That's a burning question I've heard many times, including from my own "people," immigrants themselves a century ago.

Leila Pine wants people to have an answer to that question (current visa quotas pretty much rule it out) and others, so she has organized a two-part workshop this Sunday and next at James Reeb Unitarian-Universalist Congregation, 2146 E. Johnson St.

"Immigration and Globalization: Minutemen, Militarization and Deaths on the Migrant Trail" will be held 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 19 and 26. A $10 donation covers printed materials and a light lunch on both days.

"This country is always looking for a scapegoat," Pine says. "In World War II, the Jews were the scapegoats, now it's immigrants, especially brown-skinned immigrants from Latin America."

Sound extreme? Take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-4VNt1RC4U.

Many undocumented workers in fact pay income taxes and make donations to the Social Security system, but don't collect refunds or benefits, Pine points out. "They quietly subsidize retirement for U.S. citizens. It's the immigrants who are being cheated." she says.  They aren't eligible for welfare or medical assistance, which require proof of legal presence. But like anyone else who can't pay, if they show up at a hospital ER, they are treated. "That's a basic human right," says Pine.

The workshops will look at underlying causes of Latin American immigration to the U.S. in recent years, the impact of increased workplace raids, and abuses at factories and immigration detention centers.

Besides Pine, a workers rights activist here and in Arizona, presenters will include Salvador Carranza of Latinos United for Change and Advancement, co-founder of UNIDOS Against Domestic Violence Rachel Rodriquez, former chairman of the National Council on Migrant Health David Duran, and New Sanctuary Movement coordinator Cindy Breunig. To register, contact Pine at Lpine@tds.net.

 Sounds like a good opportunity to get answers to questions about immigration. Unless people don't really want the facts.