St. Paul, MN – On February 19, the House Subcommittee on Local Government voted to pass House File 3060. HF 3060 is a bill that would end contracts that local jails in Minnesota have with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain people facing civil immigration charges. Currently several county jails in Minnesota have contracts with ICE to hold hundreds of immigrants facing deportation.

The bill, sponsored by democrat Representative Fue Lee, who represents part of north Minneapolis, will now advance to the Government Operations Committee.

Before voting on the bill, the committee heard testimony from members of Sanctuary and Resistance to Injustice (SARI), the Sanctuary State Coalition, Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM) and the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC). After hearing their testimony, the committee voted to pass the bill.

In the face of the Trump administration’s relentless attacks on immigrants, this bill is one of several supported by the movement fighting to make Minnesota a sanctuary state.

#StPaulMN #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #ChicanoLatino #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCommitteeMIRAC #HouseFile3060

Minneapolis, MN – People holding signs reading, “Municipal ID for all” and “Sanctuary now!” packed into the Minneapolis City Council Public Health, Environment and Civil Rights Committee hearing November 26. They came to give testimony and to encourage the city council to create a Minneapolis Municipal ID.

Dozens of Minneapolis residents spoke to their need for an ID due to immigration status, gender identity, housing instability, age and other reasons. After hearing the testimony, the committee voted unanimously in favor of creating a Minneapolis Municipal ID. The vote of approval from the committee forwards the ordinance to the full city council for a final vote on December 7.

The immigrant rights movement has led the push for creating municipal IDs in cities around the country, especially within states where immigrants are excluded from obtaining drivers licenses or other official government identification.

Speakers at the hearing talked about how the lack of an ID makes everyday interactions difficult or impossible, like picking up medical prescriptions, picking up kids from school, renting an apartment, or opening a bank account.

Most importantly, any interaction with police is dangerous when you can’t identify who you are; in such cases police will often arrest a person and bring them in to jail for booking to fingerprint and identify them even if they have done nothing wrong. Once in the criminal justice system, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) often intervenes and starts deportation proceedings against someone who can’t prove their immigration status. This is a large source of the skyrocketing deportation rates over the past decade.

In response, several cities around the U.S. have created a municipal ID in recent years to extend the democratic right of an official identification to people who are excluded or discriminated against with other types of official identification because of immigration status, gender, housing stability, age or other issues.

The campaign for a Minneapolis Municipal ID has been pushed forward by community-based organizations like the Minnesota Immigrant Movement (MIM), the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), among many others.

MIRAC launched a Sanctuary Platform in September 2017, which included 13 things the Minneapolis city council could do to protect Minneapolis immigrant residents from the Trump administration’s attacks. One of the biggest points on the platform is the creation of a Municipal ID. So far, the city has implemented at least four of the platform planks, and is one vote away from creating a Municipal ID.

This is a significant step toward a victory for democratic rights of all Minneapolis residents. The next steps in the process are budget hearings and then the full city council vote on December 7. MIRAC, MIM and others are mobilizing for a large community presence for the December 7 vote.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #MunicipalID #MinnesotaImmigrantRightsActionCommitteeMIRAC

Milwaukee, WI – Voces de la Frontera, Youth Empowered in the Struggle and community members protested at the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services building in downtown here, May 29, to condemn the May 27 immigration raids. About 22 people were picked up and arrested at their homes and workplaces in the raids.

The immigration sweep was carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in cooperation with the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD). The sweep was executed systematically, digging into government archives in order to find any excuse to validate the arrests. The victims that were picked up by the MPD were accused of bogus and irrelevant charges and included cases which had already been closed.

The community members detained by the MPD are in diverse stages of the deportation process, with some of them already in the Juno, Wisconsin Detention center and some others in county jail on an ICE hold. After the arrests, MPD officers prevented any type of direct communication between the detainees and their loved ones or their lawyers. Eventually, lawyers were allowed to directly communicate with the detainees as their cases progressed.

The actions carried out by ICE occurred due to a federal quota system known as the ‘bed mandate’, where all detention center beds need to be occupied.

Community members at the rally condemned ICE’s and MPD’s actions and described them as variously as violent, unfair, appalling, inexcusable, inhumane and terroristic.

“The raids happened at people’s homes in front of their families,” Cynthia Tellez, one of the attendees and member of Youth Empowered in the Struggle, commented on the incident. “How can this be done in the name of [national] security? That’s inhumane!”

Another target of furious chants and speeches was the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and other liberal organizations which are asking president Obama to delay any type of executive action to stop or reduce deportations. SEIU’s statement coincides with the same day the sweep happened.

“The SEIU have sold out the movement in an attempt to win over the right wing on this issue. In the meantime, more than a thousand a day will continue to be deported,” said Sean Orr, a local immigrant rights activist. “Organized labor needs to support legalization for all, not more delays.”

The organizers of the rally plan on continue the fight to free the 22 detainees and to prevent any more immigration raids. They have scheduled call-ins for the coming days. Here is the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/478322572314345/

#MilwaukeeWI #immigrantRights #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #VocesDeLaFrontera #NoMasDeportaciones

Asheville, NC – Amidst the backdrop of continuing congressional inaction on immigration reform, over 100 community members gathered at Saint Lawrence Basilica and marched to the courthouse, demanding an end to deportations and full legalization for all families. The Asheville chapter of Coalición de Organizaciones Latino-Americanas (COLA) joined over 80 cities taking part in a National Day of Action to End Deportations on April 5, organized by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).

With patience worn thin from discarded political promises, the marchers chanted “Hey Obama, don't deport my mama!” Protesters held signs that said “Liberation not deportation” and “ICE out of our communities,” with the hashtags #Not1More and #2Million2Many. Several speakers relayed their experiences dealing with the deportation of family members.

“More than 1000 people are being deported every day and President Obama has the authority and the power – he can definitely do what’s right,” said Bruno Hinojosa, a member of COLA. Speakers explained that, despite promises to take action on behalf of immigrants, President Obama has instead functioned as deporter-in-chief.

#AshevilleNC #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #immigrationRights #legalizationForAll #borderRepression #NoMasDeportaciones

The Legalization For All (L4A) network is initiating an all-hands-on-deck, national push for Deferred Action to apply to all undocumented immigrants! Now.

This coming Thursday, October 3, 2013 we are calling on President Barack Obama to make an executive decision: Make Deferred Action apply to all 11 million undocumented immigrants!

June 27, 2013, L4A strongly condemned the inclusion of the Corker-Hoever amendment in the Senate 2013 Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) Bill. On that same day, the U.S. Senate passed the Corker-Hoever amendment by a 68 to 32 margin. The Corker-Hoever amendment would increase militarization on the border, expand the E-verify workplace enforcement, and try to track the more than one hundred and fifty million people who enter the United States each year. This same amendment called for an additional $46 billion to further militarize the border, including 20,000 more border patrol officers, hundreds of miles of new fencing, and mandates use of military technology. Attacks such as these would mainly be felt by Mexicans and Central Americans trying to cross the border, leading to even more deaths.

Friday, September 20, 2013 the mainstream media announced that the CIR 2013 would not be brought up in the House of Representatives. During the lead up to this announcement, efforts around the country were being made to pressure Republicans to act. L4A organized National Call-In days pressuring Representative John Boehner, Republican Representative Paul Ryan and Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

In Arizona, a group of young leaders took to the streets and stopped a Detention Center bus from deporting a bus-full of immigrants. They didn't let it go anywhere. In Minneapolis, immigrant rights activists demanded a stop the deportations at the Hennepin County Jail. In Tampa, an immigrant rights caravan joined with the community and protested Marco Rubio. Los Angeles community members fought back against the use of neighborhood blockades by Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).

When President Barack Obama stated he had no intention of stopping the deportations of DACA (Deferred Action for Child Arrivals) recipient's parents, Obama chose to take a stand against the people. All 11 million undocumented also need a Deferred Action or an executive decision by the President to stop the daily, deportations of immigrants. We cannot let our families continue to be torn apart. These attacks on our communities and the silent raids of our homes and work-places is not how we want to continue living. We will not sit back and let these attacks continue. Enough is enough.

It is also important to remember that while DA is our best option given that CIR 2013 is stalled, it is up to us, the people to demand what is most beneficial to us. This includes and is not limited to our L4A pillars:

1. Legalization Now! The current Senate bill has a ten-year wait for undocumented to become legal permanent residents. This and other barriers will exclude many from legalization.

2. No more militarization of the border! No drones! Right now hundreds of immigrants are dying trying to cross the border because the militarization of the border drives people to harsh desert areas. The current Senate bill will lead to military drones flying over millions of Americans who live within 100 miles of the border, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the U.S. government already tracking our phone calls and emails, we do not want drones watching us around the clock.

3. Stop the Deportations! Under the Obama administration, there are record numbers of deportations. There should be a moratorium on deportations while the legalization process is starting. Why should the government deport more people and tear apart families who will become legal residents?

Join us. Invite your friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/671834526162295/

L4A: http://legalizationforall.wordpress.com/

#UnitedStates #immigrantRights #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #legalizationForAll #LegalizationForAllNetwork

Charlotte, NC – On July 17, the day of Uriel Alberto’s scheduled meeting with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and likely deportation, Alberto received a phone call and was told his order of ‘Stay of Removal’ had been approved.

What started off as a simple demonstration against reactionary anti-immigration policies, turned into a year-long struggle against Uriel Alberto’s ICE-enforced deportation process. In Raleigh, on Feb. 29, 2012, immigrant rights group El Cambio crashed a House Committee meeting on immigration issues, resulting in Alberto standing up and ripping off his outer shirt, revealing an undershirt reading, “Undocumented and Unafraid!”

Alberto was detained for his actions, sparking a ten-day hunger strike against his imprisonment. He was eventually released, but from then on ICE has been scheduling a year-long process in deporting him back to Mexico because of his unwillingness to do so voluntarily.

On July 4, what many in the United States mark as their Independence Day, Alberto launched a hunger strike against his scheduled deportation in front of the ICE office here in Charlotte. A petition was subsequently launched, calling for the U.S. House of Representatives to call off their hunt, reaching over 400 signers.

As was suggested by friends and family, Alberto began calling for an order of ‘Stay of Removal’ as July 17 kept getting closer and closer. Since then, it’s now been approved. A ‘Stay of Removal’ isn’t a permanent solution, but it would allow Alberto to remain in the country until the immigration court is able to sort out any legal issues and then bring back up his deportation case. For now, his deportation has been postponed.

When asked of the campaign’s temporary success, Alberto said, “Well I feel blessed with all the support from loved ones and strangers alike. Though I also feel some remorse because I feel there are others a lot more deserving perhaps, that have not been as lucky as I am. I’m glad to be able to stay in the country, but this “Stay of Removal” does not allow or give me any rights. This is part of the new immigrant working class that the Federal Government is creating, but it is a small victory in a long battle, and I’m ready to put it behind me and keep moving forward. Hopefully we will be able to apply for DACA now, because previously the government had advised us to not apply.”

Given the nationwide struggle for immigrant rights, and the subsequent call for ‘Legalization for All’, Alberto wished to speak to all those who are fighting the same struggle. “My one piece of advice to everyone,” he says, “is to fight until the end. To not give up, to not self-deport, but to fight your cases until the end!”

#CharlotteNC #deportations #ImmigrationAndCustomsEnforcementICE #immigrationRights #ElCambio #legalizationForAll #UrielAlberto

Charlotte, NC – On July 4, father and head of household Uriel Alberto sat in front of Immigration and Customs Enforcement office here to partake in a hunger strike against his scheduled deportation on July 17. The hunger strike was temporarily suspended for him to join his family and friends in Winston-Salem who demonstrated against his deportation, but will return to Charlotte on July 8 to continue his hunger strike.

What started off as a simple demonstration against reactionary anti-immigration policies, turned into a year-long struggle against Uriel Alberto’s ICE-enforced deportation process. In Raleigh, on Feb. 29, 2012, immigrant rights group El Cambio crashed a House Committee meeting on immigration issues, resulting in Alberto standing up and ripping off his outer shirt, revealing an undershirt reading, “Undocumented and Unafraid!”

Alberto was detained for his actions, sparking a ten-day hunger strike against his imprisonment. He was eventually released, but from then on ICE has been scheduling a year-long process in deporting him back to Mexico because of his unwillingness to do so voluntarily.

Alberto has been in this country since he was seven. He’s the father of two children and provides for them financially. His deportation won’t just affect him as an individual with rights, it will affect his whole family, if the reactionary rightists get their way.

Giovanna Vargas, member of Yadkinville chapter of El Cambio, has started a petition, calling for the U.S. House of Representatives to end the hunt against undocumented immigrants, and in particular Uriel Alberto. The petition can be accessed here: http://www.change.org/petitions/john-morton-luis-guti%C3%A9rrez-help-stop-the-deportation-of-devoted-father-and-head-of-household

Giovanna says in relation to the current situation, “Uriel's case is one of many. Families are torn apart every day; perfectly good parents are taken from their children. Their children are then placed into institutions, when they actually have parents who love them and want to care for them. This immigration reform makes the system worse – it further criminalizes those families who want nothing more but a safe and better future.”

She continues, “North Carolina legislators have a huge fight on their hands, because organizers like myself, and more people from our communities are watching, we are resisting and we will keep fighting against the powers that be.”

So show your solidarity to Uriel Alberto by signing the petition, sharing it amongst friends and family, and join with Alberto in Charlotte, in front of the ICE office, in hunger strike against his deportation.

No more deportations! Legalization for all! ¡No a las deportaciones! ¡Legalización para todos!

#CharlotteNC