[Antiracism] Support New Bedford Immigrant Workers & Families

[Nick Camerota]

Upcoming Activities in Support of New Bedford Immigrant Workers & Their 
Families
======================================
[WMassIAC] IN THIS EMAIL:
1) Immigrant Families in New Bedford need your help
2) March 12: NALACC Press Conference on New Bedford
3) March 13: Rally in Support of the New Bedford Immigrant Workers and Their 
Families
4) March 14: Protest the New Bedford ICE Raid
5) March 15:  National Press Conference in Washington, DC to Announce the 
"Great American Boycott II" on May 1, 2007
======================================
1) BUILD SOLIDARITY: Immigrant Families in New Bedford need your help. 
Please visit the web site of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee 
Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) to find out more about how you help these 
families.  Go to http://www.miracoalition.org 
<http://www.miracoalition.org/>
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2) MARCH 12 - NALACC Press Conference on New Bedford

Text of  MEDIA ADVISORY

Leaders of the Latin American Immigrant CommunityDemand an Immediate Halt to 
ICE Raids and Announce Their Next Actions

Who: National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), 
MA Chapter

Contacts: Patricia Montes: Centro Presente (617) 959 3108
Damaris López: Agencia ALPHA (617) 962 3417
Vilma Gálvez: CCEMA (781) 405 7895

When: Monday 12 March, 11:00 AM

Where: Boston City Hall, Boston, MA - Piedmont Room

What: In the midst of the humanitarian crisis in New Bedford, MA, the Latin 
American immigrant community demands of the President and the Congress an 
immediate moratorium on raids, detentions and deportations until a 
comprehensive immigration reform is approved by Congress.

The actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Bedford, MA 
this past Tuesday, the sixth of March have caused desperation and suffering 
for more than 350 immigrant families. "We do not want more xenophobic and 
repressive measures that do not resolve the conflicts caused by this 
nation's flawed immigration policy. Until there is a comprehensive and just 
reform of immigration policy, the immigrant community will continue being 
criminalized and discriminated against," declared Elena Letona, Executive 
Director of Centro Presente and member of the Executive Committee of NALACC.

"As NALACC, we are mobilizing our members so that they can share their 
experiences with our elected officials in Washington, D.C. What do we need 
to do? What do we need to say, for our humanity to be recognized? We are not 
'illegal aliens,' we are human beings," said Damaris López of Agencia Alpha, 
member of NALACC.

"Our Keep Our Families Together campaign is more relevant than ever, in 
light of this legal framework that dehumanizes and destroys the family unit, 
which is the basis of our society. The pain that hundreds of women and 
children are suffering due to an inhumane policy is unacceptable," affirmed 
Vilma Gálvez of CCEMA. After the press conference a letter will be sent to 
the District Director of ICE that contains the following demands: the return 
of those who were taken out of the State of Massachusetts, the immediate 
release of those detained and a moratorium on further detentions and 
deportations.

###
NALACC is a national alliance comprised of 80 organizations led by 
immigrants from Latin American and the Caribbean who work in the United 
Status to improve the quality of life of their communities. www.nalacc.org 
<http://www.nalacc.org>
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3) A RALLY TO SUPPORT NEW BEDFORD WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES HEAR FROM 
WORKERS AND FAMILIES DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY THE RAID IN NEW BEDFORD.

COME AND SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY!

A GROUP OF MAYAN WORKERS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ORGANIZATION MAYA 
K'ICHE WILL COME TO BOSTON TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE RAID ON THEIR 
COMMUNITY, TO ASK FOR OUR SUPPORT AND TO JOIN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE 
WITH THE LARGER MOVEMENT FOR IMMIGRANT AND WORKER RIGHTS.

LOCATION: Trinity Church
Copley Plaza
206 Clarendon St.
Boston, MA

DATE: Tuesday, March 13th,2007

TIME: 5 PM to7PM

This is the time for members of the Boston community to voice their support 
for the New Bedford workers and tell the US government enough is enough!

_________Please try to bring others with you!________

This event is organized by the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing and 
sponsored by the Immigrant Workers Center Collaborative (Brazilian Immigrant 
Center, Chinese Progressive Association, Centro Presente, Chelsea 
Collaborative and MassCOSH)

For more information call CSIO at (617) 742-5165
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4) PROTEST the New Bedford ICE Raid
Wednesday, March 14 - 4-6:00pm
JFK Federal Building, Boston
initiated by the Boston May Day Coalition

* Release the New Bedford Immigrant Workers!
* Stop the Raids and Deportations!
* Legalization for ALL Immigrants!
* Reunite the Families NOW!

On Tuesday, March 6 hundreds of agents from the Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement (ICE) raided Michael Bianco Inc. in New Bedford, MA arresting 
and detaining approximately 350 immigrant workers, mostly women from 
Guatemala and El Salvador. Over 200 hundred have been sent to detention 
facilities in Texas.

These immigrant workers have been forced to leave their countries because of 
the economic havoc caused by NAFTA, CAFTA and FTA, and are trying to make a 
living and provide food and shelter for their families. Many have children 
who were attending local day centers and schools at the time of the raid. 
These children who are now separated from at least one parent face the 
terror of not knowing what is happening and when their families will be 
reunited. This raid has nothing to do with the working conditions at this 
company. If the government is so concerned about the conditions that 
immigrant workers are forced to endure than they should immediately pass 
legislation protecting their rights. This racist, terrorist raid by federal 
agents and supported by state and local agencies is just the latest attempt 
by the US government to criminalize, scapegoat and force immigrant workers 
and their families into the shadows of society where they can be 
super-exploited with no rights.

It comes as no surprise that the number of raids and the publicity of those 
raids have increased since last years historic demonstrations of millions of 
immigrant workers and their supporters that filled the streets cities and 
towns throughout the country. This year immigrant rights organizations 
throughout the Americas have called for "The Great American Boycott II" to 
take place on May 1, 2007 to demand "Legalization for all Immigrants", "Stop 
the Raids and Deportations", "Protect Workers Rights". For more information 
on May 1st activities please visit
<http://maydaymovement.blogspot.com> maydaymovement.blogspot.com
<http://maydaymovement.blogspot.com>.
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5) March 15 - National Press Conference to Announce the "Great American 
Boycott II" on May 1, 2007

National May 1st Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights
www.maydaymovement.blogspot.com <http://www.maydaymovement.blogspot.com/>
213.995.0694
3303 Wilshire Blvd. 10th Flr. c/o UTLA Los Angeles, California 90010

MEDIA ADVISORY & PHOTO OP
NATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE GREAT AMERICAN BOYCOTT II

No Work * No Economic Activity *No Shopping * No School

MEDIA CONTACTS:
- New York City: Teresa Gutierrez, 917.328.6470/Conference Organizer
- Boston Most Rev. Filipe C. Teixeira OFSJC, 617.816.7795 & Dorotea Manuela 
617.922.5744
- Los Angeles: Javier Rodriguez 323.702.6397
- Northern California: Evelina Molina 707.623.3135
- Detroit: Rosendo Delgado 313.580.5474, Elena Herrada 313.974.0501, Ignacio 
Menesis 313.587.9285

SPEAKERS TO ADDRESS WORKER & IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
WILL DEMAND AN END TO RAIDS & DEPORTATIONS

PLANS FOR THE ONE DAY NATIONAL BOYCOTT & MASS RALLIES ON MAY 1ST , 2007 TO 
BE ANNOUNCED

Immigrants, Labor Activists, Immigrant Rights Groups, Peace Organizations, 
African American Leaders, Latino Organizations, Muslim Leaders and many 
others to announce A Day Of /No Work, No Shopping, No School, No Economic 
Activity /on May 1st 2007 International Workers Day, to demand Congress 
approve fair and pro-immigrant, pro-workers immigration reform and end the 
terror launched by the Bush Administration on immigrant communities nation 
wide.

WHAT: NATIONAL PRESS CONFERENCE
WHO: NATIONAL MAY 1ST MOVEMENT FOR WORKER AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS
WHEN: THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2007
TIME: 1PM
WHERE: NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
529 14TH STREET, NW
WASHINGTON, DC

On Thursday, March 15 in Washington DC dozens of immigrant and worker rights 
activists and leaders will converge at the National Press Club at 1pm. 
Speakers will announce upcoming plans for the Great American Boycott II to 
take place on Tuesday, May 1, 2007. The press conference is organized by the 
National May 1st Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights, a national 
coalition founded in Los Angeles on February 4.

The Great American Boycott II is in response to the growing hostility toward 
immigrant workers in this country and is a continuation of the massive 
marches that occurred last spring that were victorious in defeating HR. 
4437, the Sensenbrenner legislation. The demonstrations also demanded an 
inclusive pro-immigrant reform with legalization for the more than 12 
million undocumented workers and their families in this country.

Labor activists will speak to government policies that are aimed to break 
unions and lower wages and divide U.S. and foreign born workers. Solidarity 
with immigrant workers, documented and undocumented will be emphasized. 
African American leaders will address unity with immigrant workers and talk 
about the history that unites the two communities. Anti-war organizers will 
link the war abroad with the war at home and call on anti-war activists to 
support May 1^st , 2007. Day laborers will speak about the many racist 
attacks taking place and how the Latino community along with supporters is 
fighting back.

On Tuesday, May 1st , 2007 mass demonstrations will take place in cities 
across the country including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, New York City, 
San Antonio, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, 
Rhode Island, and many other cities in an indication of the growing unity 
among U.S. and foreign born workers against a common enemy: the U.S. 
government. Solidarity events with immigrants in the U.S. have been called 
by the workers movements in Venezuela, Mexico and the Philippines.
*******************************************
INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER

Boston:
617-522-6626
iacboston at iacboston.org
http://www.iacboston.org

Springfield:
413-896-5219
wmassiac at hotmail.com

National Office:
212-633-6646
http://www.iacenter.org

TROOPS OUT NOW COALITION
http://troopsoutnow.org

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