in.
And just by seeing the crowd, the marchers keep on coming into this field is just quite a show of force for immigration rights, from a largely Mexican American crowd, but also a number of other nationalities represented here as well, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right Keith Oppenheim live in Chicago. Thanks so much.
You know, immigrants rights activism is a family tradition for my next guest. Christine Chavez is the granddaughter of legendary labor leader Cesar Chavez. She's also running for the seat in the California assembly. This is the second time we've had the chance to have her on the show. Christine, it's great to have you back.
CHRISTINE CHAVEZ (D), CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY CANDIDATE: Thank you. Thank you for inviting me back.
PHILLIPS: You have been funneling in information to us, actually, I've been using it within the past hour, coming from the United Farm Workers Union. Tell me where you have been today and what you've been tracking with regard to these farmers and how it's affecting the agriculture industry up to this point.
CHAVEZ: We got report from a number of our field offices all of the way down as far as the Imperial Valley, which borders Mexico and all of the way up to the Napa Vineyards.
We are getting reports that in the fruit and vegetables -- the workers have walked out and joined the United Farm Workers at massive protests and so as we know it, you know, the agricultural in this day has come to a halt. There are nobody picking fruits and vegetables right now. PHILLIPS: So what do you think about what is taking place today? Is this the way to go? Should it be done through a boycott? Should it be done through not showing up to work, not going to school and making these types of efforts?
CHAVEZ: Well, I live in east Los Angeles and driving through the community of east Los Angeles this morning, there was businesses shut down. Even a jack in the box said "Due to staffing problems we are closed today." And then we joined the city of Maywood out in the southeast area of Los Angeles with thousands and thousands of people from all of the southeast areas coming together and it was so inspiring to see people marching just the way that Dr. King and Cesar Chavez, marching nonviolently for one single common cause. It's very inspiring. You saw mothers there with their small children. You saw hundreds of just thousands of people marching all for the same cause.
PHILLIPS: We've been getting a lot of e-mails, Christine. A lot of angry e-mails. One coming from Las Vegas, Nevada, Malfinna (ph) said my aunt has been waiting for almost 11 years to become an immigrant legally. These protesters think they can become legal by abandoning their jobs, endangering our economy and insulting the hard- working middle class. What do you think about the people that are extremely angry about what the illegal immigrants and the immigrants are doing today?
CHAVEZ: Well, we're also extremely upset about bills like HR- 4437 that look to penalize people who are just here to work. One of the things we've done at the United Farm Workers is we're trying to put farm workers on a path toward earned legalization. You have to remember that they feed this nation and it is important for them to come out of the shadows and be a part of society and this is one day where we're all getting together saying enough is enough. We would like to have earned legalization.
PHILLIPS: What do you think your grandfather would think of all this. I know that growing up the only way you had chance to spend time with your grandfather was to go to the protests and be a part of these protests with him. As he looks down on what's happening today what do you think he would say?
CHAVEZ: He would be so proud. There's a quote that he used to say. We don't need perfect political systems, but we need perfect participation. That's exactly what we're seeing today. Whether people chose to boycott or chose to go to work, there were some people that could not do that. Everybody has to respect that also.
We're asking people to come and participate after work and just to have a day of action. Educate your neighbors about it. If you're in school, educate other students about that, but really talk about HR-4437 and speak out against that. I think my grandfather would be on the forefront of all of these activities and is very proud to see everybody marching just the way he did, nonviolently.
PHILLIPS: Christine, what do you think about President Vicente Fox and what's happening in Mexico. We're focusing so much on the protests here, but what about the corruption in Mexico? What about making life better for the men and women there so this isn't so much of an issue?
CHAVEZ: No, there definitely needs to be changes in Mexico, but right now what we are focused on is the people that are working here in this country and making sure they're given all the opportunities that everybody else has in the United States. I think that with these marches and these protests we're definitely going to see a broken immigration system be put in the forefront of, you know, of everybody's living rooms and everybody will continue to talk about this issue until we see this system work.
PHILLIPS: Christine Chavez. Always good to talk to you. Appreciate joining us today.
CHAVEZ: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: They were enemies in Iraq just three years ago. Now they're comrades. The incredible story of an Iraqi army captain and the U.S. army officers who are helping him fight a different kind of battle. That's coming up next on LIVE FROM.
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PHILLIPS: Bombshell from Iraq's president, Jalal Talabani says he has been talking with seven insurgent groups and believes they can work together to end the carnage. Talabani says that none of the groups is loyal to al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al Zarqawi. The U.S. Embassy spokesman says that Washington supports efforts to persuade insurgents except al Qaeda to join the new government.
Ambushed in Iraq, treated in Atlanta, a decorated and badly- wounded Iraqi army captain is treated at the world famous Shepherd Spinal Center thanks to his American comrades. CNN's Breanna Keilar joins me now with more on this amazing story. We were talking about it all morning.
We were very anxious to talk to him but his English is not so good, right?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He does know a little English, enough to come in this morning and say to us hello friend. So he's very cheerful, but we know him only as Captain Farat and that's because his name is being withheld to protect his family that is currently in Iraq.
He is paralyzed from the waist down and he spoke today with reporters at Atlanta's Shepherd Center, a catastrophic center that specializes in spinal cord and brain injuries. On Christmas Day Farat was coming home from work, driving his personal car and wearing civilian clothes when he says he was ambushed by four insurgents in a car.
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CAPT. "FURAT", IRAQ ARMY (through translator): And a doctor told me that I was shot 12 times. And if you'd like to see, this is one of them right here. And one here. And there's a platinum screw in there and there's one here in my finger and three in my abdomen and three in my back.
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KEILAR: Captain Furat came to Atlanta in late February after spending two months in critical condition at the U.S. Air Force hospital in Belad (ph), he new spends five days a week going through physical therapy and learning to live with his disability.
This is a very rare situation with an Iraqi soldier being brought to the U.S. Hospital officials say Farat is looked upon as somewhat of a hero by his American colleagues and they pressed for him to receive the best care possible.
PHILLIPS: How exactly did he get here. Did American soldiers rally around them and make this happen?
KEILAR: They did. I guess you could say he got here with a little help from his friends. He really impressed his commanders, his American commanders in Iraq, and they came to the Shepherd center to make this case for him that he should receive this care. They agreed.
There was also some red tape, how to get him to the U.S. and for that the Shepherd Center actually enlisted the help of Senators Bill Frist and Johnnie Isacson so that the U.S. Army could bring him here in late February.
PHILLIPS: I noticed a bracelet around his wrist. Is there a story behind that?
KEILAR: There is. That's a steel bracelet that the he wears and it has the name of five of his Iraqi comrades who died in Iraq and he says he wears it so he can always remember them.
PHILLIPS: It's similar to what we have in the United States. We have the same thing with the bracelets.
KEILAR: Exactly. He actually made his own.
PHILLIPS: Wow! how did he get his nickname, Rambo? I remember you were saying early on that's what all the guys called him.
KEILAR: That's right and we asked him and he had a little giggle about that. He got the name Rambo actually from the size of his gun. On some of the early missions he went on with U.S. troops, he said he had a gun, he told us it was about this big, it was bigger than an AK- 47 so they started calling him Rambo.
PHILLIPS: So how long is he going to be here, and does he want to stay here, can he stay here or will he have to go back to Iraq?
KEILAR: That's really up in the air at this point. The hospital says that is he is expecting to go through several more weeks of treatment and, at this point, it's really day by day. After that they say they're not sure if he's going to stay in the U.S. or if he's going to go back to Iraq, but he is very focused on the Iraqi cause and he wants to see Iraq come to peace so he's very -- he seems to want to go back, but obviously his disability is going to be a limiting factor.
PHILLIPS: Was he targeted because he was helping the U.S.?
KEILAR: He believes so. In fact, he says that he was targeted five or six times before this, obviously, this being the most severe of the attacks. But he says insurgents were monitoring him all of the time. They were watching his house and there had been several other threats.
PHILLIPS: We look forward to hearing more from him. Brianna Keilar, thank you so much.
Well, live pictures now from Los Angeles, California, as thousands of legal and illegal immigrants continue to march while the city stands still. Our live coverage of the "Day Without Immigrants" continues straight ahead on LIVE FROM.
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PHILLIPS: These are some pictures we've got on tape for you. It was live just moments ago out of Las Vegas, Nevada, the rally starting in downtown Vegas. About 5:30 Vegas time it's actually supposed to start. It's right near the Vegas strip, where the casinos and hotels are located. Thousands of workers there in Vegas already showing up getting ready for that march.
Well, "A Day Without Immigrants" is not without complaints from other Hispanics.
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CROWD: One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
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PHILLIPS: You Don't Speak For Me is the name of and message from a coalition of Hispanic-American groups whose members recited the Pledge of Allegiance today at a news conference in Washington.
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COL. ALBERTO F. RODRIGUEZ, "YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ME": This group represents the other side of the story, the side of the American Hispanic community that is standing up against illegal immigration, standing up for secure borders, and standing up for all Americans who are shocked and angry about the mass demonstrations of illegals who are demanding -- not asking -- demanding rights that they do not even have the right to demand.
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PHILLIPS: The coalition says it speaks for Latinos who work hard and play by the rules.
Time now to check on CNN's Wolf Blitzer standing by in "THE SITUATION ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour -- Hi, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Kyra. Thanks very much.
Has the mission been accomplished in Iraq? It's been three years since the president stood on that aircraft carrier. We're taking a closer look at where things stand right now.
Plus, dire prediction, the energy secretary declares the country facing an energy emergency, a "crisis" his word. Find out how long it may be before you get price relief at the pump.
Also, hurricane season just one month away. Is the country ready this time?
And Rush Limbaugh drug testing -- we'll tell you what the talk show host had to say about his deal with prosecutors. Of course, we'll also have extensive live coverage of the demonstrations taking place, Kyra, coast to coast. All of that coming up right here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
PHILLIPS: Thanks. The news keeps coming and we'll keep bringing it to you, more LIVE FROM coming up next.
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PHILLIPS: Live pictures out of Chicago. They're not at work, not in school, not spending money but definitely making their presence known. Live pictures as legal and illegal immigrants are staging what's being called a day without immigrants. That's the chopper reporter there. Is it having an impact on the markets? Ali Velshi is watching the numbers and closing bell for us in New York. We don't have very long. Less than a minute.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: We do have less than a minute. It's been good listening to you, Kyra. There's been a lot of coverage today that has been important for Americans. It hasn't had a great deal of influence on business markets and I will tell our viewers about that shortly, but I will say good-bye to you, Kyra Phillips, thank you for that.
Most American businesses are taking a clear message from the rallies out there that the immigrant populations can work as a group in some fashion. No major economic impact right now although markets have turned lower for other reasons today.
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