Immigration Mis-cast

The Alliance has always been in the forefront of the defense of immigrants and their contribution to the economic success of NYC. How could we not be? Immigrant entrepreneurs have played a major role in the economic revitalization of this city.

That being said we are not by any means unqualified supporters of today's May Day rally. In the first place it lacks honesty to call this a rally for "immigrants", as yesterday's story in the NY Daily News described it. These are folks who came here illegally and flouted our country's laws in the process. It is not "anti-immigrant" to point this out.

We applaud all of these hard workers at the same time that we believe that we need to put strict guidelines in place to ensure an orderly and safe process for those wishing to come here. Totally open borders at any time are a danger to a country's security, but especially now.

In addition, while most of those coming here are law-abiding enough aren't to warrant much greater scrutiny. Just ask the family of Mary Nagle, our neighbor in New City who was brutally murdered by an illegal immigrant from Guatemala.

It is by now a truism to say that the US was built by immigrants. The advocacy of an orderly process and border security doesn't make anyone anti-immigrant. Those who would label in this fashion have a radically different view of this country, and if this view became the majority one this country as we know it would cease to exist.

No one has an unalienable right to come here. It is and should be a privilege. So the Alliance, itself made up of many immigrant entrepreneurs, welcomes those who want to work hard and contribute to this country's continued success. Sneaking in and subsequently marching for ones "rights" will not endear the marchers and advance their cause.