Illegal immigrants target of display

Anti-war activists stirred emotions nationwide by creating a traveling display of empty boots representing soldiers killed in action.

Elgin anti-illegal immigration activists want to duplicate the format to send a message about the human cost of illegal immigration.

Using empty shoes to represent young people who died in crimes perpetrated by illegal immigrants, the Association for Legal Americans has created a display called "Empty Shoes, Empty Hearts."

The empty shoes along with photos and information about the dead will be displayed Thursday and Friday at Elgin Community College.

Some of the victims were killed in drunken driving accidents, others in violent crimes. The association's co-founder, Doug Heaton, said he found the victims on Web sites and in news reports and then scoured thrift shops to find appropriate footwear to represent them.

"It was kind of a solemn thing, finding 25 pairs of shoes," Heaton said, "I was thinking, OK, this kid is 10 months old, then there were two 17-year-old girls."

One of the featured victims is Patricia Henneken, who was killed by a drunken driver in Hoffman Estates two years ago while driving to pick up medicine for her sick son.

"I met her mother right after she buried her daughter, and she said things like, 'I don't understand. He should never have been in the country.'"

Heaton said he had not spoken with Henneken's family about the display.

Immigration activists on Tuesday called Heaton's display divisive -- and counter-productive.

All violent crime is tragic, said Elgin immigration attorney Shirley Sadjadi, but shining a spotlight on victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants creates a false impression that most illegal immigrants commit violent criminals -- or that most violent crimes are committed by illegal immigrants.

"It's unfortunate," said Sadjadi, who belongs to Elgin-based Speak Out Against Prejudice. "An exhibit like this serves only to instill fear in people and does not do anything to resolve the problem of illegal immigration."

ECC recently hosted a well-attended forum on immigration reform and two years ago hosted the anti-war exhibit featuring 80 pairs of empty combat boots representing 80 dead soldiers from Illinois.

The immigration display will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday in the Jobe Lounge area of the college's Instruction Center.