Tampa, FL – More than 50 people gathered outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Ybor, a Tampa neighborhood, May 1. Uniting on International Workers' Day, community members, workers, immigrants and students demanded not one more deportation. The Department of Homeland Security and the Tampa Police Department showed up in armored vehicles and took to the streets on bicycles in an attempt to intimidate the activists.

Houston, TX – The Republican Party in Texas is intensifying its campaign against Chicano and Mexicano people by pushing for new repressive laws in the Texas legislature. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his henchmen are seeking the support of the Greater Houston Partnership, an organization of liberal business leaders.

Tampa, FL – Organizations around the Tampa Bay joined together here for a press conference, April 24, in front of the Ybor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, holding two banners, one that read “May Day” and another saying “Stop the deportations.”

El 1ero de Mayo del 2015 los trabajadores de todo el mundo celebran el día internacional del trabajador y la lucha por un mejor mundo. En la mayoría de los países, el pueblo trabajador y oprimido marcha por las calles enarbolando banderas rojas. Líderes de la clase trabajadora dan importantes discursos sobre la historia y sobre la continua lucha en contra de este injusto sistema que solo beneficia al 1%. El 1ero de Mayo es una oportunidad para celebrar a la clase trabajadora y el brillante futuro para los que continuamos defendiendo y luchando contra los patrones y las compañías que nos explotan. El 1ero de Mayo es también un día para apoyar a las naciones y los pueblos oprimidos del mundo, quienes resisten la guerra y ocupación de los EE.UU y su maquinaria guerrerista. La Organización Socialista Camino de la Libertad ( www.frso.org) le insiste al pueblo a que salga a las calles a marchar este 1ero de Mayo y presentar foros de discusión sobre la necesidad de acabar con el gobierno del 1 % y establecer el socialismo; un sistema donde el poder político y económico este en las manos de los trabajadores.

Los Angeles, CA – Boyle Heights residents and local groups are organizing a march and rally this May 1. Marchers will assemble at Soto and 1st Streets at 4:00 p.m. and march to Mariachi Plaza at 1st and Boyle Streets.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following April 20 statement of the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU).

Milwaukee, WI – More than 50 students, faculty and community members held a rally at Marquette University, March 30, to call on the administration to establish a scholarship fund exclusively for undocumented students.

Salt Lake City, UT – The detainment of Nicoll Hernández-Polanco is sparking protests across the country with Utah joining the fight. Nicoll Hernández-Polanco is a Guatemalan transwoman seeking asylum. However, she is currently being held in the Florence Service Processing Detention in Arizona. Hernandez-Polanco remains incarcerated in the men’s side of the detention center where she faces sexual harassment and assault.

St. Petersburg, FL – Over 3000 farmworkers and supporters from around the country gathered at Bartlett Park, March 21, then marched to demand workers’ rights. Some chants heard during the march were, “Up, up with the fair food nation! Down, down, with the exploitation!”, “One, we are the people! Two, a little bit louder! Three, we want justice for farmworkers!” and “J-U-S, J-U-S-T-I-C-E is what we want, is justice for Immokalee!”

Houston, TX – Republicans in the Texas State Legislature introduced a new set of senate bills, SB 3 and SB 185, demonizing the immigrant community and racially profiling Chicanos, Mexicanos and others. SB 185 is strikingly similar to the racist SB 1070 in Arizona.

Saint Paul, MN – Around 500 people, mostly Latino immigrants, along with many supporters, filled the Minnesota State Capitol on March 19 for the first committee hearing of the drivers license bill, SF224/HF97. The hearing room quickly filled to capacity, with a large crowd of people still outside of the room while the Senate Transportation Committee voted to approve the bill. This committee vote is just the first of several steps for immigrants to win the right to a drivers license in Minnesota.

Tampa, FL – A dozen people came together here, Feb. 26, to confront the city council and demand its members support drivers licenses for the undocumented. Alicia Gazga led the rally and chanted, “City council, shame on you!” and “What do we want? Licenses! When do we want them? Now!”

Interview with Fabian Ubay, a leader in the fight to get justice for Zambrano

On Feb. 10, an undocumented farm-worker, Antonio Zambrano-Montes was shot 17 times and killed by Pasco Police in Pasco, Washington. That Zambrano-Montes was supposedly throwing rocks is the excuse Pasco Police are using to justify his the murder. Fight Back! spoke with Fabian Ubay, who organized the first event – a Feb. 14 rally of 5000 – demanding justice for the surviving family of Zambrano-Montes. Ubay is a Chicano who was born, raised, and currently lives in Pasco.

Tampa, FL – Two dozen people gathered at the store La Mexicana, Feb. 23, demanding Texan Federal District Judge Andrew Henan lift his block on Deferred Action.

San José, CA – On Feb. 16, Federal District Judge Andrew Hanen placed an injunction on President Obama’s expansion of the Deferred Action program. While the Obama administration said that it would appeal the injunction, Hanen’s decision stopped the expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which was set to start on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The injunction may even delay the start of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) which was supposed to begin in mid-May.

Tampa, FL – More than 30 people gathered at the First United Church of Tampa, Feb. 14, for Raíces en Tampa's “Stop the Heartbreak” Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) panel. Some audience members traveled from Gainesville, Auburndale, Clearwater and Lutz to Tampa. Oscar Hernandez of Raíces en Tampa provided transportation to two members of the community who, due to Florida's restrictions on the undocumented, did not have a license or vehicle.

Saint Paul, MN – Chanting “What do we want? A license! When do we want it? Now!” more than 60 immigrant rights activists protested at the State Capitol on the opening day of the 2015 legislative session. They demanded that legislators pass a bill this year to give immigrants who live in Minnesota equal rights to get a drivers license like all other Minnesotans.

Tampa, Florida – The holidays are a time for family to come together, especially Mexican families in the U.S. For Oscar Hernandez, a DREAMer and member of Raíces en Tampa, this is the same plan.

Los Angeles, CA – Carlos Montes formally announced his intention to run for the District 14 seat in Los Angeles City Council at a campaign kickoff event held at his campaign office on Nov. 8. Surrounded by family, friends and supporters, Montes spoke to the need for progressive activism in City Hall to address the many issues facing the people of Los Angeles. Montes’ announcement was met with cheers of “Sí, se puede!” from members of the crowd, which included teachers, labor leaders and students.

Columbus, GA – Over 1000 people attended the annual School of the Americas protest, at Fort Benning the weekend of Nov. 22. Every year thousands meet here to denounce the decades of U.S. military intervention, aid and overall presence in Latin America.