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Wendy Olbrych, of Chicopee, and Benjamin Brewer, of Maine, hold signs protesting illegal immigration on Memorial Drive Sunday.
(JEANETTE DeFORGE/REPUBLICAN)
CHICOPEE – Protesters and counter-protesters of illegal immigration gathered on opposite sides of the Memorial Drive rotary holding signs and encouraging motorists to honk their horns to show support for their cause.
The second rally in two weeks to protest illegal immigration went off as planned even though the federal government announced Tuesday it would not be bringing undocumented children who have entered the country illegally to Massachusetts to be housed temporarily at Westover Air Reserve Base or Camp Edwards on Cape Cod. Gov. Deval L. Patrick had earlier offered the locations when President Obama put out a call asking states to help with the children.
The number of unaccompanied minors along the southwest border has dropped and the number of children in Customs and Border Protection custody has fallen so the temporary placement centers are no longer needed.
Sunday a group of protesters who come from a number of different groups including the Pioneer Valley Tea Party and Impeach Obama waved flags and showed signs saying "No Amnesty."
Counter protesters from groups such as Arise for Social Justice and the Injustice Liberation decided to hold their own rally at the same time. They held own signs across the street and chanted. Some members accused the anti-illegal immigration group of harassing them.
"It is not a problem that is going away," said Chicopee Ward 9 Councilor Gerry Roy, who attended the protest. "They are not stopping, no one is being deported. No one is going home."
Counter protesters who are showing their support for undocumented children show their signs on Memorial Drive Sunday.
He and others aired concerns that some of the undocumented children are actually gang members, the crisis will increase the heroin trade at the border and children will not be easily assimilated into the American culture.
Protesters said their main message is the borders have to be secured and illegal immigration has to stop. The counter protesters argued that the refugee children are in crisis and need to be cared for properly.
“We are here to support the children,” said Vanessa A. Lynch, of Northampton, one of the counter protesters. “America was made up if immigrants.”
Along with Patrick saying he had 1,600 people who called or emailed their support to bringing the undocumented children to Massachusetts. The counter protesters said they also have a petition with more than 300 signatures from local people who supported the move, said Camila Carpio, of Amherst.
But protesters argued that the actual cost of trying to deal with the undocumented children is something the country cannot afford, especially when veterans are waiting for health care and some are homeless and jobless.
President Obama this week it is asking Congress for $3.7 billion to handle the influx of undocumented children crossing into the United States from Mexico and Central America.
“Secure the borders. We can’t take care of the whole world,” said Wendy Olbrych, of Chicopee. “The middle class is being taxed into poverty.”
She called the protesters simply a group of citizens who are concerned about illegal immigration. Gubernatorial candidate Republican Mark Fisher joined the group.
Benjamin Brewer, of Maine joined the protest. His long drive was eased by the fact that his fiancée, a legal immigrant from Mexico, is a reservist at Westover.
“The main idea is to stop illegal immigration and to boost up legal immigration,” he said.