Hispanic Immigrants trickled into Independence Mall in Philadelphia chanting “si se puede” and “yes we can” in English AND Spanish.

It was Valentine’s Day, February 14 2006.  Many of the Latinos marching that day were lawful citizens.  That morning some left North Philly where some lived and ran their own burgeoning businesses, they posted “Not Open Today – Joined the March”

They picketed peacefully marching all the way up to Philadelphia’s Love Park, just to make a point: protest against an infamous Sensenbrenner Bill H.R. 4437 that would legalize a veritable witch-hunt against immigrants lacking legal status and anyone even offering them humane assistance. 

A few thousand strong that crowd would then be replicated in the Spring of 2006 across the continental United States, in L.A. more than half a million turned out to protest. More than 11’ million immigrants working and paying taxes in the United States were about to be rounded up as a bunch of criminals, and they stood no chance to be acquitted unlike Mr. Bundy who staged an armed standoff in Oregon against federal forces.

How this reaction and great awareness came about should be squarely put to Philadelphia’s Hispanic who took a hard look at an otherwise gibberish piece of legislation, Sensenbrenner Bill H.R. 4437, to realize what was afoot.

Enthusiastic chants even chanced: “Today We March, Tomorrow We Vote”.

The Sensenbrenner Bill was stopped.  What ensued simply was not expected:  under great promises of “Hope”, the Obama Administration carried out the largest deportation on record…   To say dreams were dashed would be an understatement.

Fast-forward 10 years and the world stage for people in distress and the very natural and human migration that ensues, now is less than auspicious.  President Obama was unable to deliver immigration reform and shied away from using his executive powers allowing instead the largest push to deport immigrants. Angela Merkel’s welcoming policies backfired in Germany, dead immigrants continue to wash up on Europe’s Mediterranean shores, the sad chapter of the now smoldering ex refugee camp aka ‘Jungle’ of Calais in France is now followed by French villagers unwilling to accept refugees in their midst.

Immigrants today are exactly in the same situation as those Syrian and North African in the Mediterranean, about to sink, barely surviving the rage of the sea or the hatred of their would-be hosts.