Vol. 71/No. 10      March 12, 2007

The counterprotest was organized by several campus groups, including Latinos United with Honor and Friendship (LUCHA), Students Creating Radical Change, and the NYU College Democrats.

In the game a group of students pretending to be immigration police competed to find another student posing as an “illegal immigrant” in order to win a prize.

The Republicans claimed that 12 people signed up to participate. They then organized a picket line involving about 10 students holding signs that said “illegal immigration” is “disrespectful,” violates American “national sovereignty,” and increases the crime rate.

Across the street behind police barricades, hundreds of counterdemonstrators marched, chanted, and held signs with slogans including, “No One Is Illegal”; “Racism Is Not a Game”; and “Legalize, Don’t Criminalize Immigrants.”

“I am here to try to dispel some ignorance,” said Natalia Ospina, the operations chair for LUCHA. “They need to acknowledge that this is not a joke.” Ospina called for “respect and open dialogue” on campus around the issue.

Several of the participants interviewed had joined the massive actions calling for legalization of all immigrants that took place across the country last spring.

“I feel strongly that illegal immigrants are not being treated fairly,” said Andrelie Suarez, 19, a NYU student who had participated in last year’s May 1 demonstration. “I support legalization for all.”

Erasma Beras, 34, a graduate student in the International Development program, also joined the counterprotest. She said that the demand for legalization was not realistic. She supports a “guest worker" program, such as that promoted by the Bush administration.

“My mother came here from the Dominican Republic and got her citizenship through amnesty,” Beras said, referring to the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act that established a process through which 2.7 million undocumented immigrants gained permanent residency. Beras also participated in the massive May Day action last year.

Paul Pederson contributed to this article.  
 
 
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