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Immigrants Fear Backlash From Morales

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By Gina Weber
Published: February 24, 2008, 10:00 PM
Updated: February 24, 2008, 6:57 PM

The true identity of the woman facing charges in the deadly Minnesota bus crash is still unknown. Immigration officials say Alianiss Morales is an illegal immigrant using a fake name. That is stirring up mixed emotions among the public, including some immigrant families who fear a backlash.

Pablo Ruiz Jauregui came to the United States from Guadalajara twelve years ago for work. 

"To make dollars," he said.
 
He says that's the same reason why many Hispanics come to the US. 

"A lot of people come here because they want to make a better life. Their children have nothing to eat, and they cross the border illegally,"  Jauregui said.

But he says those who come here illegally, like the woman involved in the deadly Cottonwood bus crash, should face the consequences of their decisions. 

"When they make a choice to come illegally, they know they aren't going to be able to drive and if they're going to drive, it leads to other illegal activities," Jauregui said.

Because of the situation in Minnesota, Jauregui feels that all immigrants...legal or illegal...will be viewed differently by the public. 

"Because of one incident, they judge everyone," he said.
 
And Jauregui doesn't think that's fair because people aren't the same just because they're the same race. 

"There's good people, there's bad people, in any race, in any country," Jauregui said.
 
He points out anyone could've been the driver of the van involved in the deadly crash. 

"I know there's a lot of illegal people, there's a lot of legal people here. It could've happened to anyone," Jauregui said.

In Cottonwood, it happened to someone in the United States illegally. And for that Jauregui says that justice should be served.

Jauregui feels sorry for the families of the bus crash victims, but he hopes they don't focus on the fact that Morales was an illegal immigrant.




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