Protesters denounce Costa Mesa for policies on migrants

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Sunday, July 9, 2006

Protesters denounce Costa Mesa for policies on migrants
About 65 take part in march organized by OCC student critical of mayor.

By SAM MILLER
The Orange County Register

An immigrant-rights advocate who has called the mayor of Costa Mesa "racist" led a march Saturday against the city's immigration policies.

About 65 people joined Coyotl Tezcalipoca, an Orange Coast College student, at 19th Street and Placentia Avenue in Costa Mesa, chanting and waving protest signs.

At issue: the Costa Mesa City Council's decision to close its day-labor site last year and its plan to have police enforce federal immigration laws and help deport undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes.

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"That's silly," said Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor. "The focus of what we're doing is on major criminals. … It does not involve sweeps. It does not involve any focus on victims." Mansoor said he voted to close the day-labor site not to target immigrants, but because cities shouldn't subsidize services that compete with private businesses. That statement was disputed Saturday by the protesters, many of whom belong to the group Tonantzin Collective.

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http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/article_1207098.php