May Day is a day to stand up and fight back. Millions will take to the streets – from Los Angeles to Mexico City, to Manila, to Moscow and points in between – placing demands on the rich and powerful and to look forward to a day without exploitation or oppression.

Civil disobedience at ICE on May 6 also to demand “Stop the raids and deportations”

Minneapolis, MN – On May 1 – International Workers Day – a mass march and street festival is planned here to demand immigrant and workers’ rights. The march will begin at 4:00 pm on Lake Street and 13th Avenue, in the heart of Minneapolis's Latino community. The march is initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc), which has organized many of the immigrant rights protests in the Twin Cities since it formed in the wave of mass marches in spring 2006. (see below for posters promoting the march)

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following resolution passed by Locals 10 and 19 of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. It calls on port workers to stop work on May 1, International Workers Day, and participate in the Great American Boycott II for immigrants rights. Work stoppages will take place in the California cities of Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, Richmond, Benicia and Redwood City.

On Friday, May 1, tens of thousands marched for immigrant rights in demonstrations across the country. The marches and rallies called for legalization of the undocumented, an end to the raids and deportations and maintaining family unity. Although smaller in the number than in previous years, the marches drew a broad cross-section of the Latino communities, including many families. There were also significant numbers of trade unionists and members of Asian American communities.

Los Angeles, CA – Immigrant rights activists from around the U.S. came together here at a conference, Feb. 3-4, to plan for the Great American Boycott II for immigrant rights on May 1.

Around the country, organizers and leaders of the immigrant rights movement are discussing and making plans for another round of May 1 protests. Last year millions of immigrants and their supporters took to the streets on International Workers Day. This powerful upsurge, which extended for many months, defeated legislation that would have further criminalized undocumented workers in the United States.

A May Day speech by Christina Chavez

Editors note: the following is the text of a speech prepared by Christina Chavez for International Workers Day in Chicago.