Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Immigrant Rights

By Loretta VanPelt

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.

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By staff

Protest demands 'shut down immigrant family detention centers'

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).

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By staff

Milwaukee immigrant rights protesters traveling to New Orleans.

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.

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By Luscely Flores

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).

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By staff

Masao Suzuki speaking at the Legalization for All Network workshop at U.S. Socia

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.

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By Alekos Zambrano

Tampa rallies for immigrant rights on Father's Day

Tampa, FL – Two dozen people gathered here June 19 at La Mexicana Bakery to demand an end to deportations and legalization for all. Community members and activist alike were represented in the crowd. Among the groups present were Raices en Tampa, Students for a Democratic Society, Committee to Stop FBI Repression and others.

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By staff

U.S. Social Forum – San Jose June 24-28

San Jose , CA – The U.S. Social Forum begins today, June 24, here in San Jose with a concurrent site in Philadelphia. The event is bringing together many different sections of the people’s movement under the slogan “Another World is Possible, Another System is Necessary.”

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By Maressa Simmons

Regina Joseph speaking at June 19 rally

Tallahassee, FL – Community members and students gathered in front of the Old Tallahassee Capitol, June 19, to protest the planned mass deportation of Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent, from the Dominican Republic.

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By Redacción

Eloy, AZ – 200 detenidos iniciaron este sábado una huelga de hambre en el centro de detención Eloy, centro de detención administrado con fines de lucro por Corrections Corporation of America (CCA por sus siglas en ingles). Los detenidos organizaron la huelga de hambre como respuesta a la reciente muerte de dos detenidos, debido al excesivo uso de fuerzas por parte de los guardias. Inmediatamente después, CCA y ICE tomaron represalias contra los huelguistas, manteniéndolos bajo el sol por seis horas sin agua y sujetos a temperaturas superiores a los 100 grados. Las personas que se encontraban protestando afuera de las instalaciones tuvieron que llamar a los servicios de emergencias para prevenir deshidratación e insolación. Sin embargo, estos llegaron 4 horas después de que se iniciara la huelga y CCA les prohibió acceso a los huelguistas. CCA y ICE también son culpables de amenazar a todo aquel que participe en la huelga con 3 meses de detención solitaria.

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By staff

Phoenix, AZ – 200 immigrant detainees began a hunger strike on June 13, at the for-profit Eloy Detention Center run by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The hunger strike is in response to two recent deaths of detainees at the hands of guards who are believed to have used excessive force.

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By staff

Los Angeles, CA – In a two to one decision, The federal Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that President Obama’s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Legal Permanent Residents (DAPA) and the extension of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) will be delayed while an anti-immigrant challenge from Texas state government and others continues to move thorough the court system. These measures would have provided some relief to about 5 million (of the 11 million) undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

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By Ian Decker

May Day rally in Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City, Utah—On May 2, more than 100 people rallied in celebration of International Workers Day. The event, put on by the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, drew a large crowd to the steps of the city and county buildings. The people gathered to show solidarity with workers, immigrants, national and international movements.

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By staff

Winston-Salem, NC – For the eighth consecutive year, hundreds of people are expected to join the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC), AFL-CIO for a rally and march at the Reynolds American shareholders meeting on May 7 to demand the company finally act to ensure that their supply chain is free of human rights abuses.

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By staff

Milwaukee May Day protest demands immigrant and workers rights.

Milwaukee, WI – May 1, International Workers’ Day, several thousand marched here in defense of workers and immigrants.

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By staff

May Day march in Boyle Heights.

Los Angeles, CA – Undocumented Chicano and Central American students from Roosevelt High School led a militant May 1 march of about 400 people here on International Workers’ Day. The march included members of MEChA, and families, parents, and teachers in Boyle Heights. Viewed by thousands of spectators, youth supported by neighborhood families chanted, “Students support education and immigrant rights.”

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By Fabian Van Onzin

May Day march in Houston demands worker and immigrant rights

Houston, TX – There were a number of events here to celebrate International Workers’ Day on May 1. First, the Houston Socialist Movement held a May Day speak-out with many groups. Leaders spoke about the need to end capitalism, build a socialist movement and make a revolution. They denounced the anti-worker, anti-immigrant and racist Republican Party in Texas, led by Governor Greg Abott. Speaker after speaker expressed a great sense of unity and hope for a socialist future. Later in the evening, there was a May Day dinner to build a spirit of solidarity amongst revolutionaries.

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By staff

Marching May 1 in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1, the annual International Workers Day march for immigrant and workers rights merged in the streets with a Black Lives Matter march. During rush hour the combined march took over all lanes in both directions of major arterial streets as they marched downtown to the Hennepin County Government Center. Chants and songs alternated between the themes of immigrant rights, workers’ rights and Black Lives Matter.

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By staff

Tampa May Day protest demands no deportations for the undocumented

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.

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By Fabian Van Onzin

Texas protest against anti immigrant legislation.

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.

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By staff

Tampa activists announce plans for May Day protest

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.”

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