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August 27 2004 SpeakOut! Immigrant Voting Rights Campaign Street Vendors Struggle Day Laborers Struggle The War Wackenhut Detainees Hunger Strike Immigrant Detention Immigrants in US Politics Fundamental Rights With music by FREE FOOD by MC/DJ by Artists & Activists United for Peace Initial Schedule for the August 27 Immigrant Workers Speak Out! 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
9:15 PM - 9:45 PM
The Immigrant Solidarity Network gathers from leading Immigrant Rights sources such as the ACLU, CHRI, NIF, AILA, CAIR, MALDEF, MPAC, SEIU, AFSC and other sources and creates a monthly digest -- the Bulletin -- with 'point and click' action items and information for further distribution by local groups and individuals all over the nation. From legislative letter-writing campaigns to speakers bureaus and educational materials, ISN will keep your local network in touch and ready to join the critical campaigns that are moving toward Justice for all. Information about the National Immigrant Solidarity
network June 2004 U.S. Immigrant Alert! Newsletter New! In this issue:
Immigrant
Solidarity News
more
stories from Know Your Rights when you are questioned by the police, FBI, INS, or any other law enforcement agents Trainings and Wallet-Sized Palm-Cards (Spanish, Arabic, English and Urdu) are available from the Know Your Rights Committee of CHRI. (Backs of cards list places to call for legal assistance,finding a lawyer, and other resources) You have these rights in the USA Say you want to see a lawyer. You do not have to sign any paper without a lawyer with you. You do not have to let the police, FBI, INS or anyone else come into your house without a "warrant" (special paper froma judge). Tell your roommates not to let them in without a warrant. You do not have to answer any questions about your immigration.
Defending Immigrant Rights, a 150 page Activist Resource Kit from Political Research Associates outlines how to:
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Translation to Arabic | Translation to most European Languages Friday August 27, 2004 A day of immigrant workers and community activists
gathering to speak out the Issues
On the first day of the mobilization to protest the Bush Agenda at the Republican National Convention in New York City, 500 people attended the Speak Out! organized by the Immigrant Solidarity Network. The program was designed to lift the voices of grassroots Immigrant organizations and workers, raising awareness of the many varied issues and struggles being led from within immigrant communities themselves. Speakers from Latino, South Asian, Muslim, Asian and African communities came together to relate news from their struggles. One of the goals of the conference was to bring the disparate focuses of many groups into a forum that would emphasize unity and promote the development of strategic action for all immigrant groups to share in the coming years. Another goal was to present the specific information about "on the ground" immigrant struggles to the mostly foriegn policy oriented activists who make up the non-immigrant and non-people of color "left." Many people who came to listen commented on the value of the day and expressed an appreciation for the event, reflecting that there is a need for this type of community and movement-building work. Over 30 grassroots groups participated or endorsed the event. Speakers and tables from these groups provided a broad slice of the experience of Immigrants in post-911 US. Organizers are looking forward to moving forward in the future with the idea of a national stategy conference in which grassroots groups from all regions of the US could meet and develop a common stategy for increasing their political power and securing the goals of legalization, justice and a life free from discrimination and racism. Immigrant Solidarity Network joined in two marches/demonstrations on Monday, August 30. The Marches - Still We Rise's Poor Peoples' March and the Poor Peoples' Economic Human Rights Campaign March For Our Lives - focused on redressing injustices and the negative domestic effects of US policies that have spread war and neo-liberal colonialism around the world. Photos from the Aug 27 Speak Out! Demands expressed for Immigrants Rights at the Aug 27 Speak Out included: Voting Rights for Immigrants Widely practiced during the first 150 years of U.S. history, immigrant voting is now undergoing a revival across the United States as communities embrace the idea of universal enfranchisement. In more than 20 countries in Europe, immigrants already have voting rights, which they have held for decades. New York City is now home to 1,361,007 immigrants of voting age who are not yet citizens. That means one 1of 5 New Yorkers of voting age can't vote. These city residents are subject to all the laws that citizens must observe. They contribute in countless ways to the economic vitality and social and cultural life of this city that serves as the unofficial capital of the world. No to the Future Special Registration and Immigrant Deportation Although declared “ended” by the Bush administration, according from the National Immigration Forum the special registration didn’t end and it can come back anytime the government wants it to. The "call-in" provisions of the INS Special Registration program require innocent immigrants to report to INS offices to “register”, only to find themselves subjecedt to arbitrary arrest, detention, abuse and possible deportation. Oppose the CLEAR Act This bill requires state and local police to enforce federal, civil immigration laws. Using local police to enforce federal immigration laws conflicts with their primary mission of fighting crime in our communities. Under CLEAR, Domestic violence, gang intimidation and drug activity will likely all increase because when immigrants begin to see local police as agents of the federal government, with the power to deport them or their family members, they are less likely to approach local law enforcement with tips on crimes or suspicious activity. Support the DREAM Act Many undocumented students find colleges and university doors closed to them because of their immigration status after graduation. These are longtime residents of this country who have grown up and have made the United States their home. Thus, many students are forced to abandon their dreams and hopes of a career. By supporting the DREAM Act, we are investing in communities that would eventually benefit from the careers that these students are pursuing. Our communities cannot afford to be ignoring these students anymore! Contact Information for Selected Participating/Endorsing Organizations New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) Still We Rise Coalition Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign Proyecto de los Trabajadores Latino Americanos
(PTLA) Coney Island Avenue Project Casa Freehold African Services Committee Asociación Tepayac New York City AIDS Housing Network Artists & Activists United for Peace (AAUP) New York Legal Aid Society Center for Constitutional Rights International Action Center (IAC) Campaign for Labor Rights/Nicaragua Network Center for Immigrant Families Special thanks to all of the above and more for whom we are lacking contact information, but to whom we are indebted for their important contributions to the Speak Out. And special thanks to St Mark's Church, Rev. Frank Morales, Sean, Jimmy, Tylon, Shawana, Shirley, Marc, Arif, Tom, Pamela and Alice for their help and support.
Friday August 27, the day before the RNC Mobilization in New York City we call for a day of immigrant workers and community activists to put minds together and declare: No Immigrant Bashing! Support Immigrant Rights! No To Sweatshops! End The Racism On The Community! National Immigrant Solidarity Network and community, immigrant, human rights and student activist organizations will come together to call August 27 The Immigrant Worker Day of Action and Speak Out as a part of upcoming counter Republican National Convention Mobilization at New York City, August 29 to September 2.
We hope the Speak Out! can achieve a bourgeoning unity among community activists for a campaign strategy on immigrant-labor issues. We need to strengthen the anti-sweatshop campaigns, and the fight against racism. We will further the understanding on how to build a sustainable community campaign for the alternative to state and corporate causing poverty and refugees.
We want people and organizations participating in the Speak Out! help build the national structure for national campaign strategies.
We also hope the Speak Out! can be a model for the anti-globalization movement by creating a the new direction for joining international campaigns with community campaigns, to work with immigrant and student-labor organizations to support domestic immigrant rights campaigns from Mexico, Central and South Americas; and to link local issues to the anti-sweatshops and anti-globalization movements.
We will take back our communities. |
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