Minneapolis, MN – Immigrant rights protesters gathered at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in Minneapolis June 27. This action was part of a National Day of Action called by the Legalization for All Network and the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

The protest also demanded charges be dropped against Isavela Lopez here in Minneapolis. Lopez was arrested in the aftermath of the federal militarized operation at Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue in on June 3, in which ICE participated along with several other federal agencies and local police. While protesting that operation in the heart of the immigrant community, Lopez was brutalized by law enforcement, then later she was arrested by federal officers and hit with legal charges.

The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) organized the Minneapolis protest together with the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR). They will continue to organize and demand that charges be dropped against people exercising their right to protest the brutal and unjust actions of Trump and ICE.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #InJusticeSystem #FBIRepression #AlejandroOrellana #ImmigrantRights #MIRAC #LegalizationForAll #L4A #CSFR

Los Ángeles, CA – El 12 y 13 de abril, activistas y organizaciones de derechos de los inmigrantes se reunirán en la Cumbre de Emergencia del Suroeste Contra las Deportaciones en la histórica comunidad chicana de Boyle Heights, en Los Ángeles, California.

Esta Cumbre de Emergencia del Suroeste es una oportunidad para que los activistas por los derechos de los inmigrantes se reúnan en el Suroeste, una región de gran importancia histórica para chicanos y mexicanos, para compartir estrategias sobre cómo organizarse y resistir con éxito los ataques de Trump y de ICE.

Desde la inauguración de Trump, ha habido un aumento de protestas y luchas militantes en todo el país, y miles de chicanos, mexicanos y centroamericanos han salido a las calles para luchar contra la campaña de deportaciones del gobierno de Trump.

Activistas de base y comunitarios han luchado contra los ataques de ICE, liderando a miles de personas en marchas en ciudades como Los Ángeles, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis y San José. Estudiantes de preparatoria han realizado paros escolares masivos. Redes de respuesta rápida y grupos de defensa vecinal han entrado en acción para mantener a los miembros de la comunidad a salvo de ICE.

La Cumbre de Emergencia del Suroeste Contra las Deportaciones se llevará a cabo durante dos días, el 12 y 13 de abril. Esta cumbre es organizada por Centro CSO, La Mesa Brown Berets, MEchA Santee HS y la Red Legalización Para Todos. Hacemos un llamado a todos los activistas por los derechos de los inmigrantes del Suroeste y del país a unirse a nosotros. Debemos oponernos al uso de ICE y a la amenaza de las deportaciones en los EE.UU. Los ataques de Trump contra los inmigrantes indocumentados son una amenaza para todos, seamos inmigrantes, chicanos, mexicanos o centroamericanos. ¡Construyamos el movimiento contra Trump! ¡No a las deportaciones!

Los oradores de la cumbre incluyen Carlos Montes, activista de toda la vida del movimiento chicano; Luna Baez, hija de Jeanette Viguerra, activista comunitaria detenida en Colorado; Elvira Arellano, activista de santuario en Chicago; y Amerika García Grewal, de la Coalición Fronteriza de Eagle Pass.

Regístrate en línea en: https://tinyurl.com/summitagainstdeportations

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #CentroCSO #LegalizationForAll

Los Angeles, CA – On February 17, over 1000 Chicanos gathered at Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles to protest against ICE deportations and to fight back against Trump's racist, right-wing agenda.

The rally and march were called for by Chicana activists who used social media to get the word out. Recent protests in Los Angeles have brought out large crowds of Chicanos ready to stand up and fight, with the last one, on February 2, drawing tens of thousands who took to the streets. That afternoon protesters even took over the 101 Freeway, shutting it down for hours and completely overwhelming LAPD, LASD and CHP, which were completely unprepared and caught off guard by Raza fighting back.

The rally and march on Presidents’ Day was officially endorsed and supported by the Community Self-Defense Coalition, which is a new coalition recently announced in Los Angeles, consisting of over 60 organizations and unions. Growing every day, the Community Self-Defense Coalition is determined to defend Raza out in the streets in the face of attacks by migra. The program featured speakers from different members of the coalition like Centro CSO, Union Del Barrio, Black Alliance for Peace SoCal and many more. The spirited march made stops at the Metropolitan Detention Center and City Hall before circling back to Placita Olvera.

During the march, the large protest had a soundtrack and that played music, and ledchants like “Raza si, migra no! ” “La que no salta es migra” (Whoever doesn’t jump is migra) and “El Pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (The people united will never be defeated). The march had multiple banners of the different organizations as well dozens of flags representing countries in South America, Central America, Palestine, and Lebanon.

The leading truck flew a large Aztlán flag through the sunny spring morning in Los Angeles. When the march passed through historic Little Tokyo, the organizers shouted out and gave their respects to the Japanese people who themselves were forcefully displaced and put into concentration camps by the United States during World War II.

Veria Topete, a member of Centro CSO, said at the rally, “It felt very beautiful and empowering being with our community, standing in unity to let our brothers and sisters know that it’s not just their fight it’s our fight and they are not alone. That we are here to stand up and defend them.”

Karina Lopez, who represented Centro CSO on the program, said, “Don’t let this be the last action you take. This is only the beginning of the struggle that we have ahead of us when we organize and connect our struggles, we build power. Trump is also saying he will take over Gaza, we say hands off Palestine! Our fight against repression is connected with the fight to liberate Palestine!”

Centro CSO is a grassroots organization focused on fighting for oppressed Chicanos in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights. They uplift the demands of Legalization for All, Community Control of the Police and Protect Public Education. They are proud members of the Legalization 4 All Network and affiliates of the National Alliance against Racist and Political Repression (NAARPR).

You can find them on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook under the username @CentroCSO

#LosAngelesCA #NAARPR #Legalization4All #LegalizationforAll #ELA #BoyleHeights #Chicano #VivaLaRaza #NoDeportations #ICE #ImmigrantRights #Immigration #FreePalestine #Aztlan #Trump #PresidentsDay #LAPD #LASD #CHP

Los Angeles, CA – Chicano high school students took to the streets, February 20, to protest Trump's ICE raids, arrests, and deportations. All over the city, LAUSD students walked out of school chanting “Stop Donald Trump” and “Raza si, migra no.”

Centro CSO organizers supported East LA students at Garfield High School (GHS) by providing sound, large banners and snacks on the warm day. Gabriel Quiroz Jr led chants with the energetic students like, “Viva La Raza, viva Mexico!”

The GHS students marched to Torres High School to unite the march with more students. The march continued in the heart of East LA with many neighbors waving and honking their horns in support.

The marchers arrived at Mariachi Plaza where students from over six high schools had already arrived for an energetic rally. SEIU 721 provided a large truck and sound system. Many students spoke, denouncing Trump and ICE, expressing support for their families and community.

Longtime Chicano revolutionary Carlos Montes also participated in the march, being a graduate of GHS and a leader in the original ELA high school walkout of March 1968. “I have to be here with you to say no deportations,” stated Montes.

During the rally several LAPD police officers attempted to quickly enter the plaza, but they were met by several safety monitors wearing bright yellow vests asking police not to enter the plaza as this was a well-organized event. One of the LAPD officers, Johnny Altamirano aggressively pushed and knocked down Felipe Cazares, director of external organizing for SEIU 721, who has provided support for the students for the last two weeks. Felipe was laid flat on the sidewalk.

More safety monitors formed a line in front of the police in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. But officer Altamirano called for backup until over 20 police arrived, many wearing helmets and batons. The safety monitors held their line and asked the students to continue the rally and ignore the police. Eventually the police left, and the rally continued without any further incident. Felipe Cazares was taken to the LA General Hospital and released shaken, bruised but not deterred to support our students and community.

#LosAngelesCA #SEIU721 #ELA #GHS #LA #chicano #vivalaraza #Immigration #ImmigrantRights #legalization4all #legalizationforall #nodeportations #ICE #policecrimes

Minneapolis, MN – With only a month left before Donald Trump becomes president, immigrant rights activists in the Legalization for All Network are demanding that President Biden do all he can to protect immigrants before leaving office.

Toward that end, the Legalization for All Network is asking people to call the White House between December 16 and 20 to demand that Biden extend Temporary Protected Status.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is under massive threat. TPS is a protective measure for immigrants that is designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security. It is typically given to immigrants from countries with crises that prevent their people from returning safely. It allows those who qualify to live and work in the U.S. for a limited period of time, rather than having to return to a country experiencing a situation which would put returning immigrants in harm’s way or force them into the middle of a humanitarian crisis.

Trump and his nominee for “Border Czar” Thomas Homan are planning an all-out assault on undocumented immigrants. Gutting TPS is one of the ways they plan on attacking immigrants.

There are currently around 800,000 people from 17 countries in the U.S. with TPS status. Some of them include immigrants who: suffered a series of 2001 earthquakes in El Salvador; left Honduras during Hurricane Mitch, or sought political asylum from Haiti.

Before his term ends, President Biden has the ability to extend TPS coverage for a maximum of 18 more months. This is why The Legalization for All (L4A) Network is urging all who support immigrant rights to call the White House at 202-456-1111 and read the following script:

“I am ___, calling from ___(your city/state), urging Biden to do everything in his power to protect those who have TPS. Trump is promising to slash protections like TPS and start deporting people. Because of this we urge President Biden to protect TPS for 18 more months!”

As Trump prepares to take power and says he will carry out severe attacks on immigrants, the Legalization for All Network also encourages anyone interested in fighting against Trump’s reactionary anti-immigrant attacks to join the network. The next national online meeting is scheduled for December 20 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time. Contact LegalizationForAll@gmail.com for details.

#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #L4A #LegalizationforAll #Feature

Fight Back! is circulating the following statement by the Legalization for All Network (L4A).

Legalization for All Network Statement on Biden Executive Order

The June 17 Biden Administration Executive Order to facilitate the legalization of spouses of U.S. citizens affects up to 500,000 undocumented people. The Legalization for All (L4A) network considers the order a positive step towards the goal of legalization for all of the undocumented.

At the same time, this positive action does not absolve the Biden administration of adopting a Trump-like policy on the U.S.-Mexico border. On June 4, 2024, Biden issued an effective ban on those seeking asylum. The ban goes into effect when the daily average of border arrests tops 2,500.

This spring, the average daily number of border arrests was 4,300. In other words, as many as 1,800 people a day attempting to cross the U.S./Mexico border now face quick deportation or being turned back to Mexico without starting an asylum claim.

Shortly following the ban, immigrant rights groups took to the streets around the country and in Washington D.C. demanding that Biden remove the ban and expand Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Undocumented immigrants need much more concrete and secure immigration policies that are not at the mercy of an upcoming election. The newly announced executive order does the following:

• Allows undocumented people married to US citizen for ten years to legalize their status while remaining in the United States. This would benefit about 500,000 undocumented.
• Gives temporary status to undocumented children of US citizen parents, aiding about 50,000.

While L4A views this as a victory for our movement, Biden’s executive order applies to less than 5% of the undocumented.

President Biden and the Democrats have lost a considerable amount of voter and public support due to their role in the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. At the same time, the Republican Party has made it clear that anti-immigrant measures are a centerpiece of their political agenda. Trump continues calling for mass deportations, more detention centers, and for other bigots, like Texas Governor Greg Abbott, to buildemergency facilities to further militarize the Rio Grande.

Rather than fall for the Biden administration's cynical political moves, L4A has endorsed both the march against the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention. We ask all people and organizations who are part of our network or follow our work, to do the same and march with us in our immigrant rights contingents.

Send us a message now to notify us about your attendance at either the march on the RNC or DNC: Legalization for All on X, Instagram, Facebook or https://legalizationforall.wordpress.com/

#LegalizationForAll #Legalization4All #MarchOnTheRNC #MarchOnTheDNC #Biden #ExecutiveOrder #ImmigrantRights #Immigration #UndocumentedRights