News and Views from the People's Struggle
Minneapolis, MN – With only a month left before Donald Trump becomes president, immigrant rights activists in the Legalization for All Network are demanding that President Biden do all he can to protect immigrants before leaving office.
Los Angeles, CA – 30 people attended a know your rights panel and training in the Boyle Hights neighborhood, hosted by Centro CSO’s immigration rapid response team. The educational event was organized because many in the community are nervous about how immigration law will be impacted by the Trump presidential victory.
Chicago, IL – More than 450 people representing 75 organizations gathered in Chicago, April 13, to plan a massive march at the Democratic National Convention, which will stand with Palestine and promote a people’s agenda.
Kobi Guillory of the National Alliance Against Racist and Pollical Repression told conference participants, “We will counterprotest the DNC starting on August 19 to demand an immediate end to the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide, and that no more of our tax dollars are used to fund the massacres of Palestinians.” Guillory also talked about the fight to get permits for a large-family friendly protest, but said that organizers were going to march to within sight and sound of the convention, permits or not.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for All Network.
In an outrageous ruling the Supreme Court of the U.S. (SCOTUS) gave the green light to Texas State Bill 4 (SB4) putting it immediately into effect in Texas. This bill is also known as the “Show Me Your Papers” bill, as it gives Texas law enforcement powers that only federal agencies possess – the power to stop, question, and arrest a person about U.S. citizenship status, as well as power to deport.
Eagle Pass, TX – Members of the Legalization for All (L4A) Network from Los Angeles, Dallas and Minneapolis traveled to the border towns of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, México from February 23-25.
They went to show solidarity with immigrants and activists there fighting against Texas Governor Greg Abbott's racist, anti-immigrant attacks. The Eagle Pass Border Coalition hosted the delegation. The Legalization for All delegation was there just days before Donald Trump went to Eagle Pass to spread racist anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Eagle Pass, TX – Grassroots organizers from Legalization for All Network affiliates in California, Texas and Minnesota are on their way to the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas to learn from and support local organizers doing the work to feed, house and support immigrants and refugees in this town on the U.S./Mexico border.
Tensions have risen in Eagle Pass as Governor Greg Abott of Texas has continued to heavily militarize the border there, with Texas National Guard troops continuing to occupy Shelby Park along the Rio Grande River in defiance of federal court rulings and community demands that they leave.
Chicago, IL – On January 24, over 60 people crowded the Latino Cultural Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to join a discussion with Juan González of the Great Cities Institute and David Ramirez of the Cuban Embassy around the current immigrant crisis and its root causes. The discussion was co-hosted by two campus groups: New Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at UIC and Mexican Students de Aztlán (MeSA) at UIC.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Legalization for all Network.
!!Emergency Action!!
Call Biden and your two senators:
Stand Up to Anti-Immigrant, Racist Republicans!
In Eagle Pass, Texas, Governor Abbott, with support from Trump and other Republicans in Congress, are refusing to allow Federal Customs and Border Patrol agents to remove the deadly razor wire in the Rio Grande at Shelby Park. Texas lost their case at the Supreme Court, resulting in an ongoing standoff. Additionally, Governor Abbott has deployed the Texas National Guard to occupy 47 acres of Shelby Park. This occupation has led to at least three recorded deaths — the drowning of a mother and her two children. The Guard blocked Border Patrol from rendering aid to them and stood back as the three drowned. President Biden called on Abbott to also remove the Guard as immigration is a federal matter, but Abbott has refused to comply.
At the same time, Congress is coming closer to reaching an immigration deal. Republican House Speaker Johnson warned of stopping the deal and holding back further military aid to Ukraine and Israel, if the deal did not include stronger border enforcement. Current reports have read that if passed, the deal would dismantle key asylum protections, allow the president the power to “close the border” if a threshold of immigrants crossing is reached, and increase swift deportations. It is vital for Biden, the Democrats, the Senate, and the general public to stand up against these increasing racist attacks on immigrants by the Republicans.
We must denounce the growing oppressive, anti-immigrant sentiment the Republicans are whipping up targeting refugees from Central America, Mexico, Haiti, and South America. Now more than ever, we must support human rights activists in Eagle Pass who are seeing tremendous rise of immigration activity.
Make your THREE phone calls to:
President Biden and demand that he stand with immigrants against these racist Republican attacks! (202) 456-1111
Script: “My name is —- calling from (City/State) urging President Biden to side with the undocumented and put a stop to racist, anti-immigrant Republicans like Texas Governor Abbott who is leading countless atrocities and attacks against refugees! Don’t back down now Biden! Put a stop to human rights violations against the undocumented, legalization for all now!”
Send President Biden an email: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Your TWO senators and demand they vote AGAINST further funding Ukraine, Israel and border militarization.
Look up your senators’ phones and emails:
https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Script: “My name is ___ and I am a (YOUR STATE) resident. I urge the Senator to vote NO on the proposed funding bill that would severely restrict asylum rights, increase swift deportations, and provide billions of dollars to Israel to continue the genocide of Palestinians. The Senator must show they stand against attacks on immigrants to push a political agenda. The Senator should work toward an end to US aid for war and refuse to trade immigrant rights for further funding of death, destruction, and displacement.”
Milwaukee, WI – The Coalition to March on the RNC is hosting an organizing conference on February 17 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Activists from across the U.S. will gather at the conference to unite around a plan to rally on the opening day of the Republican National Convention, Monday, July 15.
“We are looking to consolidate plans with all forces that are against the Republicans’ racist and reactionary agenda. We are also looking to inform leaders across the country as to what the situation on the ground in Milwaukee looks like as we prepare to march to within sight and sound of the front doors of the convention,” said Omar Flores, spokesperson in Milwaukee for the Coalition to March on the RNC.
Dallas, TX – The Legalization for All Network is asking all to express their anger December 1 against the racist Texas Senate Bill 4.
SB 4 would make it a state crime to cross into Texas from Mexico without proper documentation, allowing Texas law enforcement to arrest anyone they think might be undocumented. The U.S. Supreme Court’s case 2012 Arizona v. The United States however, ruled that only the federal government can enforce immigration laws, not police, sheriff’s deputies, or state troopers. Therefore constitutionally, law enforcement does not have the power to racially profile or deport. Nobody has to prove citizenship status or provide any immigration documents to a law enforcement officer.