May 1 protest in Asheville backs legalization for undocumented workers
Asheville, NC – On May 1, International Workers' Day, over 100 people gathered in Pack Square here to demonstrate for immigrant rights and against the Arizona’s apartheid law SB1070.
The demonstration was called for by the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, and was supported by members of other local organizations, particularly UNCA's HOLA. Demonstrators carried signs with statements such as “Brown Skin ≠ ‘Reasonable Suspicion’ or ‘Probable Cause,’” and “Stop racial profiling.”
The demands of the demonstrators included legalization for all immigrants and an end to raids and deportations. Attendees also voiced concerns that a so-called guest worker program would just lead to something like second-class citizenship.
Also of great concern to the people attending the demonstration was 287(g), a program that allows local law enforcement agencies to work in tandem with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport people suspected of immigration violations. Neighboring Henderson County has participated in 287(g) and the deportations and detentions have affected many families.