Immigrant employees protest ruling to void work permits

Monday, Sept. 28, 1998 | 1:58 a.m.

Gumaro Sanchez was one of hundreds of protesters in front of the Foley Federal Building this morning demonstrating against a recent 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to void the work permits of thousands of aliens who face possible deportation.

But the 29-year-old dishwasher at the Treasure Island Hotel-Casino could not hear the chants uttered by the mostly-Hispanic marchers.

Sanchez, who immigrated from Mexico, is a deaf mute, as are his 5 and 1-year-old children. He and his wife, Rocio, 22, are among those who will no longer be able to apply for a temporary work permit.

"The work permit is the only way we can survive," said Sanchez' wife.

Melena Burnett started an organization called Fair Treatment for Immigrants after seeing the impact the appellate court ruling was having on families. She said at least 18,000 Nevada families -- 80,000 people -- are being affected by the court decision, which was made in August and takes effect Sept. 30.

"These people have worked in local industries and hotels for nearly nine years," said Burnett. "They face total economic ruin."

Many couples who have been waiting for years to have their status resolved have children who were born in this country.

Immigration and Naturalization Service spokesman Peter Ahr said an immigration judge could consider the hardship on a family.

"But as far as the issue of having citizen children, the INS has no authority to address what happens to those citizen children. It is up to the family," said Ahr.

Ahr also said most of those who are protesting probably don't face imminent deportation, though many of them may already have lost their work permits.

"Each will have to be examined on a case-by-case basis," he said.

Juan Jose Gutierrez, executive director of One Stop Immigration Center Inc. of Los Angeles joined the Las Vegas protesters and said more demonstrations are planned across the country for Oct. 11, Columbus Day.

The problem stems for an amnesty law passed by the U.S. Congress in 1986, which permitted all illegal aliens in the country at that time to remain here if they came forward and reported to the INS.

Ahr said many immigrants failed to report because they were concerned that they fell within a class that was being excluded from amnesty -- those who had left the country during the amnesty period but returned.

"We eventually found out some people declined to apply for legalization because they were under the erroneous assumption that any departure whatsoever disqualified them," said Ahr.

After finding out they could have applied for legalization, a group represented legally by the Catholic Social Services (CSS) filed a class action suit.

The case has lingered for almost 10 years.

"Three class action lawsuits have been won against INS," said Gutierrez, "and each time the INS has appealed. Half a million people are still waiting for the resolution to these cases."