KTLA News: "Demonstration protesting Dixon-Arnett Law and its impact on undocumented workers" (1971)

[Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Jacobo] We are protesting the fact that  most of these people do have a family, do have part in the community, they pay taxes and they  have United States born sons and daughters. ...and what we uh...are demanding is that all these  people that are community people, they have United States born citizens and are working  and supporting the economy and the taxes of this country should be given the legal right to stay and work and be part of this uh...uh...uh...country. [Silence]. [Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Man at microphone talking, unintelligible]. [Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Man at microphone shouts] "Abajo con Reagan." [Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Unidentified Reporter] Jacobo, why are these   organizations demonstrating today? [Jacobo] We are demonstrating here today to protest the illegality of the law that was passed last  Wednesday, the uh...Dixon-Arnett Law, where uh...uh...supposedly the employer is fined from $200 to $500 for knowingly employing uh...uh...people without any papers. [Unidentified Reporter] How many organizations are involved in the demonstration? [Jacobo] We have a way...a wide uh...uh...community support uh... by that its uh...Casa MAPA, Casa de Carnalismo, uh...La Raza Unida, uh...United Farm Workers, the MEChA and it's a number of groups that are  supporting this demonstration. [Unidentified Reporter] Specifically what does your organization object to in this law that's been passed  by the State Legislature. [Jacobo] We are objecting the fact that uh... this law puts the burden of uh... of proof and an economical burden because uh...  people right now that do not have any documents are being laid off their jobs because they do not have any papers. And... [Unidentified Reporter] Why do you feel that they should be entitled to work in the State of California? [Jacobo] Any...it's been said in different  kinds of laws...United Nations, uh...Pope Paul 12 (?) enacted the same kind of law where any human  being, wherever he is, has a right to work if he's going to do it in a local manner. [Unidentified Reporter] What specific changes would you like to see in this law then? [Jacobo] I think the problem has been here all along  but it has just been recently brought out. [Unidentified Reporter] ...say in the Mexican-American community so far as your organizations are concerned? [Jacobo] Uh...many of them belong to different... [Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Unidentified Reporter] Percy, why is this demonstration taking place today? [Percy] This demonstration is taking place today to demonstrate against the law which is going  to be signed by Governor Reagan which states that the employer, if he hires illegal aliens, will be prosecuted. The problem with the law is the way it is worded. It gives the employer and "out." All he has to say is, "I didn't know that this was an illegal alien." And so, again, who does it hit? It hits the little man. It hits the working man. Uhm...our concern is the fact that this country is one of  the richest countries in the nation...in the world and they have the opportunity to give employment  to illegal aliens. Well we're concerned with this why aren't these laws applied against Canadians  when they come across the border? Why is it that Mexicans who are dark and some of us are short,  some of us are tall...is it because it's a form of discrimination because they're able to pick us out and say, "they're different?" This is what we're concerned with. [Unidentified Reporter] Well, why do you feel that the illegal aliens should be allowed to work in the State of California? [Percy] Well, our concern is that we're dealing with human beings who have a right to seek a livelihood and again there is  opportunity here in this country to provide a livelihood for these people. It becomes a human  thing. I mean, we have to take care of our own people. [Unidentified Reporter] Well, in taking care of our own, don't  we have a responsibility to take care of the American citizens who are out of jobs right now? [Percy] Yes, if the opportunities as they exist for the quote-unquote "white class middle-American"  were given to the Mexican-American in the United States. As it exists we have been discriminated against. We have not had the opportunity to go through the schools, through the trade unions.  Our people have been discriminated against and have not been given these opportunities and what we are concerned with is opening up for everybody. We are not just concerned with our  people in this country but across the board. [Street noise and sound of protestor's walking]. [Silence].