News and Views from the People's Struggle
Tampa, FL – On Wednesday February 14, as part of National Students for a Democratic Society’s Day of Action against Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s attacks on immigrants, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society held a banner drop in the University of South Florida’s Student Center.
Saint Paul, MN – On Monday, February 12, the opening day of the state legislative session, members of the North STAR Alliance and others gathered to support the North STAR Act at the Upper Mall of the Minnesota State Capitol. About 100 people attended holding blue signs with the new Minnesota state flag that read: “Stand with Immigrants, support the North STAR Act” while listening to speakers from the North STAR Alliance.
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.”
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement by the Legalization for All Network.
The Legalization for All (L4A) network denounces the latest actions by the state of Texas at the Eagle Pass/U.S. border. The Texas National Guard, under the direction of Republican Governor Greg Abbott, began an occupation on January 10, 2024 of 47 acres at a public place of gathering — Shelby Park. These actions have led to injury and death of at least three immigrants attempting to cross into the U.S. at Shelby Park. The three died from drowning and Border Patrol agents who were attempting to help them were blocked by the National Guard.
Minneapolis, MN – Over 100 protesters gathered outside of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office on Wednesday evening, December 20, calling for Senator Klobuchar to vote no on a bill that would send billions in military funding to Israel and Ukraine, as well as implement anti-immigrant policies that would have disastrous effects on immigrants in the U.S.
Protesters gathered waving Palestinian flags and signs that read “Klobuchar: We say no to U.S. aid to Israel! We will not pay for the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.”
Latifah Moss, a member of MIRAC connected the fight for liberation in Palestine and the fight for immigrants in the U.S., saying: “MIRAC continues to stand in solidarity with immigrants and demand that our elected officials do what is right. In a time when we are watching families be torn apart by war, genocide, Border Patrol, and harmful anti-immigrant laws all over the world, we say no more separating families here in the U.S. at the border or overseas with U.S. money aiding war.”
The bill, which will now be voted on in January, is still in negotiations. Some legislators have insisted on the addition of anti-immigrant policies that would dismantle key asylum protections, allow for faster deportations with fewer protections, and close legal immigration pathways for immigrants from several countries.
Anti-War Committee speaker Meredith Aby-Keirstead spoke about the U.S. funding wars across the world. She stated that funding to both Ukraine and Israel should be stopped.
After speakers, activists picketed outside of the office. Chants for the end of deportations, no border walls, and no more money for war.
The protest was initiated by Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee and was endorsed by MN Anti-War Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, The Free Palestine Coalition, Asamblea de Derechos Civiles, and other organizations.
#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #International #Palestine #AntiWar #MIRAC #MNAWC
Editor’s note: Frank Chapman wrote this statement to call for unity in struggle by Black, Latino and working-class communities.
Chicago saw great victories earlier in 2023 through a united front under a Black and Latino leadership, with the first-in-the-country elections for democratic civilian oversight of the police, and the election as mayor of a trade unionist, Brandon Johnson. Johnson defeated a racist who was backed by the Fraternal Order of the Police, Paul Vallas. Vallas is known in Chicago history for introducing neo-liberal policies, which included major attacks on funding for public schools. 90% of Chicago Public School students are Black and Latino.
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.
Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 protesters took the street Sunday afternoon, October 29, in response to the Biden administration’s recently-announced plan to waive 26 federal laws in order to extend the border wall further into southern Texas. Several organizations joined together to protest the “Trump-like” policies in response to immigration.
Fight Back! is circulating the following call for solidarity from the Legalization for All Network.
Show Your Support for Immigrants at the Border
The Legalization for All Network is calling on all who are interested in showing support for the undocumented, to make a short 30-second video. Legalization for All Network (L4A) is a national movement challenging the oppressive and harmful policies of Operation Lone Star. Operation Lone Star was created in 2021 and uses various tactics to further militarize the U.S./México border. It is the joining of forces between the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department. Under Governor Greg Abbott in July of 2023, $1million buoys were dropped in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo waters. These buoys are equipped with razor-sharp saws, chained to the bottom of the river (so they are immobile), and wrapped with concertina wire. While the buoys are dangerous and have already claimed lives, continued efforts have been to also remove the longstanding concertina wire along the river.