Should day laborers be allowed to gather where ever they please?

Do you believe when day laborers are gathered in front of businesses, they chase away customers?



If you owned a business, would you want these illegal aliens gathered in front of your business?

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12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, July 26, 2009

By WENDY HUNDLEY / The Dallas Morning News

whundley@dallasnews.com



For decades, Huffines Plaza in Lewisville has been an unofficial gathering spot for day laborers.







DAVID WOO/DMN

Gabriel Cuevas has been a Texas resident for 38 years and lives in Lewisville. He and other day laborers are now looking for work at a convenience store near Huffines Plaza. The shopping center, along Interstate 35E near State Highway 121, provides quick and easy access for employers who need an extra hand willing to give a day's work for a day's pay.



While this informal employment system seems to have worked for years with few problems, day laborers no longer feel welcome at the plaza, where "no trespassing" signs have been posted recently and police have been asked to start enforcing trespassing laws.



City officials say they're trying to help retailers revitalize aging shopping centers, but the displaced workers seem confused by the sudden shift and say they're only trying to support themselves and their families the best way they can.



"All the cars would come from I-35 and see you. Then they started kicking us out. They didn't want us there," said Carlos Javier, 26.



"We're not homeless," unemployed construction worker Antonio Aleman said defiantly. "We're looking for work."



The "no trespassing" signs were posted at the plaza within days of John Gorena's election to the Lewisville City Council in a June runoff. Gorena, who has been outspoken in his opposition to illegal immigration, declined to speculate on whether there's a connection.



"It doesn't matter who gets credit. Something is being done," Gorena said. "I'm satisfied with the direction that we're going. But we have to do more."



He said most of the day laborers are here illegally and contribute to growing crime rates, overcrowding of schools and escalating medical costs. But Gorena, who is of Hispanic heritage, also thinks that the day laborers are being exploited by "greedy American employers."



He said the "pro-illegal-alien side has lots of money. We Americans have to stand up and fight."



Lewisville Mayor Dean Ueckert said the police action at the plaza had nothing to do with Gorena's election and the timing was only a coincidence.



He said the changes at Huffines Plaza are the result of several years of work by city officials to encourage owners to spruce up aging retail areas.



"Lewisville is almost 90 years old, and we're trying to do some revitalization of shopping centers," the mayor said. "They wanted to try to upgrade their shopping center and came to the conclusion they'd like us to ask the day laborers not to congregate on their property."



Alfred Goh, property manager for the plaza, could not be reached for comment. Ueckert said the center is not owned by the Huffines family that has area car dealerships.



Three years ago, Lewisville officials considered a day-labor center for workers, but the idea was strongly opposed.



"If they're legal and they want to find employment, an employment agency is a great place," Ueckert said.



http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/鈥?/a>Should day laborers be allowed to gather where ever they please?
It's just more evidence that our own government is trying to replace. They won't enforce the laws against them. But if you or I even parked our car in the wrong place you get ticketed or towed.



That's why I say we MUST stop finding our fellow Americans guilty of any crime when we serve on jury duty. Our founding fathers for-saw the day when this kind of corruption would come to be. That's why the placed 12 average citizens in charge of finding guilt or innocence in criminal trials. Because they knew the powerful elites would some day try and have a double standard of justice. Carved in stone above the supreme court are the words, "equal justice under law." Until our government starts to enforce the laws equally, we Americans should enforce the rule of law on our own.
No I would not want them hanging out in front of my business.*Should day laborers be allowed to gather where ever they please?
they urinate on one another that seems funny is it some form of affection, cuture or do they not know any better ??
NO!Should day laborers be allowed to gather where ever they please?
NO!



http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=h鈥?/a>
no it like las also
nope!!!



they should have a designated place to gather, that way immigration authorities can go to the designated place and check for illegals !!!
Sure, why not. Better than those panhandlers in front of every store begging for money to support their drug and alcohol addictions. At least they are looking to be productive. Maybe they should beg for money instead and blend in with the US citizens.
"While this informal employment system seems to have worked for years with few problems..."



Exactly. So who's causing problems now?



As for "wherever they please" no, I do not think that. But creating a problem where there was none previously is another issue.