Minneapolis, MN – Fight Back News Service is distributing the following Sept. 7 statement that was released by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Minnesota Poor People’s Campaign announcing that all charges have been dropped against the 18 activists arrested protesting deportations on May 22.

A People's Victory: Charges Dropped! #ICEbreakers18 Continue to Demand Justice!

In a victory for the movement for immigrant rights and social justice, the Hennepin County Prosecutor’s office has dismissed both misdemeanor charges against the 18 activists arrested on May 22, 2018 while shutting down business as usual at the building that houses the five-state ICE headquarters.

The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) and the Minnesota Poor People’s Campaign extend our thanks to all those who made phone calls to Hennepin County Prosecutor Mike Freeman to demand our charges be dismissed. Your public support and efforts in this electoral period helped successfully pressure Mike Freeman to take the right action. We strongly maintain that the actions we took that led to our arrest were necessary and just. We will continue to oppose ICE and any of the immoral actions of the US government.

We stand in solidarity with our immigrant siblings that face the fear of being torn from their families by arriving at the courthouse. We also stand in solidarity with our Black, Brown and Native siblings that demand justice for their loved ones whose lives were stolen by killer cops. We ask that all our supporters continue to stand for justice and continue to pressure Prosecutor Freeman to demand:

\* ICE out of Hennepin County!

\* Prosecute Killer Cops!

\* Justice for Immigrants in Hennepin County Courts!

#MinneapolisMN #InJusticeSystem #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #PoliticalRepression #MinnesotaPoorPeoplesCampaign #ICEBreakers18

The call-in day message to the politicians said, “I want you to push for genuine, progressive immigration reform that consists of: (1) Legalization for all – we don’t want a restrictive or punitive approach; (2) No second-class guest worker programs – full legalization with full equality for immigrant workers; (3) No more militarization of the U.S.-Mexico border – the border is already too militarized leading to too many deaths; and (4) No increased workplace repression – everyone should have the right to work with dignity and labor rights. Programs like E-Verify should be abolished, not expanded.”

MIRAc’s explanation for the call-in day read, “Congressional Democrats and the White House have announced that they plan to push a national comprehensive immigration reform bill in the new congressional session that starts this month. On issue after issue, we’ve seen the White House and Congressional Democrats too quick to abandon progressive proposals and give in to conservative bullying. So ideas that start out progressive (like health care reform for example) go through a legislative process that tears out any progressive content and stuffs it full of pro-corporate and repressive ideas. The final product comes out on the other end as at best mediocre or at worst as regressive, counterproductive laws. We don’t want this to happen to immigration reform. We want genuine, progressive immigration reform. So we are asking Minnesotans to start contacting Senator Franken and Rep. Ellison on Wednesday, January 16. Tell them you want them to take leadership to stand up for genuine, progressive immigration reform, and you want them to say no to pro-corporate or repressive proposals that some politicians will try to make part of immigration reform.”

MIRAc member Brad Sigal said, “I think our call-in day was a success and now we’ll continue to build momentum with other actions. We encourage people in other states to also start now to demand that their congresspeople stand up for genuine, progressive immigration reform and to demand that they refuse to compromise with the repressive anti-immigrant measures that some politicians will try to make part of immigration reform. The time is now to raise our voices.”

#MinneapolisMN #immigrantRights #guestWorker #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #everify

A bill has been introduced in the state legislature, House File 1718, which will have its first hearing on March 10. Mujeres en Liderazgo has built a coalition to support the bill, along with various other immigrant rights activists and supporters. They are mobilizing to go the capitol to show the massive community support for the bill at the March 10 hearing.

According to Jovita, an organizer of Mujeres en Liderazgo and also a member of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc), “We are organizing for drivers licenses because it's an important need for our community. When we started, we did a survey in the community and the majority of people said this was a big need. So many people are stopped by the police while driving, and since they don't have a license they get their car impounded and have to pay a huge fine to get it back. They also get a ticket, and sometimes are taken to jail. The majority of immigrants work far away so if they lose their car they can't get to work and also lose their job. People drive with the constant fear of losing their car, or of getting taking to jail and having their family separated.”

Immigrant workers in the Twin Cities are largely forced to drive to work because many work evening and overnight shift jobs, when there are no buses or trains running. Many immigrants also work in suburbs that aren't accessible by public transit in jobs like construction, hotels, restaurants, office and retail cleaning, warehouses and small factories. Additionally, the number of immigrants living in greater Minnesota in smaller towns has skyrocketed. Many small towns have little or no public transit, forcing immigrants who live in greater Minnesota to drive to get to work too.

Racial profiling and discrimination makes the situation worse. Police frequently pull over Latino drivers because of racial profiling, not because they've done anything wrong. According to an ACLU report, a statewide racial profiling study commissioned by the Minnesota legislature “found significant evidence of racial profiling in traffic stops across the state. According to the study, African American, Latino and American Indian drivers were all stopped and searched by law enforcement at greater rates than white drivers, though contraband was found more frequently among white drivers.”

States are not forced to restrict drivers licenses to only U.S. citizens by federal law; each state sets its own policies for issuing drivers licenses. A number of states only require proof that the individual lives in the state to get a drivers license. Immigrants who drive without a drivers license have not had the opportunity to take the drivers test and officially learn the rules of the road in the state. And without a drivers license they can't get car insurance either.

The House hearing for the drivers license bill on March 10 is the first step the drivers license bill takes toward becoming state law. It faces many more obstacles because powerful politicians in the state oppose any immigrant rights proposal. But Mujeres en Liderazgo is committed to continuing the struggle until victory. According to Jovita, “We will do it. We have to keep pressuring the legislators, keep struggling. There are examples that have passed here like the separation ordinance. And there is the struggle for the Dream Act too, and other fights for equality that have gone on for years. We will see change.”

To find out more about the 'Drivers Licenses for All' campaign, see the MIRAc website: http://mirac1.wordpress.com

#SaintPaulMN #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #driversLicense #MujeresEnLiderazgo #WomenInLeadership

Bloomington, MN – El lunes 23 de noviembre por la mañana, un grupo de activistas pro-inmigrante organizó una protesta al estilo del teatro popular para denunciar de forma dramática el racismo y la hipocresía de las redadas en contra de los inmigrantes latinos, separando familias y comunidades.

En una muestra visual muy dramática, nueve personas vestidos en uniforme de prisionero de color naranja y con capucha negra cubriendo sus cabezas llegaron a la entrada del edificio de ICE exigiendo que los oficiales de ICE les deportaran. Veinticinco personas les acompañaron para exigir que los oficiales de ICE les revisaran sus documentos. Anunciaron que no eran inmigrantes latinos sino descendientes de inmigrantes europeos admitiendo que sus ancestros vinieron a este continente ilegalmente y cometieron genocidio en contra del pueblo indígena aquí mientras robaron sus tierras. Debido a eso, exigieron que ICE les deportaran.

Los oficiales de ICE y las policías allí parecieron confundidos, y formaron una línea para bloquear la puerta del edificio para que los 'prisioneros' no entraran para ser deportados a los países Europeas de donde vinieron sus familias sin documentación. Los oficiales de ICE rehusaron revisar los documentos de estas personas para asegurar que estaban en este país legalmente. ICE también rehusó mandar un oficial afuera para reunirse con los activistas sobre las olas de inmigrantes europeos que llegaron a este país sin permiso de la población nativo americana que vivía aquí antes de la llegada de los europeos. Estos inmigrantes europeos sacaron los indígenas de sus tierras a través de una cantidad de tratados rotos y a través del genocidio.

Cuando ICE rehusó permitir la entrada al edificio a los activistas para la auto-deportación, respondieron gritando las consignas “depórtenos ya!” y “que harían si éramos latinos?” Eso dejo claro el racismo obvio detrás de la campaña de ICE de deportaciones masivas de inmigrantes latinos de sus casas y lugares de trabajo, mientras ni revisan los documentos de un grupo de gente blanca que llega a su puerta diciendo que son indocumentados en el país y pidiendo la deportación!

La protesta al estilo teatro popular fue organizada por la Coalición de Acción para los Derechos de los Inmigrantes en Minnesota (MIRAc). Esta protesta dio seguimiento a una protesta que MIRAc organizó el 14 de noviembre en que MIRAc protesto en contra de un evento anti-inmigrante “tea party” afuera del capitolio del estado. En aquella protesta, un activista pro-inmigrante que usó el nombre “Robert Erickson” les hizo trampa a la gente anti-inmigrante, metiéndose a su protesta para hablar en su propia protesta en contra del mensaje anti-inmigrante. En lugar de denunciar los inmigrantes latinos, denuncio los conquistadores europeos que colonizaron este continente robando las tierras de los nativo americanos. En la acción este lunes, “Robert Erickson” también hablo, diciendo: “[Cristóbal] Colon es el primer inmigrante ilegal…llego aquí sin papeles y no les pidió permiso a nadie. A través de las políticas de 'limpieza étnica' y exterminación de los indígenas, los peregrinos originales robaron esta tierra de los reales nativo americanos, matando más que 30 millones de los nativos en el peor caso del genocidio en la historia humana.”

Erickson diferenció entre los conquistadores europeos que llegaron aquí por razones ilegitimas para robar tierras y recursos, y los inmigrantes actuales de las Américas quienes salen de sus países debido a las guerras o políticas económicas originadas en los estados unidos que dejan sus países bancarrotas, y que vienen aquí para sobrevivir, no para conquistar. Erickson dijo: “Así como los originales peregrinos beneficiaron de la explotación y de la matanza de los americanos indígenas, los peregrines modernos están beneficiándose económicamente de las ganancias masivas por el robo de las tierras de los mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos indígenas a través de la conquista económica.” Erickson llamó a la gente a que apoyan la lucha del pueblo indígena Dakota para la soberanía y a que apoyan los derechos de los inmigrantes mexicanos, centroamericanos y suramericanos que llegan ahora a los estados unidos.

Video de protesta el 23 de noviembre 2009 afuera del edificio de ICE en Bloomington, MN

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

Bloomington, MN – On Monday morning, Nov. 23, a group of immigrant rights activists staged a guerrilla theater-style protest here to dramatically expose the racism and hypocrisy of immigration raids that target Latino immigrants, tearing apart families and communities.

In a striking visual display, nine people dressed as prisoners in orange jumpsuits and black hoods came to the entrance of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building here demanding to be deported. They were accompanied by 25 supporters who also demanded that ICE check their documents and deport them. They claimed to be not undocumented Latino immigrants, but instead European descendants who were admitting that their ancestors had come to this continent illegally and committed genocide against the Native Americans while stealing their lands. Because of this, they demanded that ICE deport them.

ICE officials and police officers seemed confused and formed a line blocking the door to the building, so the protesters could not enter to turn themselves in for deportation back to the European countries that their ancestors had immigrated from without documents. The ICE officers present refused to check their documents to see if they were in the country legally. The officers also refused a request for an ICE official to come out to meet with them about the waves of European immigrants who came to the U.S. without the permission of the Native Americans, who then drove the original Americans off their land through countless broken treaties and genocidal wars.

When ICE officials refused to let the protesters enter the building to turn themselves in for deportation, the protesters responded by chanted, “Deport us now!” and, “What if we were brown?” This exposed the blatant racism that targets Latino immigrants for deportation in their homes and workplaces, while refusing to even check the documents of white people who show up at ICE's doorstep claiming to be in the country illegally and asking to be deported.

The guerrilla theater-style protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc). It was a follow-up to a protest organized on Nov. 14, in which MIRAc protested against a right-wing anti-immigrant 'Tea Party' outside the Minnesota State Capitol. At that rally an immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson tricked the anti-immigrant organizers into letting him speak at their rally. Instead of denouncing Latino immigrants, he denounced the original European colonizers to this continent that stole the land from Native Americans.

At the Nov. 23 action, Robert Erickson spoke again, saying, “[Christopher] Columbus is the original illegal immigrant…he came without papers and didn't ask for permission. Through policies of ethnic cleansing and extermination, the original pilgrims stole this land from the real [Native] Americans, killing more than 30 million [Native] Americans in the worst genocide in human history.”

Erickson differentiated between the European colonizers who came here for illegitimate reasons to steal land and resources and current immigrants from Central and South America who are forced to leave their countries by U.S.-sponsored wars and economic policies that bankrupt their countries, and come here to be able to simply survive, not to conquer.

Erickson said, “Just as the original pilgrims profited from the exploitation and murder of indigenous Americans, modern day pilgrims are reaping massive profits by displacing indigenous Mexicans, Central and South Americans from their rightful homelands through economic conquest.” Erickson encouraged people to support the native Dakota people's struggle for sovereignty and to support the rights of Mexican, Central American and South American immigrants.

Video of MIRAc action at ICE Building,Bloomington, MN,Nov. 23, 2009

#BloomingtonMN #IndigenousPeoples #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #RobertErickson

St. Paul, MN – On November 14, immigrant rights activists in the Twin Cities confronted a “tea party” rally of about 40 right wing anti-immigrant extremists at the Minnesota State Capitol. The anti-immigrant “tea party against amnesty” was in opposition to immigration reform legislation that may be introduced soon in the U.S. Congress, which might provide legalization for some undocumented immigrants. The tea party organizers oppose any legalization and instead support repressive mass deportations of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the country. The anti-immigrant extremists gathered to hear speakers and held signs with messages such as “If You Are Illegal Go Home” and “Pack Their Sack and Send Them Back”.

However their message did not go unopposed. They were confronted by about 30 immigrant rights activists standing up for legalization and full equality for all regardless of immigration status. The immigrant rights presence was initiated by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc). Immigrant rights activists chanted during the anti-immigrant speakers, and held banners that said “Stop Raids and Deportations” and “Immigration is Not a Crime”. The immigrant rights protesters clearly frazzled the anti-immigrant organizers throughout their event.

One immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson even tricked the anti-immigrant rally organizers into letting him speak at their rally. He began his speech with what sounded like the usual hateful anti-immigrant message. But as he continued, it became clear he was not criticizing Latin American immigrants coming across the Mexican border. Instead he was condemning the European colonizers who came here starting 500 years ago and stole the land from Native Americans while committing genocide against them. At first the anti-immigrant crowd cheered for him until they slowly realized he was not giving their message. Then they fell into silent confusion, as immigrant rights protesters shouted their approval.

Video: “Robert Erickson” Tricks Anti-Immigrant Rally Organizers

The following video clip shows immigrant rights activist “Robert Erickson”, who tricked the anti-immigrant tea party organizers into letting him speak at their November 14 rally. His speech at first sounds like an anti-immigrant speech but then changes the message part way through. This left the anti-immigrant forces confused and speechless, while immigrant rights protesters shouted their approval.

#StPaulMN #antiimmigrantAttacks #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition #TeaParty #RobertErickson

Saint Paul, MN – 75 people gathered outside the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center, Nov. 1. The protest took place on Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to commemorate the more than 4000 immigrants who have died trying to cross the border into the U.S. from Mexico and the hundreds who have died in U.S. jails awaiting deportation. Día de los Muertos is widely celebrated in Mexico and by Latin Americans in the U.S. to remember loved ones who have died.

Since the protest took place right after visiting hours, some people visiting family members in the jail stopped to listen to the rally. One woman who was visiting her husband in the jail was so moved that she stayed for the whole rally and got up to speak about her situation. Her husband, who was brought to the U.S. from Mexico by his mother when he was a child, is being held in the Ramsey County Detention Center. He is awaiting deportation to Mexico, a country he doesn't even remember, which would leave his wife alone with their three children.

Sara Avendano and one of her daughters also spoke movingly at the rally. Sara is a mother of six children here in the U.S., one of whom has autism and one of whom is only one year old. Sara is now awaiting deportation, which would force her to leave the U.S. by Dec. 4. Sara and her family are fighting against her deportation, trying to win her right to stay in the U.S. with her family.

The Ketzal Coatlicue Aztec Dancers performed at the event, and many people brought remembrances of loved ones who have died to add to an altar that was constructed in front of the jail.

According to a statement by rally organizers, “In just over a decade, immigration detention has tripled. The Department of Homeland Security has the authority to detain thousands of immigrants without the right to a hearing to determine whether the detention is warranted. Today more than 30,000 immigrants are detained each day and this number is most likely to increase with new community and workplace enforcement policies. Over 100 people have died in immigration detention over the past five years, and thousands have been denied access to medical care. On April 13, 2006 Maria Iñamagua died at the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center due to a massive brain infection. On Nov. 1, we remember Maria and honor those who have died crossing the border or in the immigration detention system.”

The event was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Coalition (MIRAc), Interfaith Coalition on Immigration and the Immigration Working Group of Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates. There is a plan to hold a similar action once a month outside the Ramsey County Detention Center.

#StPaulMN #MIRAc #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCoalition