 |
| Migrant organizations march past US embassy in Mexico City last December Photo: María Luisa Severiano |
Los Angeles, California - Immigration reform, if carried out, will be a step forward but not the solution of a more serious problem, said Alejandro Solalinde, a Mexican priest and human rights activist.
Solalinde, who heads the caravan Opening Doors to Hope, that plans to arrive in Washington on May 26, said it is urgent that the U.S. promote a comprehensive development program for Central America.
"The millions of dollars the U.S. spends on walls and new technologies at the border should be invested in development in that region," he said.The priest is carrying out various activities in Los Angeles as part of his caravan that started on April 29 in Calexico, California, adjacent to Mexicali, Mexico. The activist said that today and tomorrow he will meet with the Catholic hierarchy of Los Angeles and will be meeting with the Zacatecas Club of Southern California.
The day before, the caravan was in Riverside, Northridge, and other sections of Los Angeles, after having participated in a May Day march for immigration reform.
"Given that immigration reform would only solve some aspects, you have to be realistic because we must not forget that the economic interests of the United States will limit it," he said.
"As proposed, the reform is not going in the direction of humanitarian good, but is utilitarian and pragmatic. Most of what motivates things in the United States is structured around money," he said.
"We can't expect that other movements will join us, when we are still seen as terrorists or criminals," he asserted.
"This caravan," he said, "isn't starting something new; it just adds a bit to the great effort that activists, community leaders and organizations have made for years. This journey is more of a message of encouragement for immigrants, whose hope is not going to be satisfied with an immigration law, when we know that much more is needed.
"What really should happen in this country is that everyone is welcome and respected and that here people are worth more than money. This land belongs to everyone. God gave it to everyone, without invoices or bills of sale, without barriers and without walls. We hope it may be so," he emphasized.Given the recent incident in Cosoleacaque, Veracruz, where several immigrants were injured, he said it is "unfortunate" that this happens.
"Because of this, we are also looking to the U.S. government and Congress to ask that the Mérida Initiative and financial aid to Mexico be suspended, because it deceives people as to what the actual plans should be," he added.Solalinde insisted that although he has received death threats, he isn't afraid,
"because I am in God's hands and because now the migrant shelter, Brothers on the Way, is the safest of Mexico."On May 5 the caravan will be in Phoenix, Arizona, then it will spend two days in New Mexico. From May 8 to 11, it will tour cities in Texas and then head for Chicago, New York and Washington. Spanish original