A couple Virginia activist friends of mine have participated in a public act of protest to draw attention to the treatment of immigrants. Below is a press release for their provocative action which has received a good deal of media attention. For those who want to learn more about the motives of a couple white Virginians who chose to cross the us/them divide and stand in solidarity with Hispanic immigrants, please check out the media coverage and/or listen to the Weekly Sedition show that was on WRIR 97.3. Maybe you're asking "who are they and why are they here?" This public action may not give direct aid to the undocumented, but I hope it will encourage others to think deeper about a polarizing issue that has both parties scapegoating Latin-American people for political gain.
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For Immediate Release
April 22nd
CONTACT:
Virginia Leavell
virginia@mexicanossinfronteras.org
202-674-0900
www.thepeopleunited.org
Virginia Activists Illegally Cross U.S. /Mexico Border and Immigration Checkpoint
Two Virginia immigrant justice activists completed their trek crossing from Mexico into the United States illegally Monday afternoon, April 21st. Upon reaching Arivaca Road, forty miles north of the border, Jeff Winder and Sue Frankel-Streit approached a Border Patrol highway checkpoint with a banner that read "From Virginia to Mexico, Open Borders and Justice for All!" The trekkers strung shoes and other belongings left behind by migrants to the
bottom of the banner.
Border Patrol officers did not attempt to stop them or inquire about their citizenship at the checkpoint. Winder added, "Where people of color are routinely stopped, interrogated, and searched, we walked through without confrontation."
Ricardo Juarez, coordinator of Mexicans Without Borders in Virginia, says that the organization endorsed the action to, "focus attention on the reasons why people are forced to cross the border in search of jobs and survival."
Winder, also an organizer with The People United, says he hopes that for communities back in Virginia the action, "exposes the reality of a borderwhere products move freely through ports of entry all day while human beings die in the desert. A militarized border and anti-immigrant policy do not make us safe; our safety will come when the vast disparities of wealth and power represented by trade policies like NAFTA are eliminated."
In light of anti-immigrant policy, such as the resolution passed in Prince William County, Virginia, requiring police to verify documentation for anyone under suspicion for having committed a crime, and limiting county services to citizens, Frankel-Streit says that the action, "has raised the awareness of thousands of new people about the harsh reality of the border crossing, the roots of immigration, and will help us engage in dialogue about how to build stronger and more diverse communities."
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Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label immigration. Show all posts
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition
If you are tired of seeing the important politics of our state hijacked by fear-mongering anti-immigration campaigns, here's a chance to take a stand: Join the Virginia Immigrant People's Coalition.
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Dear Friends,
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition was founded to organize an effective community response to the anti immigrant policies and bills that are being proposed at the Virginia General Assembly.
The coalition is a collective effort of grassroots immigrant organizations and individuals working in Virginia including Madre Tierra, Virginia Justice Center, Woodbridge Workers Committee, Immigrant Solidarity Network of Charlottesville, Making a Difference Foundation, Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and The People United.
The VIP Coalition would like to acknowledge the organizations and individuals throughout Virginia and across the United States who work tirelessly to support human rights and dignity for all people. We respect and honor the work that you have been doing in your community. It is with this in mind that we reach out to you during this very disturbing time. We ask you to join us in the Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition, to stand up against the tidal wave of anti-immigrant activity sweeping
the state and the nation.
We will gather in Richmond on February 11th to lobby and protest against the dozens of inhumane and mean-spirited bills being introduced which would strip the immigrant community of basic human dignity and criminalize families, children, students, families, and churches and community groups that provide support. We are also protesting the upsurge in racist ordinances attacking immigrants and human dignity in general, including the use of housing ordinances against immigrant families, the use of school children to target immigrant families, and the use of local police
to enforce federal immigration laws.
The VIP Coalition will be joined by a number of church, labor, Native American, African American, civil and human rights groups.
STRATEGY MEETING THIS SATURDAY
The VIP Coalition invites you to participate in the Regional Immigrant Peoples Solidarity Gathering. On Saturday, January 19th the VIP Coalition and many other groups and individuals will meet to organize a political strategy and build an action plan that will include the Immigrant Day of Action at the VA Assembly and other initiatives. The meeting will take place at St Augustine Catholic Church of Richmond, 4400 Beulah, Richmond, VA 23237 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Organizations or individuals wishing to endorse or participate in the actions are asked to contact:
Jeff Winder: (434)906-0421, info@thepeopleunited.org
Ricardo Juarez: (571) 288-9903, Ricardo@mexicanossinfronteras.org
For more info, you can also visit this page on internet, click on the link below or copy and paste into your browser:
http://www.mexicanossinfronteras.org/virginia_asamblea_general_2008/index.htm
As Dr. King wrote, “We are all tied up in an inescapable network of mutuality.” We appreciate your support and look forward to working more closely with you.
In Solidarity,
Ricardo Juarez Nava
General Coordinator – Mexicanos sin Fronteras (Mexicans Without Borders)
on behalf of The Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition
----------------
Dear Friends,
The Virginia Immigrant People’s Coalition was founded to organize an effective community response to the anti immigrant policies and bills that are being proposed at the Virginia General Assembly.
The coalition is a collective effort of grassroots immigrant organizations and individuals working in Virginia including Madre Tierra, Virginia Justice Center, Woodbridge Workers Committee, Immigrant Solidarity Network of Charlottesville, Making a Difference Foundation, Mexicanos Sin Fronteras and The People United.
The VIP Coalition would like to acknowledge the organizations and individuals throughout Virginia and across the United States who work tirelessly to support human rights and dignity for all people. We respect and honor the work that you have been doing in your community. It is with this in mind that we reach out to you during this very disturbing time. We ask you to join us in the Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition, to stand up against the tidal wave of anti-immigrant activity sweeping
the state and the nation.
We will gather in Richmond on February 11th to lobby and protest against the dozens of inhumane and mean-spirited bills being introduced which would strip the immigrant community of basic human dignity and criminalize families, children, students, families, and churches and community groups that provide support. We are also protesting the upsurge in racist ordinances attacking immigrants and human dignity in general, including the use of housing ordinances against immigrant families, the use of school children to target immigrant families, and the use of local police
to enforce federal immigration laws.
The VIP Coalition will be joined by a number of church, labor, Native American, African American, civil and human rights groups.
STRATEGY MEETING THIS SATURDAY
The VIP Coalition invites you to participate in the Regional Immigrant Peoples Solidarity Gathering. On Saturday, January 19th the VIP Coalition and many other groups and individuals will meet to organize a political strategy and build an action plan that will include the Immigrant Day of Action at the VA Assembly and other initiatives. The meeting will take place at St Augustine Catholic Church of Richmond, 4400 Beulah, Richmond, VA 23237 from 10 am to 5 pm.
Organizations or individuals wishing to endorse or participate in the actions are asked to contact:
Jeff Winder: (434)906-0421, info@thepeopleunited.org
Ricardo Juarez: (571) 288-9903, Ricardo@mexicanossinfronteras.org
For more info, you can also visit this page on internet, click on the link below or copy and paste into your browser:
http://www.mexicanossinfronteras.org/virginia_asamblea_general_2008/index.htm
As Dr. King wrote, “We are all tied up in an inescapable network of mutuality.” We appreciate your support and look forward to working more closely with you.
In Solidarity,
Ricardo Juarez Nava
General Coordinator – Mexicanos sin Fronteras (Mexicans Without Borders)
on behalf of The Virginia Immigrant Peoples Coalition
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