Los Angeles, CA – Immigrant rights organizations staged a press conference here July 12, to demand that Sheriff Lee Baca stop cooperating with the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ‘Secure Communities’ program. The Secure Communities program has resulted in the repression of thousands of immigrants. The press conference was organized by the National Day Labors Organizing Network. Participants included representatives from CARCEN Day Labor Center, ACLU, Pomona Day Labor Center, Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC) and CHIRLA.

Milwaukee, WI – Demanding the right to collectively bargain, Palermo’s frozen pizza workers have been out on strike since June 1.

San José, CA – On June 25 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against most of the parts of Arizona’s SB1070, which had ignited nationwide protests against the anti-immigrant law. But at the same time the court upheld part of the law that would allow for expanding federal and local joint efforts to deport more undocumented people.

Tampa, FL- About 30 people protested outside of the Democratic Party campaign office on June 13. They were there to say no to President Obama's massive deportations of undocumented people and to demand the passage of the Dream Act. The protesters consisted mostly of undocumented youth and allies from around the Tampa area. In almost 100 degree Florida weather, the protesters rallied for two hours waiting to hear from someone inside. While they rallied, many speakers came forward to talk about a range of issues affecting undocumented people throughout the U.S.

Minneapolis, MN – On June 23, supporters of the immigrant rights movement joined together for a fundraiser for the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee ( MIRAc) at the Red Sea. The fundraiser featured local hip hop and spoken word artist Guante, DJ Victor1200, as well as Twin Cities Bomba, which is made up of members of Malamanya Musica.

New York, NY – Workers at the 63rd Street location of Hot and Crusty restaurant voted May 23 to certify an independent union, the Hot and Crusty Workers Association, with 20 of 22 eligible employees submitting their vote at the National Labor Relations Board.

Chicago, IL – Immigrant rights leaders here were arrested while blockading the doors of the building that houses the federal immigration court in the Chicago Loop, May 15. Occupy Chicago gathered with immigrant rights leaders and youth to protest the sharp increase in deportations. Speakers began the rally around noon, when suddenly the crowd doubled in size with the arrival of marchers from Centro Sin Fronteras and other immigrant rights groups. The Reverend Jose Landaverde and Mexican-American community leader Emma Lozano were both arrested after sitting in and blocking the entrance demanding justice.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 1500 people marched on Lake Street for immigrant and workers rights here on May 1, International Workers Day. Organized by the May 1st Coalition and initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc), the march focused on legalization for undocumented immigrants, ending deportations and support for workers and their unions. The march had the support of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation (AFL-CIO), most immigrant rights groups in the city and many Latino student groups from nearby colleges and high schools.

Los Angeles, CA – Thousands of protesters took to the streets here on May 1, International Workers Day, to demand legalization for all. The protest, organized by Southern California Immigration Coalition, was the largest Los Angeles May Day event. The mostly Chicano/Latino crowd was made up of students, teachers, vendors, garment workers, parents and activists from all the progressive movements, including the Occupy movement. Participants and supporters of the demonstration included the United Teachers Los Angeles, International Action Center, Union Del Barrio, Bayan USA, FMLN, FSLN, L.A. Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Mecha and others.

Milwaukee, WI – Over 10,000 marched here, April 29, to celebrate International Workers Day.

Lakeland, FL – After a six day fast, members of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) broke bread with 1000 supporters to protest the Publix food corporation un-fair treatment of its workers, March 10. The CIW is a group of Latin American and Haitian farm workers and tomato-pickers fighting against modern day slavery and for living wages. Presently, the Immokalee Workers are putting pressure on Publix Supermarket for not paying a penny more per pound of tomatoes. Publix is mainly located in Florida but also has stores in Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.

Minneapolis, MN – On February 18 more than 50 immigrants and supporters protested against a new deportation program imposed in Minnesota. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) imposed the controversial “Secure Communities” deportation program in all 87 Minnesota counties on February 7. The protesters gathered at People’s Plaza in downtown Minneapolis to denounce the program and call for an end to deportations. Over a million people have been deported in the last three years leaving massive numbers of separated children and families, largely as a result of deportation programs like Secure Communities.

_Immigrant rights groups plan protest _

Minneapolis, MN – On Feb. 7, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that they imposed the highly controversial “Secure Communities” deportation program on all 87 counties in Minnesota. In response, the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAc) announced a protest on Saturday, Feb. 18 at noon. The protest will start at People’s Plaza (300 S 6th Street, Minneapolis) and then march across the street to the Hennepin County Detention Center, one of the jails where this deportation program is now activated. Hennepin County Sheriff Richard Stanek, the controversial figure who is in charge of the Hennepin County jail, pushed hard for Minnesota to participate in Secure Communities.

Los Angeles, CA – Demanding “Stop SCOMM” and “No deportations,” members of the Southern California Immigration Coalition denounced Sheriff L. Baca at his annual prayer breakfast here, Jan 14.

_Activists call on Gov. Dayton to take executive action to assure nobody dies from new anti-immigrant law _

Saint Paul, MN – On Dec. 29, immigrant rights activists and supporters spoke out at a press conference against a new anti-immigrant law slated to cut immigrants off of Emergency Medical Assistance on Jan. 1, 2012. They called on Governor Dayton to take immediate executive action to stop it.

Los Angeles, CA – Sheriff Lee Baca was met by an angry protest, Dec. 18, as he arrived to speak at Village Church in West Lost Angeles. When he arrived, his car quickly sped off and he tried to get into the church via the back driveway. But young protesters ran and confronted him chanting, “Baca estamos en la lucha, alto a la Poli/Migra, alto a las deportaciones!”

Los Angeles, CA – Vendors protested a new police crackdown on street vendors on Alvarado and 6th Streets, Dec. 16. The vendors gathered in front of Metro Station on Alvarado Street. Carrying posters and chanting, they marched to the Los Angeles Police Department Ramparts Division, amid cheers from onlookers.

Newly released documents show that the FBI has been a major player behind the scenes pushing the 'Secure Communities' deportation program, which is responsible for the deportation of more than 104,000 immigrants identified through the program since 2008. The program, commonly known as S-Comm, uses a massive fingerprint database to try to identify undocumented immigrants for deportation. The FBI sees S-Comm's fingerprint database as one piece of its rapidly-expanding “Next Generation Identification” (NGI) initiative, which seeks to collect and distribute massive amounts of biometric information on citizens and noncitizens alike, in the U.S. and around the world.

_Protest demands “Drop the charges now” at LA courthouse _

Los Angeles, CA – Chanting, “Drop the charges now,” more than 60 supporters of veteran Chicano leader, Carlos Montes, rallied outside the LA Courthouse here, September 29, for a protest that coincided with a preliminary hearing, where the government outlined their case against him.

Los Angeles, CA – On Sept. 26, President Obama visited Los Angeles to dip into the pockets of the Hollywood elite for his re-election campaign. His first stop was the famous House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, where over 100 anti-war activists lined the sidewalks to demand Obama end the wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, “Money for jobs and education! Not for war and occupation!” the crowd chanted. “We are sick of mounting tuition, rising unemployment and most of all the ever-increasing war deficit of this country,” said a student activist from Pasadena Community College.