Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Immigrant Rights

By staff

Omar Flores, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC, announces a lawsuit to get march permit.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Milwaukee, WI – After a year of denied permits for their proposed march, the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 has filed a lawsuit against the city of Milwaukee.

Along with a watered-down “free speech zone,” the city of Milwaukee has stoked repression by trying to implement “hard” and “soft” security zones around the Fiserv Forum, where the Republicans are planning to select their 2024 presidential nominee this July.

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By staff

Dallas, TX – La Frontera Nos Cruzo held a vigil, May 10, at the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge to honor mothers who have lost their lives at the border. The event's host, Lesly Torres Guerrero, began the night by singing a rendition of Cielito Lindo before leading a moment of silent prayer for those affected by border violence. An altar of names and faces was decorated with flowers and candles, which passersby stopped to give their respects to.

A guest speaker from the Eagle Pass Border coalition, Amerika Grewal, spoke on the topic, “There is a time for mourning, then there is action!”

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By Robynne Johnson

Saint Paul protest at Trump campaign stop

St. Paul, MN – On Friday, May 17, a crowd gathered outside the annual GOP Lincoln Reagan Dinner to protest the attendance of former U.S. President Donald Trump, sending the messages to defend reproductive rights, no to a Muslim ban, and of legalization for all.

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By staff

Vigil for Mexican farm workers killed in Florida auto accident.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Apopka, FL – On Wednesday, May 15, more than 40 community members gathered to mourn the tragic loss of eight Mexicano migrant workers killed in an automobile accident early Tuesday morning. The vigil was held at the local headquarters of the Farmworkers Association of Florida.

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By staff

FRSO May Day panel at the George Washington University Palestine solidarity encampment.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Washington, DC – On May 1, at the invitation of the DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV) chapter of the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), the students at the George Washington University Encampment, informally called the Popular University for Gaza, hosted the Freedom Road Socialist Organization for a May Day panel.

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By staff

International Workers Day march Santa Ana, California.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Santa Ana, CA – On Wednesday, May 1, over 100 people gathered to rally and march for International Workers Day at El Centro Cultural de Mexico. The event brought forth demands such as legalization for all of the undocumented, community control of the police, solidarity with Palestine, permanent rent control, and more.

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By Edmund Anglero

May Day march in Apopka, Florida.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Apopka, FL – On Wednesday, May 1, more than 150 immigrant workers, community members and youth rallied at Kit Land Nelson Park in Apopka for International Workers Day, commonly known as May Day. The central demands of the protest included immigration reform, heat protection for workers, and drivers licenses for all. The event was organized by the Farmworker Association of Florida (FWAF).

Chants of “¡Aquí, allá, el pueblo vencerá!” and “¡Si se puede!” echoed through the evening streets of Apopka.

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By Vince Olson

May Day march in Chicago.  | Fight Back! News/Rich Varnes

Chicago, IL – On May 3, the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention held a rally and march to celebrate International Workers Day. The 400 attendees heeded the call from the coalition to come stand with Palestine for May Day and vowed to show up again to protest against the Democratic National Convention (DNC) when the convention comes to Chicago August 19 through 22.

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By Montana Hirsch

International Workers Day march in Minneapolis.  | Fight Back! News/Brad Sigal

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1, over 500 people took to the streets on International Workers Day to march for immigrant and workers’ rights. The rally and march was organized by a coalition initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and MN Workers United (MWU).

Each year, International Workers Day is celebrated around the world with a call for solidarity with all workers and for union rights. International Workers Day has its origin in the fight for an eight-hour workday in the United States, where there were massive strikes and sharp confrontations in May of 1886.

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By Quest Riggs

New Orleans May Day marchers take to the downtown streets.  | Fight Back! News/staff

New Orleans, LA – On May 1, immigrants and workers celebrated International Workers Day with a fiery march on New Orleans City Hall. They were led by the banners of Unión Migrante, an immigrant rights organization that hosts the annual May Day march to uplift the struggle of undocumented workers. They waved signs and beat drums while marching during busy downtown rush-hour traffic, loudly chanting in support of worker power.

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By Eduardo Montiel

May Day celebration in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Grand Rapids, MI – Spirits were high on Tuesday, April 30, as attendees celebrated International Workers Day with food, music and discussion. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization held a potluck to commemorate the Haymarket Affair, support Palestine and talk about the conditions and political situation around the country.

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By staff

International Workers Day marked in Dallas, Texas.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Dallas, TX – About 70 people came together in Lake Cliff Park, April 28, for the annual May Day celebration. Rank-and-file members of several unions participated in the event.

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By staff

Vigil outside Northwestern Detention Center. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tacoma, WA – On March 20, approximately 50 people gathered in front of the Northwest Detention Center as part of the 24/7 vigil currently being led by La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity.

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By staff

Texas press conference blasts State Bill 4.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network.

In an outrageous ruling the Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) gave the green light to Texas State Bill 4 (SB4) putting it immediately into effect in Texas. This bill is also known as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill, as it gives Texas law enforcement powers that only federal agencies possess – the power to stop, question, and arrest a person about U.S. citizenship status, as well as power to deport.

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By staff

Members of the Legalization for All Network delegation at Eagle Pass, Texas.  | Fight Back! News/staff

Eagle Pass, TX – Members of the Legalization for All (L4A) Network from Los Angeles, Dallas and Minneapolis traveled to the border towns of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, México from February 23-25.

They went to show solidarity with immigrants and activists there fighting against Texas Governor Greg Abbott's racist, anti-immigrant attacks. The Eagle Pass Border Coalition hosted the delegation. The Legalization for All delegation was there just days before Donald Trump went to Eagle Pass to spread racist anti-immigrant rhetoric.

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By staff

Eagle Pass, TX – Grassroots organizers from Legalization for All Network affiliates in California, Texas and Minnesota are on their way to the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas to learn from and support local organizers doing the work to feed, house and support immigrants and refugees in this town on the U.S./Mexico border.

Tensions have risen in Eagle Pass as Governor Greg Abott of Texas has continued to heavily militarize the border there, with Texas National Guard troops continuing to occupy Shelby Park along the Rio Grande River in defiance of federal court rulings and community demands that they leave.

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By staff

Tampa students protest attacks on immigrants. | Fight Back! News/staff

Tampa, FL – On Wednesday February 14, as part of National Students for a Democratic Society’s Day of Action against Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s attacks on immigrants, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held a banner drop in the University of South Florida’s Student Center.

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By staff

Immigrant rights supporters rally for North Star Act in front of MN State Capitol

Saint Paul, MN – On Monday, February 12, the opening day of the state legislative session, members of the North STAR Alliance and others gathered to support the North STAR Act at the Upper Mall of the Minnesota State Capitol. About 100 people attended holding blue signs with the new Minnesota state flag that read: “Stand with Immigrants, support the North STAR Act” while listening to speakers from the North STAR Alliance.

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By Angel Naranjo

UIC students hold forum on the ongoing immigration crisis. | Fight Back! News/staff

Chicago, IL – On January 24, over 60 people crowded the Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to join a discussion with Juan González of the Great Cities Institute and David Ramirez of the Cuban Embassy around the current immigrant crisis and its root causes. The discussion was co-hosted by two campus groups: New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at UIC and Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA) at UIC.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for all Network.

!!Emergency Action!!

Call Biden and your two senators:

Stand Up to Anti-Immigrant, Racist Republicans!

In Eagle Pass, Texas, Governor Abbott, with support from Trump and other Republicans in Congress, are refusing to allow Federal Customs and Border Patrol agents to remove the deadly razor wire in the Rio Grande at Shelby Park. Texas lost their case at the Supreme Court, resulting in an ongoing standoff. Additionally, Governor Abbott has deployed the Texas National Guard to occupy 47 acres of Shelby Park. This occupation has led to at least three recorded deaths — the drowning of a mother and her two children. The Guard blocked Border Patrol from rendering aid to them and stood back as the three drowned. President Biden called on Abbott to also remove the Guard as immigration is a federal matter, but Abbott has refused to comply.

At the same time, Congress is coming closer to reaching an immigration deal. Republican House Speaker Johnson warned of stopping the deal and holding back further military aid to Ukraine and Israel, if the deal did not include stronger border enforcement. Current reports have read that if passed, the deal would dismantle key asylum protections, allow the president the power to “close the border” if a threshold of immigrants crossing is reached, and increase swift deportations. It is vital for Biden, the Democrats, the Senate, and the general public to stand up against these increasing racist attacks on immigrants by the Republicans.

We must denounce the growing oppressive, anti-immigrant sentiment the Republicans are whipping up targeting refugees from Central America, Mexico, Haiti, and South America. Now more than ever, we must support human rights activists in Eagle Pass who are seeing tremendous rise of immigration activity.

Make your THREE phone calls to:

President Biden and demand that he stand with immigrants against these racist Republican attacks! (202) 456-1111

Script: “My name is —- calling from (City/State) urging President Biden to side with the undocumented and put a stop to racist, anti-immigrant Republicans like Texas Governor Abbott who is leading countless atrocities and attacks against refugees! Don’t back down now Biden! Put a stop to human rights violations against the undocumented, legalization for all now!”

Send President Biden an email: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

Your TWO senators and demand they vote AGAINST further funding Ukraine, Israel and border militarization.

Look up your senators’ phones and emails:

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Script: “My name is ___ and I am a (YOUR STATE) resident. I urge the Senator to vote NO on the proposed funding bill that would severely restrict asylum rights, increase swift deportations, and provide billions of dollars to Israel to continue the genocide of Palestinians. The Senator must show they stand against attacks on immigrants to push a political agenda. The Senator should work toward an end to US aid for war and refuse to trade immigrant rights for further funding of death, destruction, and displacement.”

#ImmigrantRights #L4A #USMexicoBorder