On Friday, April 23rd, Republican Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona signed SB1070. This law makes it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant and requires police to stop and arrest people who they suspect of being undocumented. While the law will not go into effect for more than three months, some police and sheriffs in Arizona are already stopping and arresting Latinos, including native-born citizens.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 26, 100 supporters of immigrant rights gathered at an emergency protest in downtown Minneapolis. They came together to voice outrage at the new anti-immigrant law passed in Arizona. Arizona's Governor Jan Brewer signed into law the most extreme anti-immigrant legislation in the country, (SB-1070) on April 23, provoking large protests in Arizona and outrage around the country.

Tucson, AZ – Arizona’s Apartheid bill, SB1070, was signed into law by Governor Jan Brewer, April 23. The law gives local and state police the authority to stop anyone, anywhere, to demand proof of citizenship based only on “reasonable suspicion.” In Arizona, “reasonable suspicion” of being an undocumented immigrant means being Latino and speaking Spanish. The bill also lets citizens sue government institutions for not enforcing immigration law aggressively enough.

Chapel Hill, NC – At a press conference here on April 21, students expressed their outrage that the racist ex-congressperson, Tom Tancredo, has been invited to return to the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill campus for a speaking event on April 26, hosted by a right-wing youth organization.

Tucson, AZ – “They have every right to be here. This is about civil rights. And the youth are leading the way.” Those were the words of Pima County Board of Supervisors Chair Richard Elias as we talked across the street from where over 100 students had gathered to protest Arizona’s SB1070 – the harshest, most anti-immigrant legislation in the country.

Minneapolis, MN – La Coalición para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Minnesota (MIRAc, por sus siglas en ingles) tiene un nuevo video para ganar fuerza para la marcha del 1 de mayo, Día Internacional de los Trabajadores, en Minneapolis. La marcha se enfoca en los derechos de los trabajadores y los inmigrantes, con los temas principales de 'igualdad para todos' y 'legalización para todos'. El video nuevo incluye entrevistas con personas en la calle expresando su apoyo para la marcha y promoviéndola. La marcha del 1 de mayo en Minneapolis empezara a las 2:00 p.m. en el parque Martin Luther King en la Avenida Nicollet y calle 41. Más que 25 organizaciones han dado su apoyo a la marcha, y la coalición sigue creciendo.

Police-state laws pending

Tucson, AZ – “Tucson today is the moral equivalent of Birmingham, Alabama in 1961,” said Mike Wilson, border rights activist and Tohono ‘O’odham tribal member, at a rally at the Federal Building here, April 15. The rally was held in response series of raids that took place the same day in Phoenix, Tucson, Rio Rico and Nogales, and in the Mexican city of Nogales, Sonora. The raids targeted people traveling on shuttle services, but whole neighborhoods were affected, with traffic brought to a virtual standstill while agents occupied urban areas in the biggest such operation in the seven-year history of Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE).

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Network for Economic Justice.

_Interview with Carlos Montes _

Fight Back! interviewed Carlos Montes, a veteran of the Chicano liberation struggle and a leader of the immigrant rights movement.

Minneapolis, MN – On April 2, immigrant rights activists here announced plans for a big march on May 1, International Workers Day. The march will start at 2:00 p.m. in Martin Luther King Park at 41st Street and Nicollet Avenue.

Minneapolis, MN – El 2 de abril, activistas del movimiento inmigrante anunciaron el plan para una marcha grande el 1 de mayo, el Dia Internacional del Trabajador. La marcha empezara a las 2:00 pm en el parque Martin Luther King en la calle 41 y la avenida Nicollet. Los organizadores de la marcha dicen, “La lucha por una reforma migratoria comprensiva esta en un momento clave y vamos a hacer todo lo posible para tener la marcha mas grande que sea posible este ano para exigir la legalizacion e igualdad para todos. Los políticos en Washington DC están debatiendo sobre la reforma migratoria. AHORA es el momento para decir qué clase de reforma queremos: una legalización real para todos, derechos laborales e igualdad, y un fin a las redadas, deportaciones y a la discriminación.”

Tens of thousands gathered here for a massive immigrants rights protest, March 21. The mainly Latino demonstrators filled bocks of the National Mall.

On to D.C. on March 21! Thousands of immigrants, supporters and activists will rally in Washington D.C. It’s time to demand legalization now for the 12 million undocumented in the U.S. The rally is important because it draws attention to the increased suffering of the millions of immigrants, especially those from Mexico and Central America. It comes at an important time where immigration reform legislation is being discussed in the U.S. congress. The rally will put pressure on President Obama and the U.S. congress to take action now – this spring – we cannot wait another year.

En el primer año de la nueva administración hubo cambio pero no progreso

Hace un año, los chicanos, mexicanos y centroamericanos celebraron el fin de ocho años de la administración de Bush. Además de lanzar dos guerras y provocar la mayor crisis financiera desde la Gran Depresión, la administración de Bush intensificó la represión contra los inmigrantes. Las redadas y deportaciones de los obreros por el Servicio de Inmigración y Aduanas (ICE) se duplicó, y luego se duplicó nuevamente con Bush. El gobierno de Bush implementó el programa conocido como 287(g), en el que ICE trabaja junto con la policía local y permite que racistas como el alcalde Joe Arpaio de Arizona hostigue a los chicanos, mexicanos y centroamericanos. La ley de octubre de 2006 “Secure Fence Act” intensificó la militarización de la frontera con México, contribuyendo a la muerte de más inmigrantes intentando entrar a los Estados Unidos.

Chicago, IL – Over 1000 young, undocumented immigrants and supporters gathered at Union Park here, March 10, followed by a march to “come out of the shadows.” This kick-started a national week of action for immigration reform that will lead up to a protest in Washington, D.C. on March 21. Immigrant rights protesters chanted, “Undocumented and unafraid!” as they were making their way towards Federal Plaza.

Saint Paul, MN – On March 10, a bill that would allow immigrants to get drivers licenses in Minnesota passed its first hurdle in a key vote. By a vote of 8-5-1, the “drivers license for all” bill, HF1718, passed the House Transportation and Transit Policy and Oversight Committee.

Saint Paul, MN – The struggle for immigrants to be able to get drivers licenses in Minnesota is gaining steam. The group leading the struggle is Mujeres en Liderazgo (Women in Leadership), a grassroots group of Latina immigrant women. They want the Minnesota legislature to allow anyone who lives in Minnesota to get a drivers license, regardless of their immigration status.