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Hispanics to combat perceptions of illegal immigrants

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Local Hispanic leaders met Monday night to push back against federal, state and county measures targeting illegal immigration.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement program designed to deport illegal immigrants booked in Beaufort County's jail took effect this month, fueling action within the Hispanic community, they said.

At the meeting at the Hilton Head Island office of La Isla magazine, the group laid out possible strategies to educate the Hispanic population about their rights and ways to combat perceptions about illegal immigrants.

Hispanics booked in the Beaufort County jail who are suspected of being illegal immigrants and face deportation often don't know their rights, said Luis Bell.

Bell, the former executive director of the now-defunct Latin American Council and the outreach director for the newly formed Neighborhood Outreach Connection stressed that he was attending the meeting as a concerned citizen and not in any official capacity.

"None of them know they have a right to a trial," Bell said. "All of them waive their right for a public defender."

Bell said there also was confusion among families about how to contact their relatives being held in the county jail.

He suggested setting up a task force of lawyers to open the lines of communication and help educate people on their rights.

But the meeting also focused on the broader goal of creating more of a voice for the Hispanic community.

Eric Esquivel, La Isla's publisher, said the group needs to organize Hispanics, and "then we need to find unity with other members of the community who support the Latino community."

In addition to improving the image of Hispanics, Esquivel said the group should act as a watchdog against instances of racial profiling. By working with national civil rights advocacy groups, the group could discourage law enforcement agents from singling out Hispanics.

Mario Martinez, a Bluffton banker, pointed out that the larger community often associates negative stereotypes with Hispanics.

"We have to change that image," he said, urging the group to emphasize the positive and "what we give back to the community and how hard we work."

Augustin Martinez, a local translator, chimed in on what the message should be: "Beaufort County is spending tens of thousands of bucks to deport someone who's busted his butt to help build this community."

For the movement to be effective, the leaders stressed that they would have to remain positive. Esquivel said the area has not gotten involved in national boycotts because they are negative.

Mario Martinez said they now have to rise above the raw emotion in the community and stage a savvy campaign to turn things around for Hispanics.

"I understand that anger, but it's not going to get us anywhere."

Strategies to combat negative perceptions

• Educating Hispanics about their legal rights

• Building unity in the Hispanic community and solidarity among the general public

• Launching a media campaign on radio, the Internet and in newspapers

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