News and Views from the People's Struggle
Tacoma, WA – On March 20, approximately 50 people gathered in front of the Northwest Detention Center as part of the 24/7 vigil currently being led by La Resistencia and Tsuru for Solidarity.
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.
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