Immigration Protesters Swarm Wisconsin State Capitol

Immigration Protesters Swarm Wisconsin State Capitol

Wisconsin is trying to take measures to deal with illegal immigration and sanctuary cities. Naturally, detractors are describing the initiatives as racist and anti-immigrant.

As a result, thousands of protesters showed up at the Wisconsin capitol yesterday, reminiscent of the anti-Walker protests of several years ago.

Here’s what it looked like in 2011, in case you’ve forgotten:

CNN reports:

Thousands protest ‘anti-immigrant’ legislation in Wisconsin

Thousands of activists and allies poured into Madison, Wisconsin, on Thursday as part of a massive rally against legislation that protest leaders described as “racist” and “anti-immigrant.”

Called “A Day Without Latinos and Immigrants in Wisconsin,” the protests center on two pieces of legislation — one, AB 450, would ban so-called “sanctuary cities” in Wisconsin, while another, SB 533, seeks to prevent local government from issuing ID cards to undocumented immigrants.

AB 450 recently passed the Assembly and is now expected to be considered by the upper chamber, while SB 533 has been approved by both and is headed to the desk of Republican Gov. Scott Walker. The governor’s office did not immediately respond to an email asking if he plans to sign it into law.

Voces de la Frontera, one of the organizing groups, touted on its website “work stoppages, business closures and student walk-outs” in support of a broader effort to kill the bills and make a showing of immigrant economic power.

The author of AB 450, State Rep. John Spiros, a Marshfield Republican, rejected the characterization of his bill as “anti-immigrant,” telling CNN he wrote it in response to the high-profile shooting death last summer of Kate Steinle. The 32-year-old San Francisco woman was allegedly killed by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, an undocumented immigrant and felon who had repeatedly re-entered the country after multiple deportations.

“After I saw that Wisconsin had three ‘sanctuary cities’ — Madison, Racine and Milwaukee County — I went to work and said, ‘How can we do something to make sure we don’t have another San Francisco?'” Spiros said. “That’s truly what the basis was …This bill is not there to split up families. It’s not an anti-immigration bill.”

Here’s a local video report from yesterday:

Scott Walker must enjoy having protesters in the capitol because he’s doing everything he can to ensure their return. CBS News reports:

Gov. Scott Walker signs legislation slashing Planned Parenthood funding

Gov. Scott Walker signed legislation Thursday that cuts millions of dollars in funding for Planned Parenthood in Wisconsin, which denounced the move as politically motivated and a detriment to the 60,000 women and men it serves in the state.

One of the two bills the Republican governor signed at a faith-based counseling clinic in Waukesha requires clinics that participate in a federal program that allows them to purchase discounted drugs to bill Medicaid for the actual acquisition costs and a dispensing fee. The change will cost Planned Parenthood an estimated $4.5 million per year, according to the organization, because lower reimbursement rates are offered to clinics linked to abortion services.

Although the bill doesn’t mention Planned Parenthood by name, Democrats and others say it treats the organization differently than other clinics.

The Honey Badger don’t give a s—

Featured image via YouTube.

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