Tucson, AZ – On Dec. 7, community organizations and residents held a vigil in downtown Tucson in honor and remembrance of a Central American migrant killed by Border Patrol the week before. On Nov. 29, Border Patrol agents in the Baboquivari Mountains of the Tohono O’odham nation, located just southwest of Tucson, Arizona shot to death one of four migrants said to be from Guatemala. The others were detained.

The Border Patrol held a press conference the next morning stating that the man was shot because he assaulted an officer and allegedly had reached for the agent’s gun. Multiple community organizations including LUPE Action Committee and Coalicion de Derechos Humanos held their own press conference, where they contested the narrative of the Border Patrol.

Devora Gonzalez of Derechos Humanos stated, “This is a direct result of border militarization, where urban crossings have been sealed, and internal checkpoints have been implemented, pushing people further into the mountains where agency accountability and oversight is impossible. We reject the categories of criminalization that puts every migrant and refugee in the borderlands directly in the crosshairs of Border Patrol sights.”

The Dec. 7 vigil included participants from the LUPE Action Committee, Coalicion de Derechos Humanos, School of Americas Watch, Border Patrol Victims Network, and the Promotoras of the YWCA. Organizers aimed to highlight the most recent murder as well as all others who died at the hands of border patrol or border militarization.

The vigil itself had two starting points; one was at the federal courthouse, which houses the Operation Streamline proceedings every week. Those who met at the courthouse stood facing the street in a line that wrapped around the sidewalk, while holding candles and signs. The other starting point of the vigil began at the corner of West Spruce and South Palomas where there was a community run that passed by the federal courthouse. They stopped there for a brief prayer circle, then continued on the run, at which point others followed suit in a silent march, and finally ended at El Tiradito, a local shrine where Derechos Humanos has held a vigil for those who have died crossing the border since 2000. Vigil participants held candles, sang, and said aloud all the names of those who have died due to border militarization since 2010, 55 of whom were murdered by the Border Patrol.

Speakers at the vigil spoke to the untrustworthiness of the Border Patrol. Members of the Border Patrol Victims Network gave the example of the agent Rogelio Martinez, who was killed on the side of the highway by the mirror of a semi-truck, but local Border Patrol unions used his death to spin an agenda. Now largely a martyr for the right-wing anti-immigrant forces, they said he was killed by undocumented migrants crossing the border, a blatant lie.

LUPE organizer Edward Cott stated clearly that the local news not only echoed government official lies but never retract clearly false statements. The LUPE organizers were made aware of this fact earlier this year, when they were attacked by police in an anti-ICE raid rally which resulted in four unjust felony arrests. Every local news media outlet published false claims about that incident. In regard to the LUPE rally, all charges have since been dropped due to public outrage.

School of the Americas Watch organizer, Eduardo Garcia, highlighted the role of U.S. imperialism in the whole of Latin America. The U.S. has historically sought to exploit and dominate all the countries of Latin America, and on top of that has funded and trained right-wing military forces when democratic elections or popular movements have crossed that aim. This history of intervention has fueled migration northward.

The vigil ended with songs of resistance and a moment of silence. The organizers of the event stated clearly that their current demand is for an opening of investigation into the murder of 55 people by Border Patrol since 2010.

#TucsonAZ #CoaliciónDeDerechosHumanos #LUPE #LUPEActionCommittee

Tucson, AZ – The decision made by Trump on Sept. 5 to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program saw numerous mass mobilizations nationwide. The people of Tucson joined the latest wave of the growing resistance to the Trump administration.

Several immigrant rights groups in Tucson came together to defend DACA. On August 29, the groups LUCHA (Living United for Change in Arizona), LUPE (Lucha Unida de Padres y Estudiantes), Scholarships-AZ, and Mariposas Sin Fronteras held a press conference on the steps of the Tucson City Hall building.

“DACA is under attack by extremist right-wing elected officials, who are talking about dismantling the DACA program within the next couple of days, or within the next couple of hours,” said Jessica Rodriguez, organizer for LUCHA and LUPE. There were several speakers at the press conference who spoke of the racist actions of the current president. That list did not have to go far back, as they included Trump’s recent pardon of Sheriff Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, and his actions after the white supremacist rally and terrorist attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. The center of the discussion, however, was on the president, and the community’s resolve to fight and defend DACA and all immigrants.

Activist Fernando Najera stated “If Mr. Trump decides to rescind DACA, the joy his base will feel would be overshadowed by the roar of the masses, our allies. We will fight, not for those who are labeled ‘good immigrants’, but for all of us, who have been forced to live in the shadows, for all of us who are faceless.”

Tuesday afternoon, Sept 5., saw over 100 high school student walk out in protest of the DACA decision and join a rally of 200 people at the University of Arizona. The overwhelming majority of these students were Chicanas and Chicanos, Mexicanos, and Latino students who have felt the attacks of this president and his reactionary base.

The next day, Sept. 6, a rally, followed by a march downtown to city hall, demanded the mayor and city council declare Tucson a sanctuary city and implement policies that protect Dreamers, their families and the undocumented community in general. The demands specified that the city police department not collaborate with Border Patrol even though the city says that is already their policy.

As the speakers and the crowd of over 600 roared in their energetic chants, Mayor Jonathan Rothschild came out flanked by two police officers. After organizers agreed to let him speak, the mayor read verbatim from a prepared statement released earlier that day. The crowd immediately burst into boos and jeers reacting to the mayor’s out-of-touch statement that did not reflect a sensitivity to the demands supported by the Dreamers and their allies. Then the chant: “Sanctuary city now!” erupted from the crowd and the mayor scurried off the stage, retreating back to his office.

“This was the most powerful protest I've ever been to,” said Santiago Molina, local activist. “This country is building a fighting spirit focused on unity and defeating white supremacy.” He added, “As sister Assata Shakur said: ‘It is our duty to win.’”

#TucsonAZ #DACA #LUPE #LUCHA

Tucson, AZ – On August 26, the immigrant rights action group L.U.P.E. (Lucha Unida de Padres y Estudiantes) hosted a community celebration of the historic Chicano Moratorium. This year marks the 47th anniversary of the anti-war march originally held in East Los Aneles on August 29, 1970. Set at the height of the disproportionate death rates of Chicano soldiers in the war in Vietnam, the march was the largest anti-war action of any oppressed nationality in the history of the U.S., drawing over 30,000 Chicanos in protest.

The notable event finds itself among countless others within the courageous history of anti-imperialist struggle in the Chicano community and its legacy is still felt by Chicanos living in the southwest U.S. Besides the numbers involved in the massive mobilization, the Chicano Moratorium is also remembered for the violent crackdown by police. Unprovoked, the LAPD and the sheriffs attacked with tear gas, beatings and arrests, resulting in the death of four persons. One of those murdered by police was Ruben Salazar, reporter, bureau chief, and columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Salazar had become prominent for his writings on police brutality, civil rights and many other issues that confronted the Chicano community at the time.

Simultaneously a grave tragedy and cause for a celebration of fortitude, the Chicano Moratorium has become an annual “Cultura Night” event for L.U.P.E., which seeks to celebrate events with significant cultural, social and political importance for the community.

Many local organizations participated in L.U.P.E.’s night of celebration, including UNIDOS, students from Desert View High School, Tierra y Libertad Organization, and Borderlands Theater. There were also select individual speakers including Yovannah Diovanti, a local Chicana artist; Enrique Garcia, a young brown poet; and Carlos Montes, co-founder of the Brown Berets and prominent activist in Centro CSO of Los Angeles.

The speakers at the event all focused around what Chicano history means for them now and how their work reflects that. “They don’t want us to know our history, they don’t want us to know about the Chicano Moratorium”, said Leo Herrera, youth facilitator at UNIDOS. UNIDOS is a group of students, alumni and activists dedicated to the struggle against the Mexican-American Studies ban that was implemented in the Tucson Unified School District in 2011.

Another local group, Tierra y Libertad Organization, discussed their work on implementing sustainability in the barrio, and taking ownership of the neighborhoods in which they live.

Carlos Montes, the keynote speaker of the night, spoke on Chicano liberation, and gave a look into the history of the movement, as well as the present-day struggles in Los Angeles and in the Chicano nation in general.

Amongst the many speakers on topics related to Chicano history and struggle, L.U.P.E. also saw fit to call out the incredibly appalling actions of U.S. President Trump, who recently pardoned the ex-Sheriff Arpaio of Maricopa County, Arizona, best known for his racist stance on immigration and policing in general, as well as a recent convict of criminal contempt.

“It’s literally a slap in the face to our community,” said L.U.P.E. organizer Stteffanny Cott. Many noted that this an affront to ostensible democracy in the U.S. and basic human decency. What's more, his actions raise direct and offensive provocation to Chicanos in the Southwest, especially in Arizona, home to Chicano families, hotbed of U.S. immigration debate and a tragic death sentence by policy to hundreds of migrants every year.

“Anyone who is from Arizona has family members or friends who have been victimized and terrorized by Sheriff Arpaio’s policing in Maricopa County. We know to be on our toes in those neighborhoods, to avoid them,” lamented Zaira Livier, another L.U.P.E. activist.

L.U.P.E. is a grassroots community organization that advocates and practices political education and popular organization and mobilization for immigrant rights. As part of the Legalization for All Network (L4A), L.U.P.E. demands a just and humane immigration reform that includes legalization for all, no militarization of the border, no internal repressive policies, and no expansion of guest worker programs.

#TucsonAZ #ImmigrantRights #ChicanoLatino #CarlosMontes #ChicanoMoratorium #LUPE

The march was led by the local Azteca group Calpolli Teoxicalli, which performed the opening ceremony. Speakers touched on the need for more organized resistance against the Trump agenda, including its use of ICE as a weapon against immigrant working families.

Representing LUPE, organizer Edward Cott inspired the crowd with political commentary stating emphatically: “There is a burning need for an independent working class-based political party!”

Many of the day’s participants shared their recognition that the movement against Trump needs to grow bigger in order to confront this administration and its anti-immigrant, anti-labor, Islamophobic, and racist agenda.

#TucsonAZ #Labor #LUPE #Mayday

Tucson, AZ – At the federal building in downtown Tucson around 150 people displayed their anger at Trump’s recent ICE raids, Feb.16. The raids targeted hard-working undocumented immigrants, including a mother in Phoenix.

The crowd’s chants roared across street traffic as protesters shouted: “No ban! No wall! Sanctuary now!” and “No more deportations!”

The Immigrant rights group Lucha Unida de Padres y Estudiantes (LUPE) called the protest to demonstrate the popular dissent for Trump and his anti-immigrant agenda. LUPE organizer Stteffanny Cott Tolentino said, “Trump and his administration have routinely confirmed their racist, xenophobic, lslamophobic and anti-labor agenda as his executive actions actively repress and terrorize multinational working-class families. But we are here to show that this community is engaged in resistance and struggle.”

The rally took to the streets and as police attempted to block their movement, the march was determined to continue. The police then arrested three people: two Brown Berets and an African American woman with Black Lives Matter. As protesters demanded their immediate release, the police continued their heavy-handed response by throwing an elderly woman to the ground and then pepper spraying a line of mostly women protesters and a group of children behind them. Tempers flared, and as the crowd dispersed, some of the protesters filed official complaints against the offending officers for their actions.

All three arrestees have been released and LUPE and the community will continue to support their legal defense. Also, LUPE plans to continue organizing and defending immigrant rights while taking measures to ensure the safety and security of all participants.

#TucsonAZ #LUPE #DonaldTrump

“This racist, xenophobic, misogynistic and Islamophobic administration has followed through on its campaign promises and begun to terrorize the hard-working immigrant community,” said LUPE organizer Edward Cott, “We are mobilizing as many people as we can to tell Trump and his supporters that we will not allow Trump and ICE to raid homes, businesses and destroy families.”

LUPE is calling the community to the federal building on Congress Street at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16.

“We saw the attack on ‘low level’ criminals as code for ICE to snatch anyone, like we saw with a mother in Phoenix. We are organizing our community to resist these raids and make this country ungovernable!” said another LUPE organizer.

For more information about the protest and LUPE please contact lupetucson@gmail.com.

#TucsonAZ #InJusticeSystem #PeoplesStruggles #ImmigrantRightsMovement #Antiracism #DonaldTrump #LUPE

Immigrant rights action group, Lucha Unida por Padres y Estudiantes (L.U.P.E.) will be part of the Occupy Inauguration March on Jan. 20. This broad coalition seeks to build an independent movement that represents the multinational working class. The popular mobilization supports the demands of the immigrant rights movement, Black Lives Matter, the rights of indigenous nations, healthcare as a human right, ending the war, and raising the minimum wage.

L.U.P.E will lead the march from the downtown Mercado San Agustin and to the mayor’s office to deliver a demand letter, telling the city of Tucson to declare itself a sanctuary city and take concrete measures to ensure the security of the undocumented immigrant community. The demands include a much-needed municipal identification card, which will greatly benefit the most vulnerable communities and blow against the racist SB1070 law.

This march is part of the Legalization for All Network national call for of action.

While the march is scheduled to begin at noon, after arriving at the mayor’s office, the speakers will talk about the sanctuary movement which has been led locally by the faith organizations since the 1980s. Also, Dreamers, L.U.P.E members and other community organizers will address the crowd before delivering the demand letter.

The march will travel through the main downtown streets. It will include the Tucson Water Protectors, who have been bravely organizing direct actions to bring attention to oppression of indigenous people who are opposing the Dakota Access Pipeline.

#TucsonAZ #ImmigrantRights #LUPE #LuchaUnidaPorPadresYEstudiantes

Tucson, AZ – To the thunderous chants of “Obama, Obama free the kids now!” and “No mas detenciones no mas deportaciones, legalización para los 11 millones!” a group of over 30 students, activists, parents and community members gathered outside of the Federal building, Nov. 5 in downtown Tucson. They were protesting the indefinite detention of the thousands of children and mothers who are currently incarcerated in the for-profit prisons located in Dilley and Karnes, Texas.

The protest was organized across the street from the federal courthouse where Operation Streamline, a federal program initiated by the Department of Homeland Security to systematically criminalize and prosecute, without due process, hundreds of detained undocumented immigrants with federal criminal charges before sending them off to private prisons. This horrendous program is responsible in making immigration cases the most prosecuted federal crime.

Student and activist Steffanny Cott, who helped organize the event, highlighted the fact that, “these are the same for-profit prisons where those who are processed under Operation Streamline are sent to. These private prisons violate daily the rights to decent food, medical attention and sanitary needs. We are here to demand that the Obama administration release all the children immediately.”

Among signs reading “Legalization for all,” “Liberen a los niñ@s,” and “End family separations,” speakers of the event took turns addressing the human rights violations and inhumane detention of thousands of children.

MEChA member and student Bryan Orozco said, “U.S. economic and military intervention in Central America and Mexico is the primary cause of the mass migration of Latin Americans. We stand in solidarity with our Latin American brothers and sisters who are running away from massive poverty and violence. The criminal system that is responsible for their incarceration is the same one that continues to criminalize and oppress the Chicano people.”

The event was organized by the LUPE organization (LUPE is the Spanish acronym for United Struggle of Parents and Students) a community action group that advocates for immigrant rights. The protest was part of the national week of action initiated by the Legalization for All Network.

#TucsonAZ #LegalizationForAllNetwork #LUPE #OperationStreamline #privatePrisons