Tags: immigrant justice

immigrant justice

Analysis by Renee Saucedo

Members of the US Senate, as well as the Bush administration, are currently attempting to revive the most recent immigration proposal, which among other things, would separate families, heighten worker exploitation, further militarize the US/Mexico border, and provide no realistic path to residency for the vast majority of undocumented people now living in the US. This legislative proposal, as most “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” proposals in the past couple of years, will lead to more suffering and deaths and is nothing short of a human rights abomination.

Why has it been difficult for the immigrant rights struggle to push for a just legalization, or amnesty, law? What must we do to build a powerful and radical movement?

Part of reason why immigrant rights activists have failed in holding the US government accountable is because we are facing tremendous challenges. First, the intense level of state-sponsored terror against immigrant communities has made it difficult to organize in those communities. Since early this year, the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have harassed, arrested, detained and deported over 20,000 migrants under “Operation Return To Sender.” Throughout the country, in cities and small towns, hundreds of workers are rounded-up at their worksites and deported, as what took place recently at an Oregon Del Monte plant. Uniformed ICE agent use Gestapo-type tactics to force their way into people’s homes without warrants. Parents in Redwood City, California were picked up as they dropped their children off at school. And people who “looked immigrant” were randomly questioned by ICE on the street in San Francisco, California.
( Collapse )
immigrant justice

Protest the latest attack on immigrants!

Dear friends and allies,

As you've probably heard, the US Senate is currently debating an immigration
proposal that would be devastating to immigrant communities. Among other
things, it would require families to separate in order to apply for
residency, it would fail to provide legalization to the vast majority of
undocumented folks, it further criminalizes immigrants, creates a new Bracer
Program, and would further militarize the US/Mexico border. No bill is
better than this bill!

PLEASE JOIN THE SF DAY LABOR PROGRAM / WOMEN'S COLLECTIVE, ALONG WITH BAY
AREA IMMIGRANT RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS, TO DENOUNCE THIS IMMIGRATION BILL IN 2
DAYS OF ACTION!!

1) Friday, June 1, 11-1, Press Conference and Direct Action at Sen.
Feinstein's Office, 1 Post St. (At Montgomery BART)

2) Saturday, June 2, 7-10 am, Rally and vigil at Sen. Feinstein's house, 30
Presidio Terrace (@ Lyon and Washington)
anti-war

URGENT! Siraj Family Update & Immediate Support Needed

Background: The Siraj family has been a victim of the government's so-called "War on Terror" against Muslims, Arabs & South Asians. First, their son was targeted and entrapped by a paid ($100,000) informant to incite and then entrap Matin in a false "terrorism" case. After a trial in which there were many irregularities, Matin was found guilty and on January 8th, 2007 sentenced to 30 years in prison. As an act of intimidation, less than 12 hours after the sentencing, the Siraj family home was invaded by more than 15 ICE officers and the father, mother and sister of Matin were dragged away to an immigration detention center. 2 weeks later, after community pressure and a campaign & rally organized by DRUM, the mother and daughter were released, but on an outrageous $35,000 bond. The father, 3 months later, still remains in prison, while the son has been moved to a jail in Indiana. As this government-created nightmare continues, the mother and daughter are fighting for the freedom of their brother/son and father and speaking out against the injustices against their family. More background at www.drumnation.org

( Collapse )
immigrant justice

Household of legal immigrants raided by ICE

from the New York Times


U.S. Raid on an Immigrant Household Deepens Anger and Mistrust

Ruth Fremson/The New York Times


By NINA BERNSTEIN
Published: April 10, 2007
EAST HAMPTON, N.Y. — Awakened by banging on the front door and the shouts of strangers inside her family’s sprawling suburban home, Erica Leon, 12, thought at first that the house was on fire.

Then her bedroom door burst open, she said, and armed men in blue bulletproof vests pushed in, demanding to know if she was hiding someone. They pressed on to the room where 4-year-old Carson was asleep with their mother, and pulled off the covers.

“They started screaming at my mom real bad,” Erica said. “I wasn’t crying, but I was, like, terrified. Like, who are you guys?”

They were federal immigration agents hunting for an illegal immigrant — Erica’s long-absent father, Patrizio Wilson Garcia, who was ordered deported after his 2003 divorce from Erica’s mother, Adriana, and has not lived in the house since. But they had entered a three-generation immigrant household where everyone was an American citizen by naturalization or birth.

To the Leon family, Hispanics who have owned their house here on Copeces Lane for seven years, the early-morning raid on Feb. 20 seemed like the ultimate indignity in a history of hostile scrutiny. But to some residents, it was an overdue response by federal authorities to long-simmering concerns about illegal immigration on Long Island’s East End.
( Collapse )
immigrant justice

May Day! Save the Date!

Finally, save the date: On May 1st, there will be a huge immigrant justice march in conjunction with a national call for folks to stay away from work and to not consume anything all day. There will be a rally at noon at Dolores Park, with a march leaving at 1. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets last year to beat back attacks on immigrant communities, but scapegoating, ICE raids and oppressive legislation continue. Watch for more details!