Tampa, FL – On Nov. 6, Raices en Tampa rallied on a busy street corner in solidarity with the immigrant families being held, without due process, in a Texas detention center. The Legalization for All Network called for a national day of action demanding the U.S. government release the children, end family detention and halt deportations.

“It’s important to stand in solidarity with the families that are being unjustly detained in Texas,” said Oscar Hernandez with Raices en Tampa.

Twenty activists rallied with signs and a banner reading “Legalization for all.” Michela Martinazzi, with Raices en Tampa, led chants, “Not one more!” and “Liberation, not deportation!”

Elizabeth Kramer of Students for a Democratic Society explained, “Many immigrants come to the U.S. as a result of military intervention in Central America and abroad. Yet this same country – that trains death squads, upholds dictatorships and controls the economies of these countries from which these immigrants leave – wishes to expel or detain the people that run from U.S.-backed terror.”

Kramer continued, “Because of this, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society stands with those displaced by U.S. military intervention, and subsequently, against the deportation and detention of immigrants in the U.S.”

The protest continued as cars honked their horns and friendly drivers waved at the activists. The rally ended in high spirits, just before the Florida rain started falling.

Raices en Tampa will continue to organize to support Legalization for All, and, specifically to get driver’s licenses for all in Florida.

#TampaFL #LegalizationForAllNetwork #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – On Sept. 26, Raices en Tampa hosted a vigil and rally on the anniversary on the kidnapping and disappearance of 43 Mexican students. Approximately 20 activists gathered holding signs that read, “Activism is not a crime!” and “They thought they could bury us, but they didn’t realize that we were seeds.”

On Sept. 26, 2014, 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College went missing in Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico. The students were on their way to a protest. Sometime during the trip, local police intercepted them and kidnapped them. A year later, the families of the 43 students and Mexican activists demand that the culprits be brought to justice.

The rally was led by Daisy Garcia, who gave a background on what occurred a year ago. She spoke about the importance of the event, “It is important to understand that the 43 students were more than activists, they were students, sons, brothers, they were loved ones. The injustice caused by those that wanted to silence these 43 activists also destroyed many families, but it backfired on them because now we have all united to make their voice stronger than ever. We are here to remember those 43 students and salute them for their struggle and demand that justice be served! We are all Ayotzinapa!”

Garcia introduced speakers from Tampa Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Tampa Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), and Raices en Tampa. In between speeches she led chants such as, “When activists are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back!”

Chrisley Carpio, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Students for a Democratic Society, spoke about how the U.S. oppresses Mexico. Carpio stated, “To show solidarity for the Ayotzinapa 43 and the Mexican people -what does this really mean for us, for FRSO, as Communists in the U.S.? We see our own imperialist government that helps create militarized walls, whether on the Mexican border or within Palestine, that drives indigenous people from their lands and into oblivion, to make way for Coca-Colas, Walmarts and SodaStreams. We can talk about holding people accountable, we can talk about decolonizing land, we can even talk about breaking down walls and ending inequality. But it is through revolution that the people of Mexico, the peoples of the U.S. and Aztlan, and the oppressed peoples of the world become free.”

The rally ended with a round of chants and with the attendees remembering the struggle that the Ayotzinapa students waged.

Alicia Gazga, an organizer with Raices en Tampa, summed up the rally, stating, “As Raices in Tampa it was very important to us to show solidarity with Ayotzinapa and also with all the other thousands of people that disappear each year. It is not only happening in Mexico but also in my country Honduras where activists are killed all the time because of them trying to expose the government.”

Raices en Tampa will continue organizing the Tampa community to win drivers licenses for undocumented immigrants and will be hosting more events in the near future.

#TampaFL #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #Mexico #PoliticalRepression #RaicesEnTampa #Ayotzinapa #Americas

Tampa, FL – Two dozen people gathered here June 19 at La Mexicana Bakery to demand an end to deportations and legalization for all. Community members and activist alike were represented in the crowd. Among the groups present were Raices en Tampa, Students for a Democratic Society, Committee to Stop FBI Repression and others.

Protesters gathered and held signs visible to traffic headed down Fletcher Avenue during rush hour. Many signs read “Not one more deportation,” “Legalization for all now,” “No human is illegal,” and “Drivers licenses for all now.”

Speakers drew connections to the discriminatory deportation practices now being implemented in the Dominican Republic and how these practices have already existed in the U.S. for quite some time. Speakers from the community brought up the fact that they have seen first hand how deportations separate families, an important aspect to Father’s Day in immigrant communities.

Recently, President Obama’s executive action to extend DACA to the parents of citizens, known as DAPA, has been delayed due to a lawsuit on behalf of 26 states, including Florida.

”Raices en Tampa demands a stop to deportations. Thousands of families are separated each day. While the president extended DACA, DAPA is being delayed. We are here demanding legalization for all! We need to stop living in fear! Keep families together!” said Alicia Argenal with Raices en Tampa.

The group plans to keep fighting in the community and city hall to get the drivers licenses immigrants deserve like any other workers, and to keep demanding “Legalization for all.”

Daisy Garcia with Raices stated, “Over 2 million deportations of fathers, mothers, sons and daughters since Obama took office. Families are being separated and are left suffering with the void of their relatives, spouses and children. Today we stand and demand not one more deportation! We demand that Obama give legalization now!”

#TampaFL #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa FL – Over 200 people gathered in downtown Tampa’s Lykes Gaslight Park, May 23, to rally against Monsanto and march in support of fair labeling practices. Protesters held signs saying “Hell no GMOs,” “We are not a science experiment,” and “Stop eating cancer.” The crowd chanted, “Wendy’s and Micky D’s, stop using GMOs please.”

The crowd listened to speakers talk about the importance of honest labeling practices and healthy, sustainable agriculture after some time of sign making and petition signing. A large contingent of the organizers as well as the marchers was dressed as honeybees. Speakers reminded the crowd of how Monsanto’s practices are designed to make more profits for the big agriculture companies.

The crowd marched down Kennedy Boulevard for about a mile before turning back and ending at the park.

Marisol Marquez, of Raices in Tampa summed up why she was marching, “Connecting the dots between what U.S. consumers are purchasing, that comes from places like Colombia, and how the workers are being exploited there, is why I am here today. Monsanto products are used to the destroy crops of poor farmers in Colombia. Stop U.S. war in Colombia!”

#TampaFL #EnvironmentalJustice #RaicesEnTampa #Monsanto #MarchAgainstMonsanto

Tampa, FL – Organizations around the Tampa Bay joined together here for a press conference, April 24, in front of the Ybor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, holding two banners, one that read “May Day” and another saying “Stop the deportations.”

Daisy Garcia of the Tampa community group Raíces en Tampa said, “Immigrants risk everything in order to cross the border into the U.S. and to provide a better future for their families. We demand that President Obama end the record-high deportations and that the hold of DAPA be lifted!”

Jessica Schwartz of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR) said, “As a group that fights against political repression, we stand with the undocumented and against deportation as a tool used against immigrants.”

Students from the University of South Florida are also joining Tampa’s May Day. Gage LaCharite of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) said, “We demand that the trend the Florida state legislature started last year – with the passing of HB 851, which granted in-state tuition to the undocumented in Florida – expand to allowing financial aid to these same students! May Day SDS will join in force to demand, ‘Not one more deportation.’”

The press conference ended with Marisol Márquez of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) stating, “Border militarization and deportations will continue if we keep having a system like the one that currently rules the U.S. On May Day we will take to the streets just like our brothers and sisters who took to the streets in 2006. We will demand legalization for all of the undocumented who need and demand liberation, not deportation!”

May Day in Tampa will occur on May 1, at 6:00 p.m. in front of the ICE office located at 1624 E 7th Avenue in Tampa. To view the event online go here: https://www.facebook.com/events/821962151210671/

#TampaFL #Labor #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #FreedomRoadSocialistOrganization #May1 #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #RaicesEnTampa #Not1More

Tampa, FL – A dozen people came together here, Feb. 26, to confront the city council and demand its members support drivers licenses for the undocumented. Alicia Gazga led the rally and chanted, “City council, shame on you!” and “What do we want? Licenses! When do we want them? Now!”

“We were standing in the cold right outside the city council windows, demanding that they hear us out,” said Michela Martinazzi of the Tampa Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR). “The city council members and their aides were there too, they even stared down at us but ignored us and ignored our demands!”

Feb. 26 marks the one-year anniversary of when the first protest against Tampa city council on this issue took place. The protests were called by Raíces en Tampa to pressure the city council to publicly support drivers licenses being issued to the undocumented. The first protest in 2014 was called to pressure the city council to even meet with Raíces en Tampa.

“Back in 2014, Tampa city council and their aides refused to even return our phone calls to meet with us,” said Marisol Marquez of Raíces en Tampa. “After the protest, they began to call us back and we even met with six of the seven council members.”

During a public city council meeting, Raíces en Tampa tried to put their resolution up for a vote. City council meetings occur on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m., which are nearly impossible for most workers to attend. Over 20 community members took time off of work anyway to attend this meeting and publicly expressed to the city council why they should vote in favor of the resolution. Led by Councilman Charlie Miranda, the Tampa city council simply would respond with, “Thank you,” after every community member spoke in favor of the resolution. Not documented on the minutes of the public meeting, at one point Councilman Mike Suarez silenced Raíces en Tampa member Marisol Marquez who to their faces, reminded city council they had indeed, met with Raíces en Tampa when they lied and said they did not.

Some of the groups present with Raíces en Tampa were the Tampa CSFR, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society and the Student/Farmworker Alliance.

“My mom was driving with an expired license,” says Alicia Gazga. “She was pulled over and was asked for her license and insurance. The cop told her that her insurance was not active, when it was. Then the cop told her to step out of the car, to call someone to pick up my two-year-old sister because she [the mother] was going to jail. When I came to pick her up my mom was already handcuffed and on the back of the cop car. My sister was terrified crying. No mother should she put in that situation!”

Next steps for Raíces en Tampa include organizing for International Worker's Day – which will occur on May 1, 2015. There, Raíces en Tampa will organize for drivers licenses to be issued to the undocumented in Florida and for deportations to stop. Be sure to follow them and their upcoming events here: http://facebook.com/RaicesEnTampa

#TampaFL #driversLicence #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – More than 30 people gathered at the First United Church of Tampa, Feb. 14, for Raíces en Tampa's “Stop the Heartbreak” Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) panel. Some audience members traveled from Gainesville, Auburndale, Clearwater and Lutz to Tampa. Oscar Hernandez of Raíces en Tampa provided transportation to two members of the community who, due to Florida's restrictions on the undocumented, did not have a license or vehicle.

Catherine Lim and Catalina Gutierrez, both members of Raíces en Tampa, moderated the panel. Among the panelists were Jaqueline Cruz of Faith in Florida, Cielo Gomez of Casa Chiapas, Daniel Barajas of Young American Dreamers and Civil Rights leader Carlos Montes who traveled from East Los Angeles.

Five questions were asked of the panelists – each question was developed and debated for over three weeks among the Raíces en Tampa members.

“We wanted to make sure every panelist was able to respond to the best of their ability,” said Alicia Gazga of Raíces en Tampa. “The panelists were chosen because of the current work they do and the work they have done in the past.”

Stirring debate among the panelists, some of the questions were: “What are your opinions on Obama's Executive decision in November 2014 around extending Deferred Action to parents?” and “What are the potential side effects of having a marked license for undocumented immigrants?”

To the second question, Daniel Barajas responds, “Marking someone as undocumented reminds me of when Nazi Germany marked the Jewish with the star of David. If we fight for equality, then why are we only getting everything but equality?”

One of the most debated questions was how to proceed with the fight for drivers licenses to be issued to the undocumented in the state of Florida. Jaqueline Cruz and Daniel Barajas both agreed Raíces en Tampa's current messaging needed to be modified to add “safer roads” in our list of demands. Currently Raíces en Tampa organizes primarily against deportations and has used the lingo, “licenses are a basic right.” Carlos Montes, who comes from the state of California, which just started issuing drivers licenses in January 2015 to the undocumented states, “We are the ones who are fighting for licenses. We as the people either affected or as those organizing must remember why we are fighting for licenses to begin with. The politicians might only see it as a safe roads concern but to the undocumented and their families, the battle is entirely for equality and entirely against deportations.”

The panel concluded with a fundraiser barbeque in celebration of unity. Raíces en Tampa thanks all who attended and is looking forward to their next rally scheduled against the Tampa City Council on Feb. 26, starting at 6:00 p.m. The facebook event for the rally is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/807926392632953/. Be sure to attend and help continue fighting for equality and a stop to deportations!

#TampaFL #immigrantRights #CarlosMontes #comprehensiveImmigrationReform #RaicesEnTampa

Oscar was ten years of age when he boarded a plane, equipped with a temporary VISA and left his native state of Zacatecas, Mexico. Leaving his mother and one of his sisters behind, Oscar reunited with some of his siblings in the state of California.

Oscar had a more pleasant border-crossing story compared not only to the majority of immigrants from Central America and Mexico but also in comparison to his siblings. One of Oscar's older brothers developed hypothermia from crossing the border during the winter in the trunk of a car. Another brother almost drowned swimming the Rio Grande.

“Growing up was tough, for me,” says Oscar of his first years while in the U.S. There was a long wait for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes and because of this, Oscar, without knowing a word of English, was forced to sit through classes he did not comprehend. “I was seen as a foreigner and many Chicano 'cholos' [gangsters] seeing me as a foreigner, picked on me.”

It would be close to two years, but Oscar would finally be reunited with his mother and his remaining sister. They would eventually move to the state of Florida. After high school, Oscar went on to working in construction.

In 2012, when President Obama issued Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Oscar was able to apply and obtain DACA. “But being DACAmented doesn't ensure you won't be deported,” says Oscar who is actively fighting for a more permanent status not only for himself but for his mother, family and all other undocumented immigrants.

In response to the expansion of DACA, Oscar's mother says, “While it's a good start, myself and my daughters are being left out. How many others are also being left out of this new protection?”

Oscar's family is not the only family who will not be receiving legalization this holiday season. Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) will only protect about 5 million of the close to 12 million undocumented.

“Right now Raíces en Tampa is fighting for a Bay-Area immigrant named Sergio Cardoso who despite living in the U.S. for more than 20 years, has orders for deportation,” says Oscar. “A holiday destroyed by a deportation is something no family should have to go through.”

The upcoming year will be a year full of new battles. Raíces en Tampa plans to continue fighting for the legalization for all of the undocumented and to do so, the battle for driver's licenses to be issued to all of the undocumented in Florida will continue.

“I feel that a piece paper should not define a person,” says Oscar. “But that is exactly how immigrants are defined in this country. We are forced back for not having this piece of paper, and are forced to live in fear. As long as this oppression continues i will continue to fight for equal rights.”

Sign the Driver's Licenses for All Undocumented – Florida petition here: http://raicesentampa.wordpress.com/sign-the-dl4all-petition/

Marisol Márquez is a Chicana activist and member of Raíces en Tampa and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#TampaFL #ChicanoLatino #LegalizationForAllNetwork #RaicesEnTampa

The School of the Americas opened its doors in 1946 with the purpose of training Latin American military personal in anti-communist counter-insurgency training. This amounted to lessons in torture, extra-judicial killings, death squads and in general the skills involved in going to war against the masses of workers and farmers.

Throughout the 1980s the SOA trained hundreds of Latin American personnel including some of the continent’s most notoriously repressive, notably Argentina’s military regime, Colombia’s death squad-linked military and even the founders of the Zetas drug cartel in Mexico. In 2000, SOA was forced change its name to the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. It receives its $14 million budget from the federal government. More recently their trainees have had a hand in the failed coup attempts in Venezuela.

A group of nine activists from Tampa, Florida went to the SOA protest, as representatives of the immigrant rights group, Raices in Tampa. They were among few immigrant rights groups that attended the protest and they made the connection between imperialism and the migration from Central and South American to the U.S.

Having trained police, military, government and narco elements alike in Mexico and Colombia, the SOA is a good target for immigrants rights groups. “It was a great experience for me because I got to meet a lot of dedicated individuals like myself who are willing to go anywhere to defend the oppressed,” said Oscar Hernandez, local organizer with Raices in Tampa.

Individuals were present from all over the world, including the Latin American countries most affected by SOA’s doctrine of state-sponsored instability. Raices in Tampa attended a workshop given by representatives of Colombia’s popular movement Marcha Patriotica. Here connections were made between the U.S. prison system and its plans to export this prison system to Latin America and Africa. The majority of prison personnel trained at SOA are Mexican and Colombian.

“As a Honduran is very hard to see how my country is used by the U.S, how they are training my people to kill each other. I'm hopeful that one day this will stop. I was glad of being part of SOA protest and see so many people that shared my emotions,” said Alicia Gazga, also with Raices in Tampa.

#ColumbusGA #SchoolOfTheAmericas #SOAWatch #FortBenning #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – A rally by immigrant rights activists on Sept. 25 stopped the planned next-day deportation of David Sanchez. Sanchez, who moved to the U.S. from Mexico when he was 14, was fighting to stay in Florida where he works and has a family. The community rallied outside of a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) office in Tampa.

Sanchez was ordered to wear an ankle monitor so that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could track his every move. He filed for an extension of his work visa, but was denied.

Local groups called for action against ICE and DHS to stop Sanchez's deportation. Over 200 people from around the country called the local Tampa ICE office demanding a stop to the deportation. Later that day, 70 people rallied outside the DHS office with Sanchez's family, chanting “Not one more!”

Yadalis Sanchez, David Sanchez’s daughter, said, “It is not fair that ICE can tear apart a family.”

Marisol Marquez, spokesperson for immigrant rights group Raices en Tampa, said, “Today, we've had enough. Tampa won't forget. No politician was here to help David Sanchez and his family. The people who are here today are the ones really supporting people like David Sanchez. We know the immigration system is doing exactly what it is meant to do – to separate us and hold us down.”

David Sanchez announced during the protest that ICE had sent him an e-mail regarding his deportation. It stated that ICE was giving him a three to six month extension on his visa.

Isabel Sousa-Rodriguez of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said, “Even with an extension, we don't want another deportation tomorrow. We don't want one next week, next month, or next year! No more!”

Protesters continued to rally, chanting, “When we fight, we win!” and “El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido!” or “The people united can never be defeated!”

Groups that helped organized efforts to support Sanchez included Raices En Tampa, Florida Immigrant Coalition, Young American Dreamers, and United We Dream.

The actions on Sept. 25 temporarily stopped Sanchez from being deported. The struggle continues against other deportations, and the people understand that this fight is not over.

Marisol Marquez explained, “Obama deports 1100 people like David Sanchez each day. That's why we're planning on protesting him and his 'Deportation Party' on Election Day, to demand a stop to all deportations. We need Deferred Action for All and legalization for all 11 million undocumented in the U.S.”

#TampaFl #TampaFL #Obama #PeoplesStruggles #deportations #Florida #Immigration #RaicesEnTampa #DavidSanchez #Rights

Detaining undocumented immigrants by local police has been a form of targeting, criminalizing and eventually deporting undocumented immigrants, primarily people from Central America and Mexico. Police all over the country can use ICE Detainer Form I-247 (I-247) when conducting exchanges of undocumented immigrants with ICE. Under I-247, local police are never to hold an undocumented immigrant for more than 48 hours. But as we know with the recent Oregon case, Miranda-Olivares v. Clackamas County, the 48-hour rule is rarely honored.

“I had to bail out a friend who is undocumented from jail,” said Oscar Hernandez of Raíces en Tampa. “This friend was locked up over the weekend, which violated the 48-hour limit. Raíces en Tampa will continue fighting against deportations and this victory is only the beginning!”

ICE detainers have been a way for the local police to work as an extension of ICE to deport the undocumented. Every day, over 1000 undocumented immigrants are deported and there is no sign of an end to these massive deportations. Hillsborough County, home to many undocumented immigrants, is the third county in Florida to pass this policy change, which is a victory for the people. All over the U.S., the people are rising up to say, “¡Ya basta!” [Enough!].

“Today we are victorious, tomorrow we continue fighting against the growing deportations and against the attacks on immigrant families and communities,” said Norberto Gazga of Raíces en Tampa. Along with their campaign to fight against deportations, Raíces en Tampa has been pushing since 2013 for immigrants to be allowed to test and obtain a Florida driver's license. To sign their petition go here: http://raicesentampa.wordpress.com/sign-the-dl4all-petition/

#TampaFL #legalizationForAll #RaicesEnTampa #Not1More #StopTheDeportations

Tampa, FL – On July 31, two dozen protesters gathered outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Ybor City, demanding President Obama extend protection to incoming refugee children from Central America. The protesters stood in front of the office doors, brandishing signs and chanting, “Liberation! Not deportation!” The ICE office directs the detentions of undocumented immigrants in the Tampa Bay area.

In the past year, over 40,000 children fled violence and poverty in Central America, crossing the border into the U.S. seeking refuge. Thousands are detained and even more are deported back to their home country. President Obama is requesting $3.7 billion from Congress to pay for deporting and detaining these children.

A group named Raíces en Tampa led the event, with many other local organizations supporting, such as the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Awake Pinellas, Hondureños Unidos en Tampa and Tampa Students for a Democratic Society.

Jared Hamil of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization explained, “The U.S. has sent troops to Honduras countless times to support and defend investments in U.S. fruit corporations. In 2009 the U.S. even supported the overthrow of democratically elected president Manuel Zelaya. While the U.S. backs the interests of corporations that fuel poverty abroad, they also target the same peoples who come here to escape from that poverty. We're here to say no more detentions. No more deportations. We want protection. Protect them from being targeted. Protect them from being locked up. Protect them from being deported, and protect them from violence and poverty both here and abroad.”

Oscar Hernandez of Raíces en Tampa said “I find it hypocritical that a country that prides itself on defending human rights is willing to deport these children, condemning them to violence and even death.”

Alicia Argenal-Gazga, also with Raíces en Tampa, related, “I know what it's like to live in their fear. Having grown up in Honduras, I also lived in fear of kidnapping and gang violence. President Obama shouldn't be treating these children as criminals, they need to be given refugee status.”

Raíces en Tampa is planning to focus on ending 'ICE holds' by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff David Gee holds people for up to 48 hours, both documented and undocumented, while determining their immigration status. Nearby counties ended this controversial jailing practice. Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri recently said that he is allowing arrested immigrants who can post bail to leave jail. Pasco County and Hernando County near Tampa no longer jail immigrants simply to determine their status.

#TampaFL #ImmigrantsRights #PeoplesStruggles #Deportation #Florida #RaicesEnTampa

Naples, FL – In the early morning of July 16, one of Florida's biggest workplace raids led to 160 employees being investigated, with at least 16 under arrest.

Back in 2011, a former employee of Fruit Dynamics went to the doctor after an injury on the job.The doctor discovered the worker was undocumented and allegedly was using someone else's Social Security number.

Collier County officials began investigating Fruit Dynamics, the people who worked there, and after a three-year long operation, deputies raided Fruit Dynamics.

Naples is part of Collier County which still implements the harsh federal program 287 (g). 287 (g) allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to train local police. Police then act as an extension of ICE: arresting, detaining and finally taking undocumented cases to ICE who then may decide whether to deport an immigrant or continue detaining them.

Raul Vidaurri a U.S. citizen who worked at Fruit Dynamics and was present during the raid states, “Many of those who were separated were scared and two, a man and a woman, passed out and were taken away in an ambulance. I was the only one who had a phone with a signal, so a lot of them asked me to call their families.”

While the deputies are patting themselves on their backs, these 160 employees have an unknown future. The Obama administration is still conducting the hated workplace and community raids, even though they continue issuing statements denying this.

Many of these workers are Mexican and Central American – nationalities that are almost never able to obtain legal residency. Children of Central American are also being detained in detention centers.

The Fruit Dynamics employees were simply trying to provide for their families. The undocumented are just trying to work. To stamp them with an ‘identity fraud’ label is pointing the finger at the wrong people. The ones who should be blamed for the inability to solve the immigration system are sitting in their cushy, political seats reaping off the profits made by these hard-working employees. Detaining or deporting the Fruit Dynamics employees is separating families and making it even harder for these employees to ever apply for residency.

A nearby community group, Raices En Tampa, is coordinating a call-in-day to the Collier County Sheriff's office, July 29. Raices En Tampa encourages you to participate by joining in on the action. Demand, “Drop the Charges against the #NaplesWorkers, release them now!” Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/350370201780805/

#NaplesFl #NaplesFL #Labor #ICE #Florida #Immigration #RaicesEnTampa #Workers #TheFruitCompany

Tampa, FL – Activists from the Tampa Bay area organized a protest on June 27 in response to a U.S. intervention in Iraq. It was an emergency action in response to President Obama’s sending military advisors to Iraq, and the flying of U.S. drones over Baghdad.

Speakers addressed an array of issues, from President Obama’s continuation of U.S. wars,to the oppression of nations by imperialism, as well as anti-war activists facing political repression by the FBI—for speaking out against US wars.

“The US has no interest in the wellbeing of the Iraqi people, and the millions of dead Iraqis from the past 94 years of US and British domination are a testament to that,” said Gage Lacharite from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society.

Jesse Nevel of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement facilitated the rally and stated, “Up with Iraqi liberation. Down with war and occupation” and described the US government’s foreign policy as “parasitic”, connecting current US imperialism to the history of enslaving and murdering African people.

Jessica Schwartz from Stop FBI – Tampa Bay talked about the U.S. government persecution of Arab Americans and Muslims for their political activity, as well as the Antiwar 23 who were raided by the FBI in 2010. “People fighting against the system and opposing U.S. wars, occupations, and military interventions like the one in Iraq are attacked by the US government, which prides itself on so-called ‘freedom of speech’”.

Marisol Marquez from Raices en Tampa linked the US meddling in the Middle East with the history of oppression in the US. “With its history of seizing Mexican land, committing genocide against Native Americans and enslaving Africans, how can this country possibly know what another country needs? Invading another country was not okay back then, and it sure as hell is not okay now.”

Jared Hamil from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization explained about the current situation in Iraq: “Sometimes there are many forces and groups at play. It can be confusing. And we ask ourselves where do we stand. We must always stand on the side of the people, not with those who attempt to build the US Empire. History shows that those two are never on the same side. We must stand with those who oppose imperialism, with those who fight imperialism”.

Organizations included in the protest were St. Pete for Peace, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, the Uhuru Solidarity Movement, Stop FBI Repression – Tampa Bay, Raices en Tampa, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, and Tampa Dream Defenders.

#TampaFL #AntiwarMovement #Obama #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #Iraq #Imperialism #Bush #DreamDefenders #Intervention #RaicesEnTampa #USF #War #2001 #ISIS #MiddleEast

Tampa, FL – Activists gathered front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office, May 1, to demand not one more deportation.

“We marched four miles today in Lakeland,” said Oscar Hernandez of Tampa Bay United We Dream. “And we traveled more than 40 minutes to Tampa to demand a stop to the deportations! It's time President Obama stop them now!” He led the crowd in the chant, “Not one more! Not one more!”

Some of the organizations present on the busy thoroughfare in front of the ICE building were Raíces en Tampa, Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Student/Farmworker Alliance, AFL-CIO, Tampa Dream Defenders and Mi Familia Vota.

“President Obama can issue deferred action or immediate relief to all of the undocumented.” said Marisol Marquez of Raíces en Tampa. “Attacks on the undocumented and in particular the Central American and Mexican people, must stop. We will not rest until there is a stop to deportations and legalization for all.”

Raíces en Tampa plans on hosting a immigrant rights march on Saturday, May 3rd at 4:00 p.m., at 1800 East 8th Avenue in Tampa.

#TampaFL #ICE #MayDay #May1 #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – Over two dozen activists attended a panel discussion here, at the University of South Florida in Tampa. “ Legalization for all, stop the deportations!” read the banner at the front of the room. Professor Masao Suzuki of San Jose, California, an economist and expert on immigration, was the guest speaker.

Professor Suzuki began the immigration panel with a report on what is happening across the country with immigration. In 2006, the House of Representatives passed the Sensenbrenner Bill, a big attack upon undocumented immigrants. The bill contained harsh consequences for being undocumented, like a mandatory $3000 fine before being deported. Also, the bill had a felony charge and up to three years in prison for friends, family members or good Samaritans housing or aiding undocumented immigrants. The reactionary Sensenbrenner bill sparked the largest marches in U.S. history, with millions upon millions of immigrants and their supporters taking to the streets of every city, big and small. This became known as the Mega-marches of May Day 2006.

Suzuki spoke about the January 2013 Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR), which was supposed to help immigrants but took a turn for the worse. The Republicans changed it, adding more and more repressive measures, until there was more bad than good in it for the people. The current CIR bill adds more militarization at the border, more stalking at the workplace thru E-verify, more abuse of immigrant workers with the Guest-Worker Visa, an extreme wait of ten years to apply, and higher cost to immigrants.

“Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats are interested in the passing of CIR at this time. And that is why we are urging those who support CIR to join forces with those pushing to put a stop to the deportations and those who are urging for Deferred Action for All, or DAFA,” says Suzuki. “Not only would DAFA be an immediate relief, it would help stop the over 1100 daily deportations.”

The professor continued, “The executive order of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals [DACA] in June of 2012 allowed for some young DREAMers to have immediate relief from being deported. If DAFA was issued to the more than 11 million undocumented immigrants, DACA could be an all-inclusive sigh of relief for the undocumented.”

Professor Suzuki ended his presentation saying, “But we know that DACA currently isn't applicable to all DREAMers and we know that because of the current criminalizing of the undocumented, many don't qualify. If DAFA were to be ordered by President Obama, we also know not everyone would be able to obtain DAFA. That is why we push not only for DAFA but also for legalization for all of the undocumented.”

Veronica Juarez spoke next about the tuition equity campaign of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in Florida. Tampa Bay SDS joined other chapters to organize for in-state tuition for the undocumented students of Florida. As it currently stands, undocumented Florida students pay 3.3 times as much as other students they went to high school with. SDS organized call-in days, campus speakouts and a big rally in the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee demanding politicians take action and make education affordable and fair.

“It wasn't until we started having rallies, speak-outs and actually organizing affected students that we saw bills like Senate Bill 1400,” says Veronica Juarez of Tampa SDS.

SB 1400 allows a DACA student to pay the same tuition rate as all other resident students of Florida. SB 1400 is well on its way and moving forward, having already passed the Judiciary portion needed to come into effect.

Juarez pointed out two glaring problems, “The thing is, even though SB 1400 would make tuition more affordable for undocumented students, two bad amendments were sneaked into the law; the first being that the student would on paper, still not be a ‘resident of Florida’ and the second is that a student would have to be enrolled in a Florida high school for 24 consecutive months. This means DACA students who are migrant farm-workers would be most affected. Migrant families are forced to move with the changing crop seasons across the U.S.”

Marisol Marquez of Raíces en Tampa rounded out the immigration panel saying, “In Florida we saw that the majority of deportations involved the police using driving without a license as an excuse to detain and eventually deport. We wanted to help stop deportations and knew that if we pushed for Florida to issue drivers licenses to all of the undocumented, we could help.”

Raíces en Tampa is working to unite with other groups around Florida and create a buzz about driver's licenses for the undocumented. Raíces en Tampa created a campaign page called Driver's Licenses for All Undocumented – Florida and is seeing a building movement around Florida.

“We take a table and place it where we know there will be people interested. We walk around and ask people to come show their support!” says Marquez, describing how Raíces en Tampa has been able to go viral in the immigrant areas of Florida. “The people want to be able to drive without looking behind their shoulder and without fearing they will be torn away from the years they have put into trying to create a life for themselves in Florida.”

The organizing in the Tampa community is a completely new experience for some. “As an undocumented individual, being with Raíces en Tampa gives me not only a sense of identity, but the strength to continue fighting for everyone's dreams,” says Cristian Cintora, one of the newest members of Raíces en Tampa.

Those in attendance were able to pick up free literature, buttons, information and even know-your-rights pamphlets from various groups including: Tampa Bay SDS, Raíces en Tampa, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization. Activists gathered for a picture and held up the banner, “Legalization for all, stop the deportations!”

Marquez finished the event, announcing, “Future actions for Raíces en Tampa include coordinating May Day events in many cities to call for a stop to deportations, legalization for all, and for Florida politicians to issue driver's licenses to all of the undocumented. We hope everyone can come out or show their support by signing our petition.”

#TampaFL #MasaoSuzuki #legalizationForAll #DACA #TampaSDS #RaicesEnTampa #DAFA

Tampa, FL – Desafiando la lluvia y el tráfico, la gente de todo el área de la ciudad de Tampa se reunió frente a la alcaldía exigiendo licencias de conducir para todos los indocumentados en el estado de Florida. Sostuvieron sombrillas y una pancarta que decía: ¡Licencias ahora! La protesta fue organizada por Raíces en Tampa, un grupo de la comunidad. Exigió a los políticos de la Florida, así como el alcalde de Tampa Bob Buckhorn y el ayuntamiento de Tampa para que apoyen a las licencias para todos los inmigrantes indocumentados.

Actualmente, hay un estimado de 1 millón de inmigrantes indocumentados en el estado de Florida y más de 11 millones en los Estados Unidos. La mayoría de los estados como Florida no permiten que los indocumentados tengan licencias. Aunque los indocumentados no pueden obtener licencias , todavía tienen que conducir a sus puestos de trabajo, la escuela o los hospitales. Esto los pone en riesgo de multas, arrestos, detenciones y deportaciones. De hecho la mayoría de las deportaciones son el resultado de ser detenido sin una licencia. Hay aproximadamente 1,100 deportaciones cada día y Obama ha acumulado más de 2 millones deportaciones durante su presidencia. Muchos grupos como Raíces en Tampa se han centrado en campañas como ' licencias de conducir para los indocumentados ' para ayudar poner un alto a las deportaciones.

Raíces en Tampa ha estado trabajando en un par de cosas para ganar apoyo para la campaña ' licencias de conducir para todos'. Ellos han estado presionando al alcalde Bob Buckhorn y el ayuntamiento de Tampa para aprobar una resolución en favor a las licencias. El mes pasado, se organizó una convocatoria. La gente podía llamar a instar por el apoyo de los miembros del consejo. Además, han ido a los barrios reuniendo firmas para una petición a nivel estatal. Para el evento de hoy, instaron a los miembros del Consejo a asistir. Desafortunadamente los miembros asistían a un banquete y no podían salir. Ana Lamb, una de los manifestantes dijo: “¿Es esto a lo que van los dólares de los impuestos? Banquetes de lujo en lugar de licencias?”

Las familias, los trabajadores y estudiantes protestaron por los pasos de Tampa City Hall. Cantaban: “No Nos Vamos Ir, Licensias Pa' Conducir”. Jared Hamil, miembro de Raíces en Tampa dijo a la multitud: “Queremos poner fin a las deportaciones ahora! Queremos que los políticos en Tallahassee y los que están aquí en Tampa, como el alcalde Bob Buckhorn y el ayuntamiento para apoyar licencias de conducir para todos en la Florida. Necesitamos que el gobernador Rick Scott, quien vetó un proyecto de ley para los que reciben DACA (Acción Diferida para la Infancia) el año pasado de su apoyo para estar con nosotros o que se haga al lado! Los políticos deben actuar y darnos Licencias para Todos.

Más de 30 manifestantes se reunieron frente a la entrada al ayuntamiento. Con Raíces en Tampa, LULAC (Liga de Ciudadanos Latinoamericanos), Alianza de Estudeiantes para los Trabajadores Agrícolas (SFA), y los Estudiantes por una Sociedad Democrática (Tampa Bay SDS) se unieron a la protesta. Varias personas de las ciudades vecinas de Larg, Clearwater y St Petersburg condujeron a asistir. Varios coches de policía estuvieron presentes en el evento. La policía observó y esperó desde el otro lado de la calle. A medida que los manifestantes llegaron a las puertas del ayuntamiento, grabaron y firmaron una carta gigante dirigida a los políticos de Tampa, instándolos a apoyar licencias para los indocumentados.

Al término de la manifestación, Marisol Marquez de Raíces en Tampa tuvo esto que decir: “Necesitamos a todos a que se unan a esta causa! La lucha en Tampa está dirigida por los trabajadores que no pueden tomar días libres de trabajo para asistir a eventos muy lejos de casa. Queremos que la gente en sus propias ciudades empiezen a organizar. Queremos que se organizen para las licencias de conducir y para poner fin a las deportaciones! Nuestro primer paso es licencias, nuestro objetivo es la legalización para todos”.

Más información:

• Petición de todo el Estado
• Página de Facebook

#TampaFL #RaicesEnTampa #licenciasParaTodos #licenciasDeConducir

Tampa, FL – Braving rain and traffic, people from across the Tampa Bay area rallied outside City Hall, demanding “Driver’s licenses for all undocumented!” Over 30 protesters held up umbrellas, signs and a banner reading, “Licencias ahora, licenses now!”

Led by Raíces en Tampa, a community group, the protesters are organizing to pass a Tampa City Council resolution in support of licenses for the undocumented. Last month, they organized a call-in day to City Council members. Now they are out in the neighborhoods gathering signatures for a statewide petition. Today’s event urged city council members to attend. Unfortunately, city council members were attending a banquet.

Ana Lamb, one of the protesters, said, “Is this what tax dollars go to? Fancy banquets instead of licenses?”

Right now, there are an estimated 1 million undocumented immigrants in the state of Florida and over 11 million in the U.S. Most states, like Florida, do not allow the undocumented to have licenses. Still, many drive to jobs, school, hospitals, houses of worship and other places. This puts many at risk for fines, arrest, detention and deportation. In fact, most deportations result from being pulled over without a license. In the U.S. there are approximately 1100 deportations each day. President Obama has amassed over 2 million deportations during his term.

Jared Hamil, with Raíces en Tampa, spoke to the crowd, “We want an end to deportations now. We want the politicians in Tallahassee and those here in Tampa like Mayor Bob Buckhorn and the city council to support ‘Driver’s Licenses for All’ in Florida. We need Governor Rick Scott, who vetoed a bill last year that would’ve given DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] recipients their driver’s licenses, to stand with us, or get out of the way! The politicians must act and give us ‘Licenses for all!’”

LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), Student-Farmworker Alliance, and Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) all joined the protest. People from the neighboring cities of Largo, Clearwater and Saint Petersburg drove in to attend. Several police cars were present as police watched from across the street. When protesters came to the doors of City Hall, they taped a giant letter, signed by all the protesters and addressed to the politicians of Tampa, urging them to support licenses for the undocumented.

At the close of the rally, Marisol Marquez of Raíces en Tampa announced, “We need everyone to join this cause!” Marquez continued, “We want people in their own cities to take up this issue. We want them to organize for driver’s licenses and an end to deportations! Our first step is licenses, our big goal is legalization for all.”

Sign the statewide petition – https://www.change.org/petitions/support-licenses-for-all-undocumented-immigrants-in-florida

Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/dl4allflorida

#TampaFL #immigrantRights #LicensesForAll #legalizationForAll #driversLicences #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – On Dec 17, a new immigrant rights group, Raíces en Tampa, met with community members and students to launch a movement to demand driver licenses for undocumented immigrants in Florida.

Previous attempts to pass driver license bills in Florida had support, but still failed. In 2012, the Dream Act Driver License bill unanimously passed in the state legislature. However, Florida Governor Rick Scott brought it down with a veto.

Jared Hamil a member of Raíces en Tampa explained, “The Dream Act Driver License bill would have only been offered to those who currently receive Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.” Hamil continued, “DACA recipients already can obtain driver's licenses so this bill really did not affect anyone. We know this same bill is up for debate again in the 2014 legislative session and it is probably the one that will pass. So we are here as Raíces en Tampa to ensure we push for what 1.5 million undocumented immigrants need; not what the politicians will compromise with. We organize people, not politicians.”

Raíces en Tampa has decided to take this issue at full-force. Already tabling and flyering, Raíces en Tampa is uniting the community and groups across Florida by talking to people one on one. They created a Facebook page, Driver's Licenses for All Undocumented – Florida, attracting followers, including the popular band La Santa Cecilia.

“We are workers, students, and community members,” said Marisol Marquez, a member of Raíces en Tampa. “We are not paid to do what we do and we do not have the money to lobby in the Capitol in Tallahassee. We are everyday people who are committed to connecting the people locally to take action. We are teaching others in different cities of Florida to do the same.”

Raíces en Tampa's meeting was filled with bright ideas and enthusiasm. There was talk about similar groups, non-profits and organizations taking on the issue of driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.

“I believe the time is now. If we as Raíces en Tampa don't do it who will?” says Alicia Argeñal of Raíces en Tampa “We know that in Florida, before we decided to take this campaign on, no one was touching it. Lobbyists in Tallahassee were not bringing this issue home to everyday people. I myself do it because it affects me. I do it for me, for my brothers, sisters and future generations in the state of Florida.”

Raíces en Tampa was founded on Aug. 29, 2013 and is gaining momentum. The list of groups signing on to the campaign for drivers licenses for all includes both Florida and national groups: Raíces en Tampa, United Families in Miami; Consulado Mexicano – Orlando; DREAMers Moms from Orlando, Miami, Dallas, Arizona, and Utah; Students for a Democratic Society; League of United Latin American Citizens and Young American Dreamers. The list continues to grow.

If you wish to join the campaign, be sure to visit: http://facebook.com/dl4allflorida, and stay tuned. If you have a photo you wish to submit to show support for Driver's Licenses for All Undocumented – Florida, email it to raicesentampa@gmail.com.

#TampaFL #driversLicence #RaicesEnTampa

Tampa, FL – The U.S. prides itself in having a day to ‘give thanks.’ They call this, ‘Thanksgiving’ and it's supposed to be a time when the family unites and shares a home-cooked meal. This tradition, however, is not always shared by immigrant communities.

For Alicia, a member and founder of Raices en Tampa, this year she will not be celebrating Thanksgiving with her family. Alicia's family is split apart between two countries.

In the fall of 1998, Hurricane Mitch swept through the Atlantic Ocean. The rainfall that fell during Mitch's travel through Honduras flooded over 2 million homes and killed about 11,000 people. The U.S. permitted the entry of some Hondurans during this time. Among them were Alicia and her other four family members: her father, mother and one older and younger brother. They arrived in Naples, Florida that year and attempted to rebuild their lives.

Many Hondurans arriving at this time were extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS). TPS is much like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which was given to young undocumented immigrants in June of 2012. TPS is only available for two years and those who have it must reapply, while paying hundreds of dollars for new applications while losing all of their documentation in the meantime. They can face harassment, stalking, arrests and even deportations while they wait for their renewal request for TPS to be approved.

“Sometimes when I go to renew, if the person in Naples does not know what they are doing or if they want to be nasty, they will take my license and cut it in half,” says Alicia.

Alicia's family has each had their fair share of bad experiences while in the U.S. Alicia's mother Irene was pulled over for driving without a license and the police officer threatened to jail her and have her deported. Knowing her responsibility as a mother to two minor children, Irene decided to never drive after that arrest. This quickly became a setback because, even to do a simple task like shopping for groceries, Irene had to ask someone to provide her with transportation.

“As an immigrant and one with such a temporary status, you grow up quickly and learn that the law is used to terrorize us,” says Alicia.

Irene was so afraid to drive that, in October this year, she decided to self-deport back to her native Honduras along with her youngest daughter. Irene put everything she had accumulated in 15 years up for sale. That which she did not sell she gave away to Alicia or friends and neighbors. In a week, everything this family had built with their own work, tears and struggles was only a distant memory.

“I want President Obama to know there are over 2 million deportations, now. All of this is happening without him really caring or even trying to stop them from happening. During his Thanksgiving, I hope Obama thinks about all of us undocumented immigrants who are torn apart from our families and can't share anymore meals with our families,” says Irene.

Raices en Tampa, which is group in Tampa, Florida that Alicia help found, has decided to push for a way to stop these attacks on the approximately 1.5 million undocumented immigrants in the state of Florida. So far, DREAMers Moms Orlando and United Families in Miami have endorsed the action and many others are beginning to express support.

Alicia is positive her work with Raices en Tampa will succeed. “No one deserves to be torn from their home or family for simply driving to work or going to school. We all need jobs, but how are we supposed to drive without a driver’s license? Florida should not deport anymore immigrants for driving without a license. Licenses for all now in the state of Florida!”

Raices en Tampa is collecting public support for their campaign, “Driver's Licenses for All Undocumented – Florida”. They ask that you take a picture of yourself with a sign that reads, “I support driver's licenses for all in Florida! #DL4ALLFL!” and that you email it to raicesentampa@gmail.com.

Marisol Márquez is a member of Raíces en Tampa

#TampaFL #Honduras #deportations #thanksgiving #legalizationForAll #borderRepression #DriversLicenses #ImmigrantsRights #RaicesEnTampa