BC’s former M.E.Ch.A president faced off with California’s governor during a day of remembrance for civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. Jesse Ibarra, a history and liberal studies major, has been involved in the recent controversy involving HR4437, also known as the Border Protections Act.

Ibarra was selected from approximately 300 attendees at the memorial on March 30 to sit down with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to discuss the sensitive topic of immigration reform.

Ibarra had conflicting feelings concerning his personal impressions on the governor. He discussed how he felt that Schwarzenegger was “only there for PR (public relations)” and that “he looked like he wasn’t concerned with issues such as walkouts and immigration bills.”

Ibarra also said that the governor talked about his doubts that HR4437 would pass, and he also said that the governor told him that he was in favor of a guest worker program.

Ibarra later commented that it was commendable that the fact that he was the first California governor to visit Chavez’s tomb, and that this was “impressive to the Chicano community.”

Schwarzenegger laid a wreath at the site, which is located in a rose garden at the foot of a hill that Chavez used to climb every morning to watch the sun rise.

The governor also focused on the economic impact that would result from the crippling of the agricultural business.

Speaking about the governor’s reputedly impressive physical condition, Ibarra revealed that it appeared as though the former Mr. Universe had not worked out in a while, jokingly adding “I could take him.” He also took note that Schwarzeneggar was not as tall as he had originally believed, estimating him to be around 5 feet 11 inches.

There were many other activities during the festival, which took place in La Paz, which is in Keene, in the Tehachapi mountains. These included workshops, poetry readings, and political science educational discussions. The group also helped with some landscaping needs, and cleaning up of the gravesite and the surrounding area.

Ibarra believes that the illegal immigration problem should have been addressed long ago. He said that “people are crossing the border regardless, and we lose about 10,000 [people] a year. It is a three-day walk through the desert, and many women are raped in the process.”

He feels that the solution is something that both governments need to have a hand in.

Ibarra feels that “Mexico is a beautiful country, and the government should be creating programs in that country.”

“In America, immigrants are treated as second-class citizens, and most of them come here to create better opportunities for their children.”