Speak Out Against Raids on Immigrant Workers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Contact:

Boston May day Coalition
Sergio Reyes
617-290-5614
info[at]bostonmayday.org
www.bostonmayday.org


Speak Out Against Raids on Immigrant Workers

Friday, January 25, 2008 - 4pm-6pm
In front of the J.F.K. Building, Government Center, Boston


Boston, Mass., January 10, 2008 – The Boston May Day Coalition attended the seventh World Social Forum convened in Nairobi, Kenya in January of 2007. The delegation distributed and presented a proposal seeking transnational unity in the struggle for migrant workers rights. This international event provided the opportunity for the delegates to establish contact with the many activists who were working in their respective nations on issues regarding repression against migrant workers and related issues, similar to the BMDC work here in the USA.

The International Council of the World Social Forum has agreed that instead of convening its eighth World Forum this year (2008), it will conduct a global week of action ending on January 26. In view of the USA’s war against immigrant workers and particularly “undocumented” workers, The Boston May Day Coalition must respond to the vicious character of recent raids in the state of Massachusetts. The first massive raid was conducted almost a year ago (in March 2007) by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Bedford. More desolation and raids in the cities of Nantucket, Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, Somerville and most recently Milford followed this initial raid. The Boston May Day Coalition denounces what appears to be a media strategy to justify ICE raids as a search for “criminals”. The Boston May Day Coalition denounces and condemns all ICE raids against immigrants and calls upon people not to be deceived by this strategy.

The BMDC will demonstrate its global solidarity with migrant workers and express its dismay with the failed system of human rights in the USA. The BMDC will also denounce the anti immigrant sentiment projected by the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates as well as the continued repression against undocumented workers. The reality is that approximately 12 million undocumented workers contribute to the wealth of this country and their countries of origin and yet are perceived as criminals.

The BMDC affirms that no worker is illegal and demand that the USA government stop the raids and deportations of these workers, and recognize them as productive contributors to our society and welcome them! The time is NOW to embrace our fellow workers, welcome them into our labor unions and communities.

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PARA DISTRIBUCION INMEDIATA

PROTESTA CONTRA LAS REDADAS DE TRABAJADORES EMIGRANTES

Viernes, 25 de enero de 2008, 4pm-6pm
Frente al edificio federal J.F.K, Government Center, Boston


Boston, Mass., 10 de enero de 2008. La Coalición Primero de Mayo de Boston (CPMB) asistió al Séptimo Foro Social Mundial en Nairobi, Kenia en enero del 2007. La delegación distribuyó y presentó una propuesta para buscar la unidad transnacional en la lucha por los derechos de los trabajadores migrantes. Este evento internacional le dio la oportunidad a nuestros delegados para contactar a muchos activistas que trabajan en sus respectivos países contra la represión de los trabajadores migrantes de igual manera que la CPMB lo hace acá en los Estados Unidos.

El Consejo Internacional del Foro Social Mundial acordó que en vez de convenir el Octavo Foro Social Mundial este año 2008, se llevará a cabo una semana global de acción que culminará el 26 de enero. Tomando en consideración la continua guerra contra los emigrantes y en particular los trabajadores migrantes indocumentados, la CPMB responderá en protesta a los ataques recientes en el estado de Massachussets. La primera redada masiva tuvo lugar casi un año atrás, en marzo del 2007, contra trabajadores en New Bedford. La policía de inmigración y aduanas (ICE) continuó las redadas en Nantucket, Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, Somerville y recientemente en Milford. La CPMB denuncia la nueva estrategia de ICE para justificar las redadas. Cada ataque contra los emigrantes ahora se presenta como un operativo para arrestar 'criminales'. La CPMB condena todas las redadas de ICE contra los emigrantes y llama al pueblo a no dejarse engañar por esta estrategia.

La CPMB, de igual manera, expresa su solidaridad con todos los emigrantes victimizados en el mundo y repudia el fallido sistema en los EE.UU. que lo lleva a violar los derechos humanos de los trabajadores migrantes y sus familias. Igualmente denunciamos la propaganda anti-inmigrante proyectada en la campaña presidencial por parte de republicanos y demócratas. La realidad es que cerca de 12 millones de trabajadores indocumentados contribuyen con creces a la riqueza de este país y sus países de origen y sin embargo son catalogados como criminales.

La CPMB afirma que ningún trabajador es ilegal y demanda que el gobierno de los Estados Unidos pare las redadas de estos trabajadores y les de reconocimiento como seres humanos productivos en la sociedad. De tal manera, en vez de perseguirlos se les debe dar la bienvenida! Es tiempo ya que los reconozcamos como compañeros de trabajo, y les demos acogida en nuestras uniones y en nuestras comunidades.

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Sign the on-line petitions to:

1. Stop the Raids and Deportations, and
2. Demand that the U.S. sign the UN Convention on Migrant Workers Rights

Please go to http://www.bostonmayday.org

Protest ICE Raids!

PROTEST ICE RAIDS IN CHELSEA, A SANCTUARY CITY
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 - 6 PM
CHELSEA CITY HALL - 500 BROADWAY STREET, CHELSEA, MA

Twice in one month ICE police and other forces have raided immigrants in the City of Chelsea, Massachusetts after its city council proclaimed it sanctuary city on June 4. The first raid took place on August 8 at the parking lot of the Market Basket. Then ICE explained they were going after criminal elements trafficking in falsified documents. They detained about 30 brazilian people, and released seven names to the press.

The second raid was larger and included Chelsea, but also extended to East Boston, Everett, Lynn, Revere and Somerville. This time they justified their operation as going after members of the infamous Mara Salvatrucha gang, composed mostly of Salvadoran nationals. ICE however has declared to The Globe on 9/1 that the nationality of the 36 people in detention can be traced to El Salvador, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. They also say that they cannot release their names because they were all detained not for criminal charges but for immigration reasons.

Something is not right here and we must confront this irregular situation that spreads fears and panick in our neighborhood and demand that ICE gets out of our communities. We also must demand that Chelsea city officials and the police in particular respect the democratic ordinance passed by the City Council.

The following elements from the resolution are absolutely clear and must be respected:

* Immigration raids that spread fear and break-up families are not warranted or wanted in Chelsea.

* Sanctuary Cities promote a community as a safe haven for refugees and immigrants who are currently residing in that community from other countries.

STOP THE RAIDS!
STOP THE CRIMINALIZATION OF MIGRANT WORKERS!
STOP THE WAR ON IMMIGRANTS!
UPHOLD THE SANCTUARY CITY STATUS IN CHELSEA!
LET'S MAKE BOSTON A SANCTUARY CITY!
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More info: http://bostonmayday.org

When one's life isn't worth the trouble

When one's life isn't worth the trouble

Immigrants have died while in U.S. custody, some because jailers denied them medical treatment.

Even hardliners who wish to round up all 12 million illegal immigrants and ship them back from where they came wouldn't, we hope, want to kill any in the process.

Yet immigrants have died in administrative custody because their jailers failed to provide medication or doctors. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently disclosed 62 people have died in the past three years, far more than the 20 previously known deaths.

While ICE hasn't released information about the deaths, The New York Times learned the circumstances of three of the people -- two of whom perished in Virginia prisons.

Neither Sandra M. Kenley nor Abdolai Sall represent the stereotypes that spring to mind when people talk about illegals. Kenley, a legal permanent resident for 30 years, was detained after returning to the U.S. from a visit to Barbados on two old drug-related convictions that made her subject to exclusion. Sall was arrested during an immigration interview because of an old paperwork snafu.

Both told authorities they had serious health problems and pleaded for their medication.

Deaths from medical neglect aren't supposed to occur in U.S. prisons.

In fact, ICE detention standards state that detainees will undergo a medical exam soon after arrest. Only no one checks to see if the mosaic of public and private jails, prisons and detention centers follow the suggested guidelines.

The Senate, faced with mounting reports of deaths and abuses of detainees, unanimously agreed to amend the current immigration bill and establish an office of detention oversight within the Department of Homeland Security.

Now even that paltry gesture is as dead as the immigration bill and as dead as Kenley and Sall.

This country, under President Bush, has ceded its long-held moral high ground on human rights, a trade-off the administration was willing to accept in its ill-fought "war on terror."

Once one category of people is considered unworthy of humane treatment, it becomes easier to devalue the next group and ignore Sandra Kenley's pleas for her blood pressure medication. She was, after all, an immigrant, even if a legal one.

Who's next?

http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/wb/xp-123425