Milwaukee, WI – Youth Empowered in the Struggle at Marquette University (YES-MU) hosted its third annual Immigration Awareness Week, Nov. 2 – 9, including a march and vigil demanding legalization for all. Students, faculty and community members participated in many events, with 40 students attending an Open Mic Night for Migrant Justice. During the week, two panel discussions prepared Marquette students for action: “Forced Migration” and “You May Say I’m a DREAMER”.
Tampa, FL – On Nov. 6, Raices en Tampa rallied on a busy street corner in solidarity with the immigrant families being held, without due process, in a Texas detention center. The Legalization for All Network called for a national day of action demanding the U.S. government release the children, end family detention and halt deportations.
Tucson, AZ – To the thunderous chants of “Obama, Obama free the kids now!” and “No mas detenciones no mas deportaciones, legalización para los 11 millones!” a group of over 30 students, activists, parents and community members gathered outside of the Federal building, Nov. 5 in downtown Tucson. They were protesting the indefinite detention of the thousands of children and mothers who are currently incarcerated in the for-profit prisons located in Dilley and Karnes, Texas.
Minneapolis, MN – On Nov. 3, a panel of three speakers at the University of Minnesota analyzed the phenomenon of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and how his anti-immigrant rhetoric affects the struggle for immigrant rights.
Minneapolis, MN – Students and community members gathered on the Northrop Mall at the University of Minnesota on an unseasonably warm day, Nov. 2, to take some swings at three homemade piñatas that bore a strong resemblance to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Los Angeles, CA – In the late afternoon, Oct. 23, people of the Boyle Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles joined together to denounce the right-wing attacks on immigrants.
Houston, TX – Over 50 activists protested outside of the Harris County sheriff's office, Oct. 10, against a series of recent ICE raids. Every month, the Harris County sheriff's office deports over 1000 immigrants. It has deported nearly 25,000 immigrants since 2008 – the fourth largest number in the entire U.S. Last month, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the Department of Labor, Harris County sheriff’s office, and the Houston police department raided the Espiga De Oro tortilla factory under the pretense of the 'concern' over the treatment of workers.
Milwaukee, WI – One year ago on Sept. 26, 2014, 43 students from Ayotzinapa Normal School in Tixtla, Guerrero were kidnapped. One year later, in an effort to demand justice for the those disappeared, the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and Marquette University chapters of Youth Empowered in the Struggle (Y.E.S) jointly hosted a vigil and march in protest.
Tampa, FL – On Sept. 26, Raices en Tampa hosted a vigil and rally on the anniversary on the kidnapping and disappearance of 43 Mexican students. Approximately 20 activists gathered holding signs that read, “Activism is not a crime!” and “They thought they could bury us, but they didn’t realize that we were seeds.”
Los Angeles, CA – Celebrating and parading through the streets of East Los Angeles (ELA), Sept. 13, community members gathered along the route to watch the annual Mexican Independence Day parade. Participants included many local Mexican clubs, leaders and business owners, both Chicano and Mexican, traveling on adorned cars and floats, playing mariachi music and waving at viewers. This year the teachers’ union, United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), and Centro CSO marched in unity.
Simi Valley, CA – While Republican candidates debated at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Sept. 16, enthusiastic protesters took to the streets chanting “Dump Trump!” This was the second of the Republican primary debates. Among the many topics of the debate was immigration. Many Republicans are calling for not only the deportations of the 12 million undocumented in the U.S. but also their citizen children. Donald Trump has been leading the right-wing attacks on immigrants, calling for a border wall, while the other candidates are taking up his proposals. Republican candidate Ben Carson said that after deporting immigrants he would allow them in on “a guest worker program primarily in agriculture.” Trump is still leading and gathering support among the right wing. If elected, there will be more attacks on immigrants, more deportations and more militarization at the border – including the widespread use of military drones.
Minneapolis, MN – Con mantas diciendo “Minnesota es Ayotzinapa” y “Vivos se los llevaron, vivos los queremos”, varios líderes y miembros del Comité por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes (MIRAC) marcharon en el desfile del Día de Independencia de México el 13 de septiembre en la calle Lake en Minneapolis. El 26 de septiembre 2014, 43 estudiantes de Ayotzinapa fueron desaparecidos por el estado mexicano. Esto provocó un movimiento poderoso en México y a través del mundo exigiendo un alto a la represión, la violencia estatal, la corrupción y la impunidad en México. También en Estados Unidos muchos cuestionan porque el gobierno estadounidense sigue apoyando el gobierno y ejército mexicano con $2.5 mil millones de dolares con la Iniciativa Merida. Después de casi un año las familias de los estudiantes siguen luchando por la verdad de lo que paso con sus hijos, y no han logrado respuestas o justicia.
Minneapolis, MN – With banners reading, “Minnesota is Ayotzinapa,” and “They took them alive, we want them alive,” members of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) marched in the Mexican Independence Day parade on Lake Street in Minneapolis on Sept. 13. Last year on Sept. 26, 2014, 43 students from Ayotzinapa, México were ‘disappeared’ by the Mexican state. Nearly a year after the 43 students disappeared, their families continue struggling for the truth of what happened to their children, and they haven’t gotten a response or justice.
Billionaire Donald Trump has established himself as the leading Republican candidate for president, with polls giving him twice the support of the nearest contender in a crowded field of 17. Trump has been the focus of media attention for his high level of support, his racist statements about Mexicans and his sexist attacks on women. In terms of policy, Trump has been leading the attack on the right of citizenship for people born in the U.S. – this right was granted by the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He is calling for the U.S. citizen children of the undocumented to be deported, along with their parents, in what would be ethnic cleansing.
Miami, FL – For the last several days, the news media has been ablaze with graphic photos conveying the desperate situation facing thousands of Arab refugees fleeing the Middle East for asylum in Europe. The international community has looked on in horror as images of dead children and broken families flood social media and news shows. The sadness and outrage from witnessing such death has caused a global outcry from the socially-conscious of the world, especially because, as the thousands of now-destitute refugees risk their lives and leave their entire worlds behind them, some of the the richest nations on the globe have locked their doors and secured their borders.
St. Paul, MN – Over 300 people gathered in here, August 10, in a show of solidarity with the people of Ferguson, Missouri and to remember the one-year anniversary of the death of Michael Brown at the hands of the police.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 people protested outside the office of Senator Amy Klobuchar on July 24, demanding the closing of ‘family detention centers’ housing thousands of immigrant mothers and children near the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas. The largest family detention center in Dilley, Texas houses around 2000 immigrant mothers and children, the vast majority of whom fled rampant violence and economic deterioration in the Central American countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. After a harrowing and dangerous journey across several borders, these mothers and children are suffering yet another nightmare of being jailed indefinitely by the U.S. government under terrible conditions. The Dilley prison is a private prison operated for profit by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).
Fight Back! interviewed 19-year-old Monica Fuentes, a student who was one of the many who traveled in a caravan from Milwaukee to New Orleans. Fuentes is among those covered by Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which provides legal relief to some undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.
Milwaukee, WI – Governor Scott Walker is making his announcement to run for presidency today, July 13, in Waukesha, which is located just west of Milwaukee. Walker, a Republican, has voted against driver's licenses for undocumented people; he took away tuition equity in 2011 which allowed undocumented students to pay the same price tuition as citizen students, and he also signed to a legal challenge with 25 other governors against DAPA (Deferred Action for Parent Arrivals).
San Jose, CA – More than 30 people gathered at the First Unitarian Church here, June 27, to participate in the Legalization for All Network (L4A Network) workshop. The workshop was one of many that took place at the U.S. Social Forum.
