Aurora, CO – On the evening of Monday March 24, around 300 community members rallied in front of the GEO Group ICE Processing Center in Aurora, Colorado for a vigil protesting the unjust detention of community organizer Jeanette Vizguerra. It marked one week since Jeanette was abducted by ICE from her place of work without warning.

Vizguerra joined the rally over a phone call from within the detention center, and had her words translated by her daughter Luna Baez. She thanked the people for their presence in the fight and said, “I want everyone here to grow, for more people to show up every single Monday and keep in mind that there are other people in here, and that they have the same needs and wants at the end of the day. They all just want to go back to their family as well as address all the injustices that this administration has done to us. We need to see the people rise up.”

Those at the action came from different sectors of the people’s struggle and from all over Colorado. Dr. Mohamed Kuziez, a local pediatrician and member of Doctors Against Genocide who recently returned from providing medical aid to the children of Gaza said, “Jeanette is a part of this community. She has been part of this community longer than I have. But by fate or fortune, I was born in the U.S. She has contributed to this community and given back.” He went on, “Jeanette is a model of the kind of person that I love having in my community, and I'm determined to fight for her.”

Members of Aurora Unidos CSO held a banner of a red fist punching through a wall that read, “Nadie es ilegal en tierras robadas – No one is illegal on stolen land.”

Brandon Gherke, an organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO said, “Jeanette has been an organizer in the movement for years now, and we’ve got to stand up for people in our movement and defend our political prisoners and stand against these deportations.”

Gherke continued, “We know that coming out one time is not gonna fix the problem. We’re gonna start building campaigns to free Jeanette, consistently putting on pressure. The people make history, and that’s how we’re going to achieve freedom for Jeanette.”

Local musicians also performed at the rally. Los Mocochetes, a local Chicano Funk band, performed songs of liberation and one calling for the freeing of Vizguerra, while the crowd clapped in unison with the beat. The music could be heard echoing off the walls of the facility, loud enough for those inside to hear.

Among the musical performers was Jamie “Jonny Five” Laurie, a lead vocalist of the Flobots. Laurie joined the action to raise his voice for Vizguerra. Asked what he would say to Vizguerra if given the opportunity Laurie said, “I would say thank you for continuing to organize inside those walls.”

Laurie continued, “I have some community connection to other people who are who have cousins in there, who have other folks even from countries that don't get much attention and don't have a common language with people and so I know there's a lot of people in there that feel truly alone and to have somebody like her taking the time to organize and tell other people stories even as she's struggling with her own struggle, you know just speaks to the very best of humanity and so I would just want to thank her.”

The vigil ended with a statement from Vizguerra's daughter Luna, saying “Go ahead and spread the campaign. #JeanetteBelongsHere on any and all sorts of platforms. I just say let's keep on fighting as much as they try to go ahead and shut our voices down. They tried to shut my mom down. They fucked up. She has citizen children here. I don't shut up either.”

#AuroraCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #AUCSO #ICE #Vizguerra

Portland, OR – On Sunday, March 23, Portlanders rallied at Terry Schrunk Plaza to reject the Trump administration’s mass deportations and demand legalization for all undocumented immigrants in the United States. The assembled crowd was 100 strong and was made up of people of all ages.

Sky Reimer, a member of Students for a Democratic Society at Portland State University (SDS) spoke on the need for solidarity between the student, anti-war and immigrant rights movements, citing ICE’s detainment of Palestinian student activists Mahmoud Khalil and Leqaa Kordia. Reimer. They said, “These racist policies of our universities aren't just happening at Columbia, they are happening countrywide.” Reimer later said, “By getting into the streets to protest Trump's agenda, we prove that the people hold the power, that we hold the power.”

Cass Cano of Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD) brought up the paper-thin justifications used by ICE to detain and deport immigrants, including incredibly broad definitions of gang affiliation tattoos. Over 200 Venezuelan immigrants were recently detained by ICE and moved to an El Salvadorian prison with a history of human rights abuses. These immigrants were not given due process. “The cruelty is the point,” Cano explained.

Holly Brown of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) declared, “The so-called ‘war on immigration’ is nothing more than a war on the working class. It is a war designed to keep people in constant fear – fear of deportation, fear of detention, fear of separation from families. It is designed to create a permanent underclass of workers who can be exploited without the full rights and protections that should belong to every human being, no matter where they were born!”

After the speeches, the crowd took to the streets and marched through downtown Portland, chanting, “No ban, no wall, legalize them all!” and “No fear, no hate, no ICE in our state!” Bystanders voiced their solidarity as the march went by, and some joined along.

This protest came one month after another pro-immigrant march organized by many of the same groups, in which organizers were harassed by the Portland Police Bureau and fined over $2000 for traffic violations. The groups involved are still in the process of fighting these politically motivated fines, and demand that the citations be dropped by Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and Police Chief Bob Day.

#PortlandOR #ImmigrantRights #PDXCD

Los Angeles, CA – On April 12 and 13 immigrant rights activists and organizations will be convening at the Emergency Southwest Summit Against Deportations in the historic Chicano community of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

This Emergency Southwest Summit is an opportunity for immigrant rights activists to come together in the Southwest, historically significant for Chicanos and Mexicanos, to share lessons on how to organize and successfully fight back against Trump’s and ICE attacks.

Since Trump’s Inauguration, there has been a surge of militant protests and struggle throughout the country, and masses of Chicanos, Mexicanos and Central Americans have taken to the streets to fight the Trump administration’s deportation campaign.

Grassroots and community activists have fought against ICE attacks, leading thousands in marches in cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis and San José. Students have joined mass high school walkouts. Rapid response networks and neighborhood defense groups have sprung into action to keep community members safe from ICE.

The Emergency Southwest Summit Against Deportations will take place over the course of two days on April 12 and 13. This summit is sponsored by Centro CSO, the La Mesa Brown Berets, MEchA Santee HS, and Legalization for All Network. We are calling on all immigrant rights activists in the Southwest and nationwide to join us. We must oppose the use of ICE and the threat of deportations in the U.S. Trump's attacks against undocumented immigrants are a threat to all whether we are immigrants, Chicano, Mexicano or Central American. Build the movement against Trump. No deportations!

Speakers at the summit will include Carlos Montes, lifelong activist in the Chicano movement; Luna Baez, daughter of detained Colorado community activist Jeanette Viguerra; Elvira Arellano, Chicago sanctuary activist, and Amerika Garcia Grewal of the Eagle Pass Border Coalition.

Register online at: https://tinyurl.com/summitagainstdeportations

#LosAngelesCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #L4A #Featured

Denver, CO – On Wednesday, March 19, hundreds of Coloradans rallied on the Auraria Campus in Denver to protest Trump’s attacks on free speech and the politically motivated detainment of activists.

The crowd, led by Denver Students for a Democratic Society, marched around the campus, chanting “We want justice, you say how? Free Mahmoud Khalil now!” and “Say it once, say it twice! We do not fuck with ICE!”

This protest came out of a national emergency day of action called by National Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) after the detention of Mahmoud Khalil on March 9. Khalil is a Palestinian permanent U.S. resident and Columbia University graduate who was one of the leaders of the encampment for Gaza on that New York campus last spring.

Another Palestinian Columbia student activist and encampment participant, Leqaa Kordia, was taken into ICE custody for “supporting terrorism” and allegedly overstaying her student visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security press release.

Colorado was also hit by the detainments of political activists. On March 17, Jeanette Vizguerra, an undocumented immigrant and prominent activist who has supported immigrant rights and anti-war movements across the state, was abducted from her workplace without a warrant. She was sent to the GEO Group ICE Processing Center in Aurora, which is infamous for its poor treatment of prisoners.

Luna Baez, Jeanette’s daughter, gave an update on her mother’s legal status and fight against her deportation, stating “At this time we are still waiting on responses. Yesterday we stood outside GEO in freezing rain, there was a lot of wind, it was a lot to go through. I very much appreciate the energy and the attention that you guys have towards this issue, and hopefully we can go ahead and mobilize and not only help my mom but help anyone else affected by this issue.”

Shaine Carroll-Frey, a member of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, stated, “These things are connected, these are political attacks because Jeanette is an activist and Mahmoud is an activist. So what Trump is trying to do is outlaw protest and outlaw political dissent. We cannot let him!” Student voices are not the only ones calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia and Jeanette Vizguerra. Since Khalil’s unlawful arrest, there have been protests across the United States for which thousands of people show up to demand an end to deportations, arrests of political activists and Trump’s attacks on free speech – and there are no signs of the national movement against the Trump administration stopping.

“Today we are somber, but we are invigorated. We are hurting, but we are also hopeful. We are facing a difficult time, but we are here doing it in solidarity,” assured Yoselin Corrales, an organizer with Aurora Unidos CSO. “Immigration and free speech are not a crime.”

#DenverCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #AntiWarMovement

St. Paul, MN – More than 170 immigrant rights supporters mobilized to the Minnesota State Capitol on March 12 to oppose HF 16, a proposed anti-immigrant bill. The bill would prohibit sanctuary-type ordinances in Minnesota’s cities and counties, which would separate local law enforcement from federal immigration enforcement. Minneapolis and Saint Paul have long-standing separation ordinances. The bill would also require all of Minnesota’s county attorneys to notify federal immigration authorities when an undocumented person is arrested.

The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee held the legislature’s first hearing on the bill. Community members packed room 120 in the capitol building for the hearing, while also filling the hallway outside, as well as an overflow room on the third floor. Additionally, according to the North Star Alliance, more than 580 people sent letters to their representatives in opposition to the bill.

Several members of immigrant rights organizations gave testimony to the committee on why the bill is harmful and should not be passed. These included members of SEIU Local 26, Advocates for Human Rights, MN8, the North Star Alliance, and others.

Montha Chum of MN8 told the committee, “All we’ve ever dreamed of is to be in a peaceful and safe world. Many immigrants came here because they yearn for safety. However, ICE detention and deportation reflects the cruel conditions of war-time concentration camps and are parallel to the extreme violence we once fled from.”

Despite this mobilization, the committee, which has a slight Republican majority, passed the bill on a party-line vote. This moves the bill forward to the House Elections Finance and Government Operations Committee, which is scheduled to hold a hearing on the bill on March 17. The companion bill in the Senate, SF 643, has not yet received a hearing.

Immigrant rights organizers vowed to continue to mobilize opposition to the bill at the March 17 hearing and any future hearings.

#StPaulMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #MIRAC #featured

On Saturday, March 8, Department of Homeland Security and ICE agents seized and detained a prominent Palestinian student leader at Columbia University, Mahmoud Khalil, despite his immigration status as a legal permanent resident. There are no grounds for the arrest, except that Khalil stood up for Palestine during the spring 2024 Columbia encampment for Gaza. Khalil is being illegally detained in the 2nd District in Louisiana.

Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the detention of Khalil and demands his release immediately. We will be joining protests across the U.S and call on everyone to join us!

We see this as a gross attack on free speech and the campus movement for Palestine. This comes hot on the heels of Trump cutting $400 million of federal funding to Columbia University after an investigation of so-called anti-Semitism – or what is in reality a hunt for the students who have organized major protests for Palestine.

Using the Office of Civil Rights and a new Department of Justice Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, Trump has his goons visiting schools around the country (ten so far)  to carry out similar investigations. School administrators have already carried out mass suspensions, expulsions and even forced deportations of pro-Palestine students in the past year. Trump wants to double down on this attitude and defund higher education at the same time, killing two birds with one stone.

Khalil's arrest has outraged people all around the country. 14 members of Congress signed a letter to the Department of Homeland Security demanding his release, and a federal judge temporarily blocked the deportation process. Even if people disagree about events in the Middle East, it is clear that the right to discuss Palestine is being criminalized. But, it is only right and just for students to talk about the 45,000 deaths, the millions displaced, and the countless atrocities committed by Israel. These crimes are bankrolled by the U.S.

We will oppose Trump's agents and all complicit university administrators. We demand freedom for Khalil. We will raise hell until he is out. And we will not tolerate the arrest of any more Palestinians, pro-Palestine youth, or campus activists. Israel has no right to exist, and it exists on stolen land and borrowed time. More and more people realize this every day. And in the end, no Trump task force or ICE agent will be able to defeat the determination of the people to see a free Palestine.

#AntiWarMovement #Palestine #StudentMovement #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #ImmigrantRights #MahmoudKhalil #Featured

St. Louis Park, MN – Dozens of immigrant rights supporters gathered to protest on March 5 in the inner-ring suburb of Saint Louis Park outside Hardcoat Inc., an aluminum finishing business. Last week immigration officials swarmed the Hardcoat building at West Lake Street and Taft Avenue and detained seven immigrant workers.

The protest was called by the Immigrant Defense Network, a large network of organizations that was formed in Minnesota after the presidential election.

At the protest, a statement was read by a family member of one of the detained workers, and members of COPAL, MN8 and MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) spoke.

In the last two weeks there were also immigration raids at workplaces in Duluth and Rochester, Minnesota. Speakers at the protest emphasized that the ICE operation at Hardcoat and in other parts of Minnesota shows the reality of Trump's attacks on immigrants – they are going after workers, not criminals.

#StLouisParkMN #MN #ImmigrantRights #MIRAC #COPAL #MN8

Portland, OR – On Monday, March 3, organizations involved in the February 23 anti-deportation protest held a press conference outside the Portland Police Bureau’s (PPB) central precinct headquarters to speak out against police harassment of protest organizers, harassment that endangered people participating in the march.

Speaking at the press conference were organizers from Portland Contra las Deportaciones (PDXCD), Portland for Palestine (P4P), and Extinction Rebellion. News organizations attending the conference included The Oregonian, KOIN, KATU and KGW.

Beatriz Ibarra, a member of PDXCD, explained to the gathered press, “To ensure the safety of the demonstrators in the march, cars and a decommissioned fire truck driven by supporters led and followed the crowd.”

Ibarra went on to say, “Before the march started, we had come to an agreement with a police officer that the march was cleared to go by the First Amendment. Despite this understanding, the police officers intimidated organizers in a process of aggressive but cowardly bullying that culminated in physical harassment of the protesters, and citations were given to two vehicles.” The fines from the citations totaled over $2000.

Bella Smith, who was harassed by a police officer at the march stated, “As a marshal with a high visibility vest, my job is to protect protesters from things like motor vehicles as they move through the streets. While the protest was at the intersection of 6th Avenue and Madison, a police officer hit me with his motorcycle, then immediately started threatening me with a citation, not asking if I was okay. Hitting me with a motorcycle for protecting the protesters from motor vehicles proves exactly why my role was necessary. We cannot allow there to be a precedent that keeping people safe comes with the penalty of being harassed, cited and assaulted with a deadly weapon.”

Michele Darr of P4P, one of the drivers for the protest, stated, “I have provided vehicular crowd support countless times before, ensuring the safety of people exercising their First Amendment rights. I have never experienced any problems – until now.” Darr then detailed the underhanded way in which PPB handed out the citations, “The citations were not issued at the time when the violations allegedly occurred, but an hour later and several blocks away. This blatant attempt to fracture the infrastructure of support and thereby silence our calls for justice is not only illegal, it’s an unacceptable incursion on our first amendment rights.”

Closing out the press conference was Omar Gil of PDXCD, who announced the plans of the coalition going forward, “We plan to fight the fines in traffic court and also launch a civil lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau for their attacks on our First Amendment rights and for directly interfering with the safety of our protest.”

Gil then reiterated the demands of the coalition, urging the mayor and police chief to end the harassment and drop the fines, stating, “Mayor Keith Wilson claims he stands with immigrants and has stated his intent to uphold Oregon’s status as a sanctuary state. And yet, under his watch, Portland Police are repressing pro-immigrant protests. We want more than just words, we want action. We demand Keith Wilson and Bob Day drop the fines and end the harassment of protesters.”

After a question and answer section at the end, P4P and PDXCD rallied outside the police precinct, with chants of “Bob Day, drop the fines! We will not pay a dime!” and “We will not be silent! PPB end the violence!”

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #InJusticeSystem #PoliceCrimes #PDXCD

Chicago, IL – On Thursday February 27, over 100 students at the University of Illinois Chicago walked out of classes to protest racist Republican attacks on immigrants. The walk out was called by the UIC chapter of New Students for a Democratic Society as part of a national SDS week of action to demand ICE off campus, no deportations, and legalization for all.

Miles Liang, a freshman at UIC, kicked things off, stating, “If admins across the country were made to stand with their students. Not only would this make each campus safer – it would be a mighty blow against Trump’s administration. Coordinated days of protest such as this one show the unity of the student movement, and they grow the social movement which will protect our communities.”

Next was a member of Anakbayan, the Filipino patriotic youth organization, who spoke about the roots of immigration and U.S. intervention: “Many of these Filipinos did not come here in search of the so-called ‘American Dream.’ They came to escape the harsh realities of joblessness, poverty and the lack of economic mobility in the Philippines – realities that are a direct result of U.S. imperialism, militarism and interference in the political and economic affairs of their homeland.”

Speaking for Students for Justice in Palestine, Yusuf Masood, said, “Just like how a year ago Palestinian students were expected to study while their own relatives were being killed, today many latine and immigrant students are expected to continue their schoolwork while their family members or themselves or at risk of deportation and incarceration. SJP, the students and the people stand with our fellow immigrant comrades and know that Palestine is not free until we all are.“

Speaking for the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Gio Arujo, stated, “We in the FRSO have been knowing that this is what the U.S. is about. That democracy in the United States is truly only a democracy for the billionaires in this country. And that when this system of oppression fails repeatedly on all of us, they seek to find the scapegoat to continue operating this democracy for the few. And we know that this so-called democracy has never worked for the many of us.”

Luna Fernanda speaking for Mexican Students de Aztlan, emphasized the personal toll these racist attacks on immigrants have taken, speaking to her own experience and highlighting the case of Jocelyn Rojo Carranza, an 11-year-old girl with undocumented parents who took her own life due to racist bullying from her classmates.

Fernanda said “Hate is a disease, hate is an epidemic and hate stalks its way into schools where it then destroys the spirits of young marginalized children. How many kids have to die until people start to care about us?”

The final speaker, Alicia Ribeiro, a representative speaking for Sanctuary for All, a newly launched immigrant rights group on campus, led the crowd in reciting lines to use if they were stopped by an ICE officer. The crowd in unison repeated “Am I under arrest?” and “Am I free to go?” before the speaker ended with a call for UIC to properly label private spaces like classrooms so that ICE could not legally enter without a judicial warrant.

After the first round of speakers, members of SDS read poems written about the struggle of undocumented immigrants and the struggle against U.S. imperialism in Latin America. After these cultural performances, students marched to the main administrative building on campus. Students rallied at the bottom of the 28-story tower as university administrators and half a dozen officers from the Chicago Police Department watched and took notes.

Ariana Vega ended the program, stating, “UIC prides itself on claims of being a sanctuary campus, yet they jeopardize the safety of their students by allowing ICE on campus as long as they have a judicial warrant! UIC loves spouting pretty words that paint the picture of a perfect campus, yet they continue to make these words nothing but false promises. As their students are under attack, UIC protects them with a shield made out of paper and pretends as if that is enough.”

Vega continued, “We are here to demand better from UIC! We demand that UIC chop from the top and cut admins salary! We demand that UIC does not bend under the will of the Trump administration! We will fight against this racist, sexist, anti-gay administration and we will refuse to lose. In the face of the fight against hate and bigotry the people will never lose. We will never back down, and we will never give up; we demand our schools do the same.”

14 other student and community groups endorsed the protest. Campus based groups endorsing were, Mexican Students de Aztlan, Students for Justice in Palestine, Housing Staff United (OPEIU Local 39), Indigenous Grad Student Association, Jewish Student Collective, Sanctuary for All, Latinos Unidos, Anakbayan UIC, Socialist Alternative UIC, and the Public Health Alliance. Citywide groups included the Immigrant Rights Work Team of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, The Black Alliance for Peace, and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #SDS #UIC #ImmigrantRights

McFarland, CA - On March 2, nine community members from the South Bay took part in a car caravan from Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose to the Golden State Annex ICE detention center in McFarland. The community members rallied near the detention center to show support for Ulises Peña Lopez, a South Bay man who was recently brutalized by ICE, resulting in his hospitalization. Lopez was transferred from the hospital directly to the detention center without his family or legal team being notified.

 On February 21, Lopez was in his vehicle and getting ready to leave his home in the South Bay, when ICE agents arrived and arrested him. Despite Lopez invoking his rights to remain silent, to speak with a lawyer, and to not exit his vehicle without seeing a warrant, ICE officers violently smashed his car window with a baton, dragged him out of his vehicle, and beat him in an alley.

 According to his family, Lopez has several preexisting health conditions, including a blood clot, heart issues, a spinal disorder, and knee injuries. This brutal attack by ICE caused Lopez to collapse and struggle to breathe, resulting in his hospitalization. ICE shackled Lopez to his hospital bed and denied him access to his lawyer and his family, as well as to food, water and medication.

 ICE waited until Lopez’ family went home for the night on February 22 before transferring him to the Golden State Annex detention center, over 200 miles away, without first notifying Ulises’ attorney or family.

 On March 2, nine South Bay community members made the four hour drive to Golden State Annex, which is run by private prison corporation GEO Group, in order to show support for Ulises and his family and to advocate that he be released and allowed to return home to his community in the South Bay.

 People rallied near the detention center with signs and banners reading, “Free Ulises.” Sebastian Salinas, community organizer with Silicon Valley Immigration Committee, read a statement from Lopez’ family about his case.

 “Ulises is not just a victim of this abuse; he is our beloved brother, husband, father, friend and nephew,” read Salinas. “He is deeply loved by all who know him, and this violent act against him has left our entire family and community heartbroken and enraged.”

 ICE’s brutality against Lopez comes in a wave of increased ICE activity in the South Bay. The Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network, a local coalition that has been organizing in defense of Lopez, reported in late January that ICE had detained multiple people, primarily in San Jose’s predominately Chicano East Side neighborhood.

 The Rapid Response Network is circulating a toolkit for the Free Ulises campaign, where supporters can find his family’s GoFundMe, as well as call-in and email-in templates to contact ICE and elected officials to demand his release.

#McFarlandCA #CA #ImmigrantRights

Jacksonville, FL – The Jacksonville Immigrant Rights Alliance (JIRA) was founded to advocate for immigrant rights and fight against the capitalist-backed policies that target and criminalize Jacksonville’s immigrant communities.

Since its inception, JIRA has fought to end collaboration between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), halt the use of local jails for ICE detention, and protect undocumented individuals from repression.

In the face of the reactionary agenda championed by figures like President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose rhetoric and policies have emboldened anti-immigrant sentiment nationwide, local legislators feel empowered to introduce similar oppressive policies such as those now being proposed in Jacksonville, making JIRA’s work more critical than ever.

Mariscos El Pacifico protest

JIRA held its first major event on February 9, at Mariscos El Pacifico, a restaurant in the heart of Jacksonville’s immigrant community, in response to and collaboration with locals who held their own rally at Mariscos El Pacifico almost a week before. More than 100 people gathered in a display of working-class unity, waving signs and flags, chanting, and drawing honks of support from passing vehicles. The protest brought together activists, families, students, and labor unionists to demand an end to deportations and the state’s persecution of our immigrant neighbors.

Maria Garcia, a representative of JIRA, delivered a powerful speech, declaring, “Immigrants are our neighbors. They are sewn into the fabric of our city. And we must keep showing up to reject these backwards policies. We have a responsibility to protect our neighbors!” Her words resonated with the crowd, which responded with chants of “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (“The people united will never be defeated!”) and “From Palestine to Mexico, all these walls have got to go.”

Monica Martinez, a representative of JIRA, a public school teacher and first-generation Venezuelan immigrant, spoke about the impact these policies have had on students: “Este último mes, ha sido un mes fuerte para mis estudiantes inmigrantes y americanos. Es evidente de que hay mucha preocupación en las escuelas de todas partes. Desde los adultos, a los estudiantes, y también los padres. Hay mucha inseguridad, cuando las escuelas deben de ser un espacio de aprendizaje y seguridad para nuestros niños. Los niños se merecen ir a recibir sus estudios sin miedo de que ICE vaya a detenerlos para deportar a sus familias.”

“Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act”

On February 25, ordinances 2025-0147 and 2025-0138 were introduced by Jacksonville City Councilmen Kevin Carrico and Rory Diamond. These ordinances, collectively referred to as the “Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act,” are a full-on assault of immigrant communities in Jacksonville. They propose criminalizing undocumented immigrants, allocating over $76,000 to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) for 25 mobile fingerprinting devices, and further limiting undocumented individuals’ access to city resources. This legislation echoes the reactionary agenda of Trump and DeSantis, who have long sought to criminalize and dehumanize immigrants while expanding the powers of law enforcement.

While the ruling class claims these ordinances are meant to enhance “community safety,” JIRA and other people’s organizations have exposed them for what they truly are: an escalation of terror against immigrants. The proposed legislation grants JSO unchecked authority to collaborate with ICE, conduct pre-arrest fingerprinting based on “suspicion,” and engage in racial profiling at will. These measures do nothing but deepen distrust between law enforcement and the people, discouraging victims and witnesses from reporting crimes or seeking assistance.

The people fight back: JIRA mobilizes at city hall

JIRA’s efforts to oppose these ordinances culminated in a powerful mobilization at the Jacksonville city council meeting on February 25. Community members packed city hall, delivering denunciations of Council Member Kevin Carrico’s proposed “Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act.”

Speakers also called out the city council for its continued prioritization of funding the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) and its billion-dollar jail project, which disproportionately targets and incarcerates oppressed communities. The crowd demanded an end to policies that funnel resources into policing and incarceration while neglecting the needs of working-class residents.

In the face of this grassroots uprising, Council Member Rory Diamond resorted to lies, falsely claiming on local news that the protesters were “paid” participants. This attempt to delegitimize the voices of the people only galvanized JIRA and its allies, who responded with even louder resistance. Diamond’s dismissive rhetoric underscored the disconnect between the city’s leadership and the communities they claim to serve, further exposing the anti-democratic nature of the proposed legislation.

The protest saw participation from a broad coalition of local organizations, including the Jacksonville Community Action Committee, the Jacksonville Palestine Solidarity Network, and the Jacksonville Students for a Democratic Society. Parents, children, elders, students, and labor leaders stood shoulder to shoulder, demonstrating the overwhelming opposition to these racist policies.

Ongoing community presence

JIRA will maintain a continuous presence in the community, organizing mass actions against corrupt politicians and law enforcement agencies while fostering unity among the people. Community members can expect rallies, general body meetings, and community events designed to build solidarity and power. JIRA encourages all Jacksonville residents to stand up, fight back, and take part in building a better society – one where all people are treated with dignity, regardless of immigration status.

For more information about JIRA and its ongoing fight for justice, contact unidosjax@gmail.com.

#JacksonvilleFL #FL #ImmigrantRights #JIRA

Chicago, IL – In the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago, February 28, around 150 students walked out of Sullivan High School to protest against ICE. The students, with support of community groups, were able to have a successful walkout and add to the visible resistance in Chicago.

The Immigrants’ Rights Working Committee of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (IRWC – CAARPR) played a big supporting role in this walkout, helping students with flyering-materials, posters, banners, megaphone, etc. The IRWC met the students outside, alongside other community groups like Rad Rogers Park, Kabataan Alliance, and New Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois Chicago (New SDS at UIC).

“Let us live in peace”

“We will not let you take our families from us. We are now more united than ever. And we are here to resist!” said a senior at Sullivan High School, as they opened for the small rally in front of the building.

“How is this fair? How is any of this fair? Why can’t we pursue our education in peace? Why can’t we live without constant fear and anxiety?” a high school student asked the crowd, expressing the fear that they, and many students with immigrant family members, have since Donald Trump has taken office.

Next, a member of Kabataan Alliance spoke in solidarity with the students at Sullivan and of the fear that Filipino migrants are also feeling under these attacks, stating, “People are scared to say anything about being undocumented. There’s a lot of stigma. We really need to fight against that. It is not our fault that we are forced to migrate from our home countries.” With the United States’ military and economic intervention in the Philippines causing these migrations, there are around 300,000 to 1 million Filipino immigrants who are undocumented in the U.S.

”For the students here who marched out, I want you to know that was brave and what you’re doing right now is powerful. It is right to act in civil disobedience when injustice is happening!” said Gio Araujo from New SDS at UIC in support of the students. They talked briefly about the walkout the New SDS at UIC organized at their university, showing that students everywhere are protesting against ICE in their schools and campuses.

Araujo continued, “We at the New SDS, and right now the Sullivan students, are part of this big movement to build this visible resistance against the reactionary Trump agenda. For many of us, the next four years are gonna be more of this, more of building a movement against racism and reaction in this country.”

Finally, Angel Naranjo of the IRWC ended the rally stating, “This here is what we gotta be doing, resisting. Powerfully and visibly! We need to get more organized and mobilized. We need to ramp it up, we need to turn up the heat!”

Naranjo continued, “Let’s keep it up! Let’s build connections, get in contact, because this fight is not over, it’s only the beginning. From May 1st to May 5th in this city we are going to have a round of protests!” Naranjo hinted at the planned mass May Day demonstrations that the Coalition Against the Trump Agenda (CATA) and the Consejo de Resistencia en Defensa del Inmigrante are preparing for.

Youth under attack!

Chicago has seen the kidnapping of family members and parents of Chicano/Latino youth by ICE. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) have been targeted. Back on January 29, a man in the Little Village neighborhood was kidnapped by ICE, after he and his wife had dropped off their child at school. And most recently, February 26, even outside of CPS, a father was taken outside of the Soto High School/Idar Elementary charter schools.

These attacks on immigrant communities have caused fear, causing an attendance decrease of Chicano/Latino students in CPS schools. The most active young people have understood the need to mobilize and create a visible powerful resistance against these attacks. Break the wave of fear and anxiety with action and resistance. Immigrants and the youth are under attack, the students are ready to stand up and fight back!

#ChicagoIL #IL #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #HighSchool #SDS #NAARPR #IRWC #Feature

Chicago, IL – The congregants at Healing Temple Church on Chicago’s West Side welcomed veteran community organizers to a rally against attacks on their beloved city, on March 1.

150 people came to the church to defend Mayor Brandon Johnson, who, along with several other progressive mayors has been called to testify before racist Republicans in Congress. This is a continuation of the Trump agenda's attacks on Chicago for being a progressive city with strong movement forces.

Billed as a “Sendoff rally for Mayor Johnson,” when the mayor entered the church, it was clear this was a crowd of his supporters.

The crowd raised the roof with a chant made famous in the 1960s on the West Side by Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois Black Panther Party: “all power to the people!” During the 60s, this slogan meant that Black people, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, Native Americans, and the working class in the U.S. are the people, in struggle against the tiny minority referred to today as the billionaires.

Start of a new movement?

Jitu Brown, a new member of the first elected school board in Chicago history, was early among the speakers at the rally. He framed the advances in the history and current characteristics of the struggle here.

A veteran of the Kenwood-Oakland Community Organization (KOCO), Brown is perhaps most well-known for the 34 day Dyett High School Hunger Strike to stop the closing of schools in Black communities during the Rahm Emanuel administration.

Brown reminded us that the ruling class has closed over 160 schools in the Chicago Public Schools system, stating, “They didn’t want to improve public education: they wanted to remove Chicago as a Soul City.” A soul city refers to a city that is a majority Black. In the year 2000, 54% of Chicago public school students were Black. Today only 35% are Black. 47% are Latino, and 70% are low income.

The Dyett Hunger Strike took place in 2015, following Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s closing 50 schools in 2013, mostly in Black neighborhoods.

Standing against anti-immigrant attacks

Brown added, “Today a lot of the energy is anti-immigrant.” From his history being schooled by the Black power movement, he said, “We will not support the oppression of any people.”

Speaking of the history of the Black community struggle for good public schools, Brown went after Brandon Johnson’s enemies, stating, “A lot of the negativity that you are hearing about our mayor are from those people who have been using the city of Chicago as a pig’s trough for decades.”

“It is time for the city to do right by Black and brown people. We’re sitting in a city that has never had an elected school board, now with one.”

“We are in a city that has had privatizers running the city, and through our collective work, we put one of our own on the Fifth Floor.” The fifth floor of City Hall is where the mayor’s office is located.

Referring to Mayor Johnson’s appearance before the Republican-dominated Congress, Brown said, “This is just a little pit stop to let the world know we are building a better Chicago.”

“No matter how loud they bark, they are not going to disrupt what we call the soul of Chicago.”

Mayor Johnson: “Beauty of liberation”

Johnson took the pulpit as the crowd roared support. After speaking about the Republicans he will face in Washington, he said, “It’s important that we honor those that had enough foresight to put measures in place to ensure that the voices of marginalized people would never be squashed by the federal government or law enforcement. There was a brother by the name of James Montgomery, the first Black corporate counsel in Chicago history. He was also the legal counsel for the Black Panther Party.”

The mayor went on to say that “James Montgomery sent a note to Mayor Harold Washington that we should not allow federal agents to run through our city. Nor should we allow them to force local law enforcement to do their job.”

“They understood how the brutality of law enforcement could harm people. Whether you are undocumented or a descendant of slaves, James Montgomery understood that we cannot allow the federal government to suppress or oppress our people.”

Johnson closed his remarks with this: “We’re going to make sure that the roar that comes out of Chicago ignites a movement across America and across the globe. No matter where you’re from, you get to have the beauty of liberation in the city of Chicago.”

“We fight for working people! Are you with me, Chicago?”

The people united can never be defeated

Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR), the lead organizer of the rally, spoke after Mayor Johnson.

“If you consider yourself a Black freedom fighter, engaged in the struggle for the liberation of our people, you cannot be guilty of hating on the immigrants. You cannot fall for the seeds of division planted by Trump and his reactionary minions, that somehow, some way, poor people coming from the south of our borders, seeking asylum; poor people seeking freedom from terror in their own lands, encouraged and supported by our government; that somehow this poses a problem for Black people.”

“This doesn’t pose a problem for us! We got a problem with the same people they have a problem with. We stand united with these people because we share a common oppressor: the billionaires that have always used the tool of racism to divide and conquer.”

Chapman called for support of the Sanctuary City laws that prohibit local law enforcement from engaging in immigration enforcement. “We reject the ideas that immigrants are criminals and deporting them would take the crime rate down.”

“What would take the crime rate down is to deport Trump!”

Black/Latino coalition

About one quarter of the crowd in the church were Latino activists and community members from the nearby Chicano/Mexicano neighborhoods. Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez was one of the Latino activists who joined the rally, representing the 25th Ward of neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village on the Lower West side of Chicago.

Sigcho-Lopez explained, “Chicago is a target. Trump targets us for deportations, but Chicago is also our hope.”

As his three small children gathered around him, Sigcho-Lopez said, “This is why we fight for the quality public education that all our children deserve.”

Sigcho-Lopez called for unity of all working people – Black, Latino, Asian and white – against attacks on immigrants and against the closing of public schools and unionized charter schools like Acero. In addition, last week ICE seized a father dropping off his children at Acero.

What do these two movements of resistance have in common? Sigcho-Lopez said, “The billionaires in DC and the billionaires in Chicago don’t have enough, so they take from the poor.”

“When we see parents being grabbed from their communities, we have to stand for the dignity of our people.”

“There’s no place I would rather be than Chicago, the city of Rudy Lozano and Mayor Harold Washington!” Sigcho-Lopez referred to union organizer and Chicano community leader Rudy Lozano, who supported the election of Harold Washington in 1983. This created for the first time a Black and Latino coalition, making possible the defeat of the white racist Democratic Party and election of Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor.

Chicago Alliance: On to Washington

In support of Mayor Johnson when he appears before the racist Republicans in Congress, Chapman announced, “Black History Month is over, but Black history is still going on, and we’re going to make some today. On the 5th, we’re going to Washington, DC to support our mayor and our city.”

Sigcho-Lopez gave special mention to the role played by CAARPR in organizing the rally. Crystal Gardner, one of the West Side organizers, also said afterward about this rally, “A big shout out to the Chicago Alliance for having the blueprint, vision, mission and base to activate spaces and communities. This is only the beginning, and I look forward to many more!”

#ChicagoIL #IL #OppressedNationalities #AfricanAmerican #ImmigrantRights #BrandonJohnson #CAARPR #NAARPR #CTU

Napa, CA – The month of March began with a powerful display of solidarity in Wine Country, as community members rallied and marched in support of their immigrant neighbors.

On March 1, a sunny Saturday afternoon, the streets of downtown Napa buzzed with tourists sampling wine and fine dining. But cutting through the soft background of jazz music, the chants of “From Napa Valley to LA, immigrants are here to stay!” rang out, demanding attention.

Marching alongside other local organizations, including North Bay CSO, demonstrators made their way down Napa’s busy restaurant-lined streets. Workers stepped out to high-five marchers, offering gestures of support. The procession continued past the Napa Police Department and City Hall before culminating at Memorial Park, overlooking the Napa River.

A CSO member and Napa resident originally from Michoacán, Mexico, reflected on the significance of the march, stating, “Napa is an interesting place with a lot of Trump supporters. Their hate is ridiculous, especially in a land that doesn’t belong to them, it can feel intimidating, but at the same time, it motivates me to be loud and let it be known that immigrants are here to stay.”

She added, “The fact that so many people are marching today makes me feel hopeful. This is why I show up.”

Another CSO member, Xulio Soriano, reminded the crowd of the land’s deeper history, stating, “The Wappo are the original people of this land. They cared for the river and the soil – the same land that makes ‘Wine Country’ so fertile today. I am an immigrant, and I am here to stay!”

Napa Valley is often seen as a playground for the wealthy, a destination for indulgence. But on this day, the community sent a clear message: Wine Country runs on immigrant worker power, and they will not be ignored.

#NapaCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #CSO #NBCSO #Feature

Richfield, MN – Hundreds gathered in Richfield, March 1, for a protest and march to demand an end to the attacks on immigrants and to stand in solidarity with Minnesota immigrant and refugee communities. People showed their strong support through loud chants and a march to city hall. 

Speakers denounced Trump’s attacks on immigrants and promises that deportations will increase. The Department of Homeland Security reports that they have arrested over 20,000 undocumented immigrants since Trump took office, nearly half of who are reported to have no criminal record. Trump is using mass detention and deportation to terrorize immigrants, families and communities. 

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) with endorsements from many local immigrant rights groups including Minnesota Immigrant Movement (MIM), Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) MN, and Asamblea de Derechos Civiles. 

MIRAC member Miguel Hernandez, who grew up in Richfield, thanked the local immigrant community, stating that immigrants “built up Richfield when businesses were closing 20 years ago. You can’t go one mile without running into some type of immigrant business.”

The group ended in front of several immigrant-owned businesses. Organizers spoke to the negative impact the administration has had on local businesses, encouraging protesters to buy from immigrant-owned restaurants and shops to keep the community thriving even under the racist threats of the Trump administration. 

MIRAC will continue mobilizing in the streets to fight against attacks on immigrants in Minnesota, including on May 1, to celebrate International Workers Day. More information to come on that protest and more will be on all social media platforms under the username MIRACMN.

#RichfieldMN #MIRACMN #MIRAC #Immigration #NoMoreDeportations #NiUnaMas #CAIR #Refugee #Trump #ImmigrantRights

Arlington, TX – On February 26 students gathered to demand an end to deportations and for the protection of immigrants. The event brought attention to ICE presence around the UTA campus. The protest was hosted by UTA Progressive Student Union with support from National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression – Dallas and Austin SDS, each of whom brought out a speaker. The rally also received wide support from the student body.

The message of the organizers was clear as chants of “No ICE in our state” and “Immigrants are welcome here” rang out across the library plaza. The students proved that power was in their hands, and they were going to use it to fight. Despite attempts by several cowardly administrators to shut down the rally, the students stood strong and admin slithered away.

Luca Reyes, the president of Austin SDS, drove over four hours to speak at this event. Reyes stated, “Not just as activists but as human beings we have the duty to say that no human being is illegal on stolen land.”

Speeches were also made by a member from the UT Arlington PSU and Justin Bent from NAARPR Dallas who each shared Luca’s message and energy.

Student organizers vow to fight until UTA administration recognizes the rights of its students on campus and provides sanctuary for all.

#ArlingtonTX #TX #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights

Denver, CO – On February 25, a collaboration between the Colorado Immigrants Rights Coalition (CIRC) and Aurora Unidos Community Service Organization (AUCSO),helped mobilize over 300 people from across Colorado for a general assembly hearing on an anti-immigration bill, SB25-047, in the Denver state capitol building.

Before the hearing, there was a rally outside facilitated by Aurora Unidos CSO and Freedom Road Socialist Organization that included the chants of “Legalization for all,” “No raids, no fear, immigrants are welcomed here” and “When Trumps says go back, we say fight back!”

Yoselin Corrales of AUCSO said the bill would do “irreparable harm to our immigrant families, friends and neighbors. Senate Bill 47 would make it easier for local police to collaborate with federal immigration enforcement. Having police act as ICE agents erodes trust amongst immigrant neighbors and makes our communities much more unsafe.”

Corrales continued, “A lot of people believe this bill is dead on arrival, but I think we have learned that we can’t always trust our elected officials to act on behalf of the best interests of their constituents. It's important to show up today, make our voices heard, and then continue to show up to remind them that we are watching them, and that we will hold them accountable!”

Nels Pine, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, told the crowd, “At the core of this growing immigrant rights movement are Chicanos, Mexicanos and Central Americans. These communities are concentrated in and around the oppressed Chicano Nation in the Southwest and are overwhelmingly working class and most willing to fight. At the same time, we need to unite with everyone targeted by the Trump administration, from Haitians to Venezuelans. No to deportations! Que viva La Raza! Chicano power!”

In the hearing, there were testimonies from people who supported the bill and people who were against the bill. Nearly all the testimonies in support came from sheriffs, commissioners and police officers. However, these supporters of the bill were far outnumbered by the hundreds who showed up in opposition.

One mother spoke of the anxiety and terror she felt when she and her husband were “pulled over by the police and questioned whether we were legal citizens, but because we had our documents at home the police detained us for five days!” During this time, she was only able to contact her children via a telephone where they were being detained. This was just one story of dozens like it that were told.

The hearing lasted nearly seven hours, with the overwhelming majority of the testimonies opposing the bill, resulting in a 3 – 2 vote against it. As the crowd exits the capital, some people chanted, “¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!”

#DenverCO #CO #ImmigrantRights #CIRC #AUCSO

Detroit, MI – On Wednesday, February 26, over 30 students, faculty, and community members marched at Wayne State University to defend DEI institutions and demand ICE is kicked off campus. The protest was planned in the wake of a series of emails sent by Wayne State administration, where they did not promise to protect students if ICE appeared on campus, and they stated that they would comply with Donald Trump’s executive orders regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.

The walkout was organized by Wayne State Students for a Democratic Society in coordination with the National Students for a Democratic Society call for a week of action. The Latinx Law Students Association, MI Students Dream, and All Together Campus Ministry were amongst the endorsing student organizations.

A student of the Latinx Law Students Association began the march by chanting, “No fear, not hate, no ICE at Wayne State.” This fed into two speeches that spoke on the importance of defending immigrant students from ICE and defending DEI institutions, courses and scholastic opportunities.

Jo Pico of Students for a Democratic Society admonished Wayne State’s President Espy and the board of governors, saying they have “normalized Trump’s culture of fear and hate,” by “rolling over without a fight every time Trump and his administration asks.”

While the demonstrators were preparing to march, a Wayne State police officer pulled up and demanded they stop using their megaphone. This was preceded by a last-minute email from the associate dean of students, who tried to get Students for a Democratic Society to cancel their march, despite the march being within the bounds of the school’s new policies regarding free speech on campus. After this interaction with the police, the students began to march around campus and the administration building. In drizzling rain, they chanted statements like, “DEI is here to stay, Donald Trump, go away!” and “Protect our education, stop the deportations!”

This was the first protest to protect immigrant students on Wayne State campuses since Donald Trump took office. Despite the fact that over 60% of the students at Wayne are oppressed nationalities , the university has already conceded to the President’s attacks. The students of Wayne State have shown that they will not allow their university to represent the interests of Trump’s racist and reactionary agenda.

#DetroitMI #MI #StudentMovement #ImmigrantRights #SDS

Portland, OR – On Sunday, February 23, Portlanders gathered at Terry Schrunk Plaza early afternoon to stand against Donald Trump, his most recent attacks on immigrants, and the escalated ICE repression happening throughout the country.

Despite the heavy rain, a couple hundred protesters came out to stand with immigrants and march through downtown Portland, demanding legalization for all, and an end to deportations.

Cass Cano, a member of Portland Contra las Deportaciones, told the crowd, “The United States isn’t the victim of immigration, it is immigrants that are victims of the United States. Their homes have been devastated by U.S. imperialism. Homes that would be much better places to live in if the United States would end their plunder of the world! That is why we demand legalization for all and an end to deportations!”

Latinos Unidos Siempre (LUS), a youth-led organization from Salem, also spoke at the rally. LUS is currently campaigning against Salem Keizer School District’s implementation of “YONDR” pouches, a magnetized phone pouch meant to lock student’s access to their cell phone, even during break times and lunch. This greatly affects immigrant children and families, restricting them from reporting immigration enforcement activity and checking in on their families. LUS demands an end to the “YONDR” phone pouches program and the reinvestment of those funds into emergency response resources for immigrant families.

Other organizations that spoke at the rally were Portland for Palestine (P4P) and Students for a Democratic Society at Portland State University (SDS). Mutaz Alshawa (P4P) drew parallels between the Israeli abduction of children in Palestine and the violent separation of families by ICE here in the United States. Finn Cunningham (SDS) spoke on the importance of fighting for the safety and protection of immigrants on campus, directly challenging Trump’s authorization of ICE raids in schools.

Holly Brown, of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), stated, “We demand political power for the oppressed, which includes our immigrant brothers and sisters!” FRSO is a national group of revolutionaries fighting for socialism and national liberation in the United States.

After the program, the crowd took the streets and marched through downtown, with chants like Chants like “¡El pueblo unido, jamás será vencido!” and “No fear, no raids, no ICE in our state!” People looked out of their homes and waved in support and other observers joined the march. People honked and raised their fists out their windows in solidarity as they drove by. The people weathered the constant downpour and strong winds, the energy was high from beginning to end.

There was heavy police presence during and after the demonstration and march. They circled the demonstration before and during speeches. During the march, a cop riding their bicycle on the sidewalk ran into a protester in a wheelchair. One police officer drove a motorcycle toward an organizer wearing a reflective vest as she blocked traffic from entering the intersection while the march passed through. This officer on the motorcycle hit the organizer. Luckily, she is unharmed. The officer did not apologize but threatened the organize with citations while she was protecting the crowd from oncoming cars.

Shortly after the protest, two vehicles that helped keep the march safe were pulled over and given citations, away from the crowd. The fines totaled well over $2000.

“A march is an exercise of our First Amendment rights against political repression. The usage of traffic citations to deter us from taking the streets is a demonstration that the cops do not care about protecting our rights or the safety of the public,” said Simon McGrath.

The Portland Police Bureau's revamped “Public Order Team” was out in force. Officers on this team received a 6% salary increase, costing the city an extra $380,000 annually. The increased spending and presence is a direct reaction to the expected resistance of the new presidential administration. A new police oversight board was approved in 2020, meant to replace the current police accountability body. After being scaled back in 2023, members of the new board are set to be chosen this year.

The organizers are committed to fighting the citations and seeking justice for the harassment exerted by Portland police. The Portland Contra las Deportaciones, with help from Portland for Palestine, organized the rally and march. Other endorsements included Students for a Democratic Society at Portland State University, Latinos Unidos Siempre, Abolish ICE PDX, and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

#PortlandOR #OR #ImmigrantRights #LUS #PCD #P4P #SDS #FRSO #LUS

San José, CA – El domingo 9 de febrero, el Comité de Inmigración de Silicon Valley, junto con más de 200 miembros de la comunidad, realizó una protesta y una marcha en contra de la agenda del presidente Trump y el reciente aumento de actividad de ICE en Eastside San José.

La acción – realizada en Eastside San José (ESSJ), lo cual es una comunidad compuesta por chicanos y latinos – fue parte de la Semana de Acción de la Red de Legalización Para Todos.

La protesta empezó con consignas dirigidas hacia ICE y Trump, seguidas por un breve programa de oradores.

Uriel Magadaleno del Comité de Inmigracion de Silicon Valley habló sobre la presencia de ICE en Eastside, comentó, “Es a través de la lucha del pueblo y el movimiento popular que resistiremos a Trump y las instituciones racistas que él intentará usar y atacarnos. Necesitamos formar comités de defensa en nuestros vecindarios.”

“Necesitamos proteger a nuestra comunidad inmigrante de ICE,” continuó Magdaleno. Comentó a continuación acerca de la actividad de ICE en ESSJ, llamando a un boicot contra la tienda Target en la esquina de Story y King para “exigir que dejen de colaborar con ICE, permitiendo que se estacionen en su estacionamiento.”

Ese sitio de Target ha sido el punto focal de recientes marchas en ESSJ, ya que ha permitido que ICE lleve a cabo operaciones detrás de la tienda y en su estacionamiento.

Cesar Ruiz de Agenda Humana habló sobre la importancia de organizar a los jóvenes y cómo tenía orgullo de ver “estudiantes de preparatoria realizar paros estudiantiles para los derechos de los inmigrantes” en las últimas semanas. También contó cómo estuvo involucrado en las Mega Marchas del Primero de Mayo de 2006. Ruiz continuó enfatizando la importancia del Primero de Mayo y la lucha por los inmigrantes y los trabajadores, diciendo, “Estamos aquí por el largo plazo, estamos aquí para luchar, estamos aquí para ganar.”

Las Mega Marchas de May Day de 2006, también conocidas como, “Un día sin inmigrantes,” fueron en respuesta a un proyecto de ley propuesto en el Congreso, HR 4437. Este proyecto, también conocido como el Acto de Protección de la Frontera, Antiterrorismo y Control de Inmigración Ilegal de 2005, habría convertido en felones a cualquier persona indocumentada y a quienes les brindaran ayuda

Veronica Ibanez de Papeles Para Todos habló sobre por qué es tan importante organizar por los derechos de los inmigrantes, y sobre todo de los indocumentados, explicó, “Yo he vivido aquí por 25 años, y no he podido regresar a mi país de origen, mis padres ya fallecieron y no pude estar allí.” Ibanez continuó, “Eso es por qué sigo luchando por los derechos de los inmigrantes, porque tenemos el derecho de visitar nuestro país de origen y regresar a casa.”

Los manifestantes marcharon de la Plaza de Herencia Mexicana, un monumento en Eastside San José, hasta la esquina de Story y King, un sitio conocido por ser el punto de partida de las Mega Marchas del Primero de Mayo de 2006. Durante la marcha, manifestantes corearon, “Abajo, abajo la deportación, arriba, arriba la inmigración” y “¡San José, escucha, estamos en la lucha!”

Al alcanzar la esquina de Story and King, la marcha continuó hacia el Target dentro de la plaza en la intersección. Mientras los manifestantes pasaban por delante, gritaron, “¡Target, escucha, estamos en la lucha!”

Después de concluir las consignas contra Target, los participantes se reunieron en la esquina de Story y King y continuaron con la manifestación.

Magadeleno concluyó la acción diciendo a la gente presente que ahora es más importante que nunca organizarse y que debemos construir un frente unido en contra de Trump.

#SanJoseCA #CA #ImmigrantRights #SVIC #L4A #PPT