Immigrant Communities in Action

2007-05-26T16:09:00.000-04:00

Action Alert: Immigrant Justice Demo on June 2nd, NYC!

Please spread the word! To Endorse, e-mail: immigrantcommunitiesinaction@gmail.com

Did Congress Propose a Legalization Plan or Deportation Plan?

Sen. Schumer, If You Were an Undocumented Immigrant You Too Would Be Deported! Donʼt Vote for The Grand Compromise!

Join Immigrant Communities in Action in delivering a sample order of deportation to Senator Schumer's home in Brooklyn on: Saturday, JUNE 2nd

1pm: Gather at Grand Army Plaza

2/3 to Grand Army Plaza

We demand a real legalization proposal for all of our people. We oppose the STRIVE ACT and the Grand Bargain. We demand Congress start over using the voices of the people and not the politicians!

For more information and statement of our vision for a fair and just immigration policy:

immigrantcommunitiesinaction@gmail.com

http://immigrantcommunitiesinaction.blogspot.com

718-205-3036 / 718-298-5083 (Espanol)

Immigrant Communities in Action Member Organizations: Adhikaar, Audre Lorde Project, CAAAV-Organizing Asian Communities, CENTRO HISPANO "Cuzcatlan", DRUM- Desis Rising Up & Moving, DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association, Domestic Workers United, Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities, Queers for Economic Justice, ROC-NY, Salvadorian American National Network, Ugnayan

Endorsed by: Acción Comunitaria la Aurora, Adalah NY: Coalition for Justice in hte Middle East, Al-Awda - the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, Center for Constitutional Rights, Coney Island Avenue Project, FIERCE!, Guyanese American Workers United, International Socialist Organization, National Immigrant Solidarity Network, NY and NJ Solidarity - Activists for the Liberation of Palestine, Parents in Action, Francis Anderson, NYC Coord. (Progressive Democrats of America)

2007-05-21T21:32:00.000-04:00

American Friends Service Committee & Immigrant Communities in Action PRESS RELEASE, May 21, 2007

NYC Immigrants Tell Clinton and Schumer: The Grand Bargain Equals a Grand Sellout

Queens, NY – Immigrant Communities in Action (ICA) – a multi-ethnic coalition of grassroots immigrant rights groups in New York – is joining other national, regional, and local groups around the country to say NO to the "Grand Bargain". With this week's upcoming vote on the Senate's Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (referring to the bipartisan "Grand Bargain" between Senators and the White House), immigrant communities face one of the most repressive immigration plans in decades: minimal opportunities for immigrant to legalize our status, expanded enforcement at the border and interior, a guestworker program with tougher worksite enforcement and minimal worker protections, as well as devastating cutbacks in family immigration to be replaced with merit-based requirements. Coalition members will hold a press conference and rally at Senator Clinton's office this week, in conjunction with a national media week coordinated by the National Network of Immigrant and Refugee Rights. Date: May 22, 2007 Time: 11 am Location: Outside Sen. Clinton's Office, 780 3rd Ave., between 48th and 49th St. We do not see the so-called “Grand Bargain” as a legalization bill, but rather a “report to deport” system for millions of immigrants that cannot jump over the extremely high hurdles—including a restrictive point system which most community members will not qualify for and which penalizes working class immigrants. The misleading proposal also requires immigrants leaving the US to “touch-back” with no guaranteed right to return as well as having to prove continuous work history. Many of our community members will not qualify due to work and education histories, old age, medical issues including HIV status, and a scarcity of jobs with employer sponsorship, or an inability to fit legal definitions of “family” because of their gender identity or sexuality. "The impacts of this proposal would be devastating on the immigrant communities in New York, with thousands expecting to have the opportunity for permanent status only to enlist in a program resulting in their own deportation," Namita Chad, a member of the Audre Lorde Project stated. Possibly the most contentious part of the plan is the rollback on historic family reunification options for millions of families in the United States. The Grand Compromise eliminates most options for family sponsorships and replaces them with a feeble visitor visa program. Residents will lose the ability to sponsor parents and children who are 18 years or older. "How can other American families stand by while children lose their grandparents and parents are cut off from their own children? While we build the economy for families in this country, we could be completely cut off from our own," states Jennifer Arieta from Centro Hispano “Cuzcatlan”. Any of the feeble “paths” to citizenship will not be available until “interior enforcement,” “employer verification,” and “border security” milestones are in place, which could take years. Additionally, these “security” measures will encourage local and state police to act as federal immigration agents and place thousands of border patrol & ICE agents in communities and worksites, which would make our communities more vulnerable to abuse, racial profiling and harassment and lead to widespread detention and deportation. "Why does this proposal stipulate a capacity to incarcerate 27,000 immigrants a day?" Carolyn H. de Leon-Hermogenes, a member of Domestic Workers United, asked. "It is clear this proposal has nothing to do with communities and everything to do with expanding enforcement and corporate profits for the same companies that are making money from the war in Iraq." Similar to last year’s plans, the Grand Compromise also focuses heavily on enforcement, including doubling the number of Border Patrol agents; adding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to investigate “immigration crimes;” and providing more equipment to militarize the border. Through an extensive community consultation process, Immigrant Communities in Action documented the voices of immigrant communities and created the “People's Platform for Immigration Reform.” Community members want to reunite with their families within a reasonable period; we do not want to wait decades to apply for their “green card” and then more years to become a citizen before we can file a petition for their relatives. We want to protect the rights of all workers – immigrants and native-born. We want a fair path to legalization available to all temporary workers. We want our homes, our workplaces, our cities, and our borders to be safe; we want an end to the human and civil rights crisis and disappearing legal processes. We say no to increasing raids, detention and deportation that tear our families apart, and are paid for with taxpayers’ money. Immigrant communities are in crisis as our families are being torn apart—we desperately need a fair and humane immigration reform that includes a clear and realistic path to legalization and an end to raids, deportations, detentions & excessive policing. # # #

2007-04-30T00:01:00.000-04:00

2007-04-29T23:58:00.000-04:00

MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS DID NOT MARCH LAST YEAR TO SETTLE FOR THE “STRIVE” ACT

The “STRIVE” Act—Security Through Regularized Immigration & Vibrant Economy—was introduced in Congress in March 2007 as a possible solution to our broken immigration system. Allied groups all around the country, including a diverse coalition of grassroots immigrant organizations representing immigrants from dozens of countries in New York City—Immigrant Communities in Action—are standing up against settling for crumbs that will exclude millions of us while subjecting us to detention, deportation and death at the border for decades to come.

THE STRIVE ACT IS NOT A LEGALIZATION BILL: IT IS A “REPORT TO DEPORT” SYSTEM FOR MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS THAT CANNOT MEET PERILOUSLY HIGH HURDLES AND INNUMEROUS BARRIERS TO LEGALIZE BECAUSE, AMONGST DOZENS OF REASONS, WE:

 will not be able to leave the US to “touch-back” since we are not guaranteed the right to return to the US or cannot afford to leave  will not be able to pay thousands in fees, fines, and lawyers costs because so many of us live in extreme poverty as the low-wage backbone of the economy & will not be earning money if the “head” of our households must leave the US  will not qualify because we have penalized by routine violations of the law as part of our work as street vendors or cab drivers, as examples.  will not qualify because we are elderly and have been unemployed  will not be able to demonstrate our work history, even if we have worked, because of uncooperative employers  will not pass medical requirements because of our HIV+ status and current HIV bans & bars  will not fit legal definitions of “family” because of our gender identity or sexuality  will not fit arbitrary date restrictions  will have to go to the “back of the line”—this feeble “path” to citizenship will take decades of further fear and suffering

FOR THESE REASONS, MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS WILL CHOOSE NOT TO RISK APPLYING AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK IN THE SHADOWS AS AN UNDERCLASS OF EXPLOITABLE WORKERS.

THE STRIVE ACT FAILS TO FIX THE BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AND EXPANDS EXPLOITATION OF IMMIGRANTS BY:

-Forcing community members who want to reunite with their families to wait for years to first get a green card and then file petitions for relatives -Imposing excessive employer control on workers through the use of verification databases and penalties for employers which will expand their ability to exploit immigrant workers. -Increasing the numbers of young immigrants in the military by requiring them to register for the army in order to legalize as the only option if they cannot afford tuition for college -Expanding the number of temporary workers who will live in slave-like working conditions and deported for speaking out, without expanding labor protections

THE STRIVE ACT WILL EGREGIOUSLY TEAR OUR FAMILIES APART BY MASSIVELY INCREASING RAIDS, DETENTION AND DEPORTATION BY:

militarizing the border which will produce more deaths—already, over 4,000 have died at the border since 1994—and increase profits for a multi-billion dollar smuggling industry as higher fees are extorted for an even riskier north-ward journey. encouraging local & state police to act as federal immigration agents and placing thousands of border patrol & ICE agents in communities and worksites, making our communities more vulnerable to abuse, racial profiling, harassment and lead to wide scale detention and deportation further criminalizing immigrants for an even longer list of minor offenses that has already led to the mass deportation of over a million green-card holders since 1996 exposing future immigrants to 10-year bars on legalization if they enter without documents after a new law passes expanding expedited deportation which provides no due process protections such as access to a lawyer or hearing before a Judge providing limited civil or human rights protections, basic due process rights, or constitutional safeguards despite a clear history of violations by the Department of Homeland Security

For the above reasons and beyond, we CALL ON CONGRESS TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO CRAFT A REAL SOLUTION

with humane principles at the forefront, as outlined by Immigrant Communities in Action’s “People’s Platform for Immigration Reform” [see our pamphlet or website]. JOIN Immigrant Communities in Action in fighting for a fair legalization for ALL immigrants and a movement to end deportations & detentions—not a law that will hurt us for YEARS to come. Overall, the STRIVE Act indefinitely delays pseudo-legalization until “interior enforcement”, “employer verification” and “border security” milestones are in place, which could take years. Immigrant communities are in crisis as our families are being torn apart—we desperately need legalization & an end to raids, deportations, detentions & policing. The truth about this bill is that it will be VERY difficult to get papers and MORE of us will be at risk of deportation & detention.

2007-04-29T23:54:00.000-04:00

The “Peoples’ Platform for Immigration Reform: Grassroots Voices of Immigrants” is Immigrant Communities in Action's uniquely developed vision for immigrant justice. Our platform was developed through a long-term community consultation & consensus process across diverse immigrant community organizations in NYC, prioritizing the voices of immigrant workers and families who are directly affected by detention and deportation and urgently need legalization. Immediate Legalization: The over 14 million undocumented immigrants in the US deserve a fair, simple, non-punitive and immediate path to legalization. We reject any program that: • Distinguishes amongst immigrants with “tiers”—which will lead to mass deportations • Places undocumented immigrants “at the back of the line,” when we have already contributed to the US for years • Penalizes and places undue burdens on immigrants for past immigration cases, ex: not enrolling in “Special Registration” • Forces immigrants to pay thousands of dollars in fines and fees, penalizing us despite making up the backbone of the economy and living in poverty from low-wage sector jobs • Forces us through bureaucratic hoops that limit our opportunity to legalize, ex: Employer sponsorship, English, and requirements to “touch base”/return home Protecting Our Families, Our Future Global economic pressures continue to force workers to migrate. New immigrants must have opportunities to legalize without requirements that exploit workers. For a lasting solution, new immigration laws must: • Include fair, simple, permanent and non-punitive paths to legalization in any guestworker programs—requiring immigrants to return home without the opportunity to settle or right to change jobs is exploitative and will only create a new class of undocumented workers • Expand fair, simple and non-burdensome legalization provisions for relatives, extended families, and domestic partners so that communities can be reunited and whole • Clear backlogs immediately, which urgently requires that USCIS increase personnel to process new and old applications • Change foreign policy (military, political and economic) which creates global migration, especially to the US End the Human and Civil Rights Crisis At the borders and in our cities, homes and workplaces, immigrants increasingly face expanded detention and deportation which tears our communities apart, in the face of limited legal process. In the name of civil and human rights, the broken immigration system must be repaired to: • Ensure human rights and end the militarization of our borders so that over 400 people do not continue to die every year crossing the border • End the detention system which uses taxpayer money to profit private prison corporations; create humane alternatives to detention • End deportations in order to keep families together • End immigration enforcement practices and its climate of fear; stop religious and racial profiling through the Department of Homeland Security’s collaboration with state, local, and federal police, as well as public agencies • Stop eroding human and civil rights through enforcement and criminalization Fix the Broken Immigration System by Repealing Unworkable, Unjust Laws Decades of unjust immigration laws have created a crisis in immigrant communities, forcing millions of families to separate. Several laws must be repealed or modified: • Implement a moratorium on detentions and deportations during the waiting period for a new legalization program • Repeal the REAL ID Act as unworkable and unfairly targeting immigrants—provide access to drivers licenses for all • Repeal the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which has deported 1.5 million green card holders since 1996 due to minor criminal convictions for which time has been served • End expedited removal, mandatory detention & deportation, and unfair adjudication of immigration claims, which systematically neglect due process • Stop indefinite detention based on the Military Commissions Act, which violates international human rights law • All immigration-related legal processes must ensure due process and a fair trial, including meaningful access to courts, right to counsel, right to know the charge against them, and right to a fair bond. End secret trials, secret detentions, and secret arrests • End selective enforcement of laws, including immigration laws based on race, HIV status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, national origin, religion, speech or belief • Protect right to privacy and right to be free of unreasonable searches and seizures; uphold constitutional limits on surveillance • Repeal naturalization and travel bans for people living with HIV • Humanize the asylum process, and provide refugees with immediate access to social services Full Worker Rights for Immigrants Immigrants, undocumented and documented, deserve full labor rights. Immigration and labor policy must: • Enforce existing labor laws that protect immigrant workers • Repeal employer sanctions (from the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act & others) and punitive electronic worker verification systems • End raids, penalties and restrictions on licensing which hurt formal and informal workers, street vendors, and small, immigrant businesses • Grant equal pay for equal work and stop dividing citizen and immigrant workers by forcing workers to sell their labor to the lowest bidder • End the use of “No-Match” letters, which is a de facto immigration enforcement tool—the IRS and ICE must not collaborate to arrest and cause termination of immigrant workers Immigrants in our Communities Local and State governments must stand up to protect the rights of constituents through active legislation that protects immigrants through non-cooperation with unjust federal laws. City, state or other government agencies must not be used to enforce immigration laws.

2006-08-29T14:56:00.000-04:00

2006-08-29T14:21:00.000-04:00

2006-08-23T15:18:00.000-04:00

ALERT!!!!! ALERT!!!!! the House Judiciary Committee CANCELLED its Field Hearing on August 25th and it will not be rescheduled. Over a hundred people from NYC were set to attend the hearings in upstate NY. NYC voices WILL be heard! Immigrants' voices WILL be heard. WE WILL NOT BE SILENCED!!! As people who live and work in NYC, we must have our VOICES HEARD & EXPOSE the political games & exclusionary tactics being played by Congress. Join us from the heart of the belly of the beast at the New York Stock Exchange in Manhattan on Friday August 25th as we REFUSE TO BE SILENCED & EXCLUDED from the "Democratic Process" BY CONGRESS throughout the legislative debate on immigration reform and demand: NO to a BILL written by electeds who refuse to hear immigrant demands! NO to a BILL that TRADES MORE Detention, Border Militarization & Deportation for WEAK legalization provisions! YES! to full legalization and civil rights for all immigrants! Press Conference & March to Federal Plaza 11 am Friday, August 25th 80 Broadway, Bank of America (Take 4/5 to Wall Street. Exit @ Broadway from Station) More info: immigrantcommunitiesinaction@gmail.com DRUM: 718-205-3036

2006-08-07T15:08:00.000-04:00

SAVE THE DATE! OUTDOOR COMMUNITY COUNTER-HEARING & PRESS CONFERENCE at the site of sham, anti-immigrant House Field "Hearings" to SAY NO TO ENFORCEMENT-ONLY BILLS/COMPROMISES & DEMAND A JUST LEGALIZATION Friday, August 25th 10am UPSTATE: Transpo. leaving NYC at approx. *5am*

SAVE THE DATE! Immigrant Communities in Action is organizing an outdoor counter-hearing & press conference to bring pro-immigrant community voices to the site of a House "Field Hearing" that is being held in Upstate NY on August 25th (exact location TBA). The House Field Hearings, held across the country, are the latest political maneuver by Republicans in Congress to mobilize their conservative base for increased enforcement and against legalization for 14 million undocumented immigrants. These "sham", one-sided hearings centralize the anti-immigrant agenda of Border Patrol, DHS, local police, etc in an effort to counter the power of the historic mobilizations of millions of immigrants this past spring.

The Field Hearing for NY is being held in a distant locale in an intentional attempt to sidestep and exclude New York City's powerful immigrant voice. We will make our voices heard and demonstrate our fierce opposition to a disingenuine political process and anti-immigrant agenda through an OUTDOOR COMMUNITY COUNTER-HEARING at the site of the hearing, which is being held upstate in a currently unannounced location.

The demo will feature community testimony, a creative element and a press conference. Due to the distance from NYC, it will be an all-day commitment but maximum participation will be critical given the importance of letting Congress know that immigrants are still united in a fight for a just legalization and our voices cannot be excluded: let's come together to re-ignite the momentum of our movement!

TO MAKE THIS CRITICAL ACTION HAPPEN, WE NEED BUSES OR VANS TO BE DONATED!

Please be in touch if you are aware of resources. If we can't have buses donated, we'll be asking for individual or organizational contributions to transportation expenses.

RSVP/More info: immigrantcommunitiesinaction@gmail.com DRUM: 718-205-3036

2006-05-21T14:55:00.000-04:00

Over 4000 women, children, and men

have lost their lives at the border to feed their families….

Now George Bush, Hillary Clinton, & Chuck Schumer plan to build more walls of death & send troops to the border……

VIGIL of DEFIANCE

On the National No Human Being is Illegal Day of Actions

4-6pm on Wednesday May 24, 2006

Outside Senator Hilary Clinton & Chuck Schumer’s offices: 780 Third Ave & 48^th Street

Wear black
We will place white crosses for people killed at the border on Hillary & Chuck’s doorsteps
We will create a human wall of defiance

We will NOT COMPROMISE our lives & our futures! We say “NO DEAL” to the current Senate bill We demand NOTHING LESS than:1. Full Legalization for all immigrants. No three tier legalization system that will divide our families and No guest-worker programs! 2. Faster Family reunification 3. Protect the rights of all Workers 4. No more deportations, detentions, border walls, and police making immigration arrests 5. Drivers licenses for immigrants

Organized by Immigrant Communities in Action, Coalicion de Comunidades Inmigrantes (Washington Heights), and American Friends Service Committee Call (718) 205-3036 or email Immigrant CommunitiesinAction@gmail.com

2006-05-21T13:45:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK BANNERS WAVE IN WINDS OF CHANGE WITH THE CALL: JUSTICE FOR ALL IMMIGRANTS JUSTICIA PARA LOS INMIGRANTES

New York, May 18, 2006. New Yorkers throughout this City's diverse communities this morning awoke to messages calling for justice and equality for immigrants throughout the United States . The messages, including No Deportations, Legalization for All Immigrants, Rights for All Workers among others, were painted on banners unfurled over prominent public sites throughout four boroughs.

The banners penned in languages from English, Spanish, Korean, Urdu, Chinese and others - were dropped throughout the city in the early morning hours. Manhattan locations include 155^th & Riverside Drive and 120^th Street & FDR Drive.

With Bush's national televised speech on immigration reform on Monday, this action is designed as the peoples response and follows recent national protests, including one in NYC on May 1 that drew out hundreds of thousands of people. This also comes within New York City's National Week of Action called to coincide with the Senate resuming Immigration Debates the same day of Bush's immigration speech.

2006-05-19T16:12:00.000-04:00

2006-05-12T12:36:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK CITY & a National WEEK OF ACTION!! May 14 - May 20

2006-05-11T18:34:00.000-04:00

WEEK OF ACTION event listing

SUNDAY MAY 14th

MOTHER’S DAY PLEA: “GET JUSTICE FOR MY SON": Delegation of Parents and Supporters Picket the Manhattan Office of New York Attorney General, Elliot Spitzer & Immigrant Groups Join the Call For Justice

This Mother’s Day, May 14^th the mother of Manny Mayi, killed by a racist gang 15 years ago, will renew her request that New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer launch a special investigation into the brutal murder of her son by bat and pipe wielding neighborhood thugs more than a decade ago with a 12-noon vigil outside his 120 Broadway offices.

The racist nature of Mayi’s murder has prompted several pro-immigrant groups to join Mrs. Mayi’s fight. Noting that, in today’s current anti-immigrant climate, racial attacks against particularly Muslims have increased at alarming rates, representatives of Immigrant Communities in Action (ICA), a coalition of over a dozen multi-ethnic immigrant organizations including DRUM and Domestic Workers United, will stand with the Mayi family this Mothers Day. ICA condemns the refusal to hold accountable those who commit hate crimes against immigrants in a city where 46% of households has at least one foreign-born member.

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The National Alliance of Latino and Caribbean Communities (NALACC) announces its national campaign to expose the effects of the unfair immigration laws on the family reunification. On May 14, we will celebrate “Mother’s Day” but many mothers of our community have been separated from their children for many years as a result of those punitive laws.

The immigrant community will meet at the Episcopal Church, Misión San Juan Bautista located at 940 E, 156 Street (corner with Dawson Avenue) at 1:30 PM. The event will include a popular mass which will be attended by community members, religious leaders and elected officials. Members of the immigrant community will present their testimonies in the event.

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Raising the Grassroots: The Future of the Immigrant & Racial Justice Movements, Monday, May 15, 2006 6:30-9:00pm

A Panel & Open Dialogue among immigrant rights, racial justice, workers rights, housing, LBGT rights, anti-war, and welfare rights organizers to deepen our links in this historical moment of mass immigrant mobilizations across the country.

TUESDAY MAY 16th

1.Press Conference: “Deportation Was My Mother’s Day Gift”

As part of the National Week of Action for Immigrant Rights, and as the Senate resumes debate on a “compromise” bill that includes many anti-immigrant provisions, mothers and family members who are separated from their children because of unfair immigration laws will tell their stories. Clergy and community members will explain how laws such as the 1996 Laws and the new “compromise” bill in Congress make it easier to deport loved ones, and will permanently exclude many people – including legal immigrants - from becoming citizens or adjusting their status, even though they promise a path to citizenship. Where: Our Lady of Mercy Church, 2496 Marion Ave, btwn 188th St. & Fordham Rd, Bronx When: Tuesday, May 16, 2006, 11 am Contact: Dara Nussbaum, 646-533-5702

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2.Emergency Picket to Protest Militarization of the Border!

Tuesday, May 16 at 5:00pm, Department of Homeland Security, 26 Federal Plaza, NYC

No to Bush's anti-immigrant campaign! Stop racist deportations and border militarization! The word is out. President Bush's response to the cry of millions for immigrant rights will be: more deportations and more U.S. military at the border. It's an outrage. Week after week beginning in March, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their supporters have taken to the streets to demand full citizenship rights for immigrant workers, an end to deportations and militarization of the borders, and reunification of families. In a historic action, millions around the country walked off the job, walked out of classes and boycotted "business as usual" on May 1.

Bush is now set to call for up to 10,000 National Guard troops to patrol the Mexican border. That can only mean greater repression against immigrant communities around the country, including New York City. Bush's backers claim that this is a concession to conservative politicians in exchange for support for his "guest worker" program. But concessions to the right wing only encourage anti-immigrant and racist forces to mobilize more. And Bush's "guest worker" program doesn't offer full citizenship rights. It gives bosses complete power over immigrant workers.

The ANSWER Coalition will hold a picket on Tuesday at 5pm at the Department of Homeland Security office in New York City to denounce this racist plan to militarize the border. ANSWER is encouraging all supporters to join the range of activities scheduled for this week in support of immigrant rights. A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition-- Act Now to Stop War & End Racism http://www.answercoalition.org/ info@internationalanswer.org NYC: 212-694-8720

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3. Latin American Integration Center, Community Education Forum, Renaissance School, Tues, May 16th, 5pm.

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4. Crossing the Borders of the AIDS Movement: National, International and Immigration Policies and the Next Decade of HIV/AIDS

Panel, Film, and Discussion, Tuesday, May 16^th 6:30-8:30PM LGBT Community Center, 208 West 13th Street (btwn 7th/8th aves.)

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5. New York Labor-Religious Coalition, Dinner. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Transit Workers Union, Lobby Day in DC

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17th

1. ROC-NY (Restaurant Opportunities Center) PROTEST. Wednesday at 12:30-1:30 at Shelly's Restaurant, on 57th St between 5th and 6th Ave. This restaurant belongs to the Fireman Hospitality Group, a group that has retaliated against immigrant workers for organizing against their exploitative owner. The restaurant in being sued for misappropriated tips, minimum wage violations, discrimination and sexual harrassment charges.

2.MARCH IN JACKSON HEIGHTS!!

As the Senate reconvenes for the last stretch of its immigration reform debate, immigrants from dozens of nationalities, their supporters, and elected leaders will march to demand immediate real comprehensive immigration reform. Immigrants locally will join thousands across the country in a National Week of Actions from May 14- May 20 to say "No Deal!" to a three tier legalization bill, guestworker programs, increased enforcement, and border walls. At the heels of the largest demonstration in New York City's history which drew over 1 million people on May 1st, immigrants are raising the stakes for real reform. WHERE: March begins at Roosevelt Ave. & Elbertson St.(Btwn. 86 & 87 Streets) WHEN: 6:30 pm on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 Organized by: Immigrant Communities in Action ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. From Below and to the Left: Immigrants Join the Zapatista's "Other Campaign": Premiere Screening/Fundraiser for NYC Immigrant Message to Zapatistas! Wed. May 17th, 7pm, Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, 1680 Lexington Ave Btw E. 105th & E. 106th St. For more information, call Movement for Justice in El Barrio at 212-561-0555

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3. Continue to make your voice heard and help pass comprehensive immigration reform by participating in the We Are America Nationwide Lobby Day. Come to Washington, DC to meet with your Senators and Representatives or engage them in your home state through visits, calls, letter deliveries, etc. WHEN: Wednesday, May 17^th 2006 WHERE: Washington , DC or your home state WHY: To make your voice heard in the debate around immigration reform A We Are America Rally will be held in Washington , DC late afternoon also on the 17^th. More information at: www.weareamericaalliance.org

Thursday, May 18th

UNION Theological Seminary INTERFAITH VIGIL Thursday evening from 7pm-8pm, the Union Theological Seminary is holding a candlelight interfaith vigil infront of the Red Eye Grill, on 56th and 7th Ave. There are 55 workers suing this restaurant and they are being retaliated against! Immigrant workers have been fired for organizing against Shelly Fireman and the company is using the current national immigration debates to incite fear in the workers still inside. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday May 19^th

Domestic Workers United

Release of Unprecedented Study—“Domestic Workers in NY: Home is Where the Work is: Inside NY’s Domestic Work Industry”

Press Conference, 11am. 16 E 34^th St Between 5^th and Madison, 6^th Floor. Cornell Labor Center

Friday, May 19^th4:30 pm

DRUM YouthPower!

Special Event: YouthPower! Discussion with Iraqi War Veteran on developing an anti-war analysis.

Saturday, May 20^th

Please join Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and the Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring for: Jews March for Immigrant Rights 12:30pm-2:30pm Saturday, May 20th** The Workmen's Circle 45 E. 33rd St at Park Ave (6 to 34th St.) For more info, contact: shelley@jfrej.org 212-647-8966 x12

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March for Justice for Immigrants in Manhattan! New York Immigration Coalition

MULTIPLE ASSEMBLY AREAS (2:00PM):

41^st St & 5^th Ave; 41^st St & Park Ave; 40^th St & 5^th Ave; 40^th St & Park Ave;39^th St & 5^th Ave; 39^th Street and Park Ave

ROUTE:

Madison Avenue from 40^th Street to 23^rd Street

End at Madison Square Park

Contact New York Immigration Coalition for more information:

Avideh Moussavian 212.627.2227 x244, Angela Lee 212.627.2227 x229

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including...Asian Contingent, Time: 2pm Saturday May 20, Meeting Point: 40th Street btwn Madison Ave & 5th Ave,

For more information about the Asian Pacific American contingent, please contact: May Y. Chen, UNITE HERE, 212-929-2600, may@unitehere.org OR S.J. Jung, YKASEC - Empowering the Korean American Community, sj@ykasec.org

BRONX contingent: Join Bronx Delegation in March for Immigrant Rights, Saturday, May 20th Meet at corner of Fordham Road and Grand Concourse, 1 pm For more info, contact Dara Nussbaum, 646-533-5702 at Northwest Bronx Community & Clergy Coalition

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2006-05-11T16:53:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the official BLOG of Immigrant Communities in Action!

Who we are:

Immigrant Communities in Action formed in January 2005 as the Queens Drivers License Coalition to build the power of diverse immigrant communities in Queens & citywide to drive back the attack on immigrants in New York and around the country. The coalition is made up of over 20 organizations of immigrants affected by this issue and non-immigrants concerned with the rights of immigrants

Organizational Members:

Adhikaar * La Aurora * CAAAV-Organizing Asian Communities * CAUSA * Centro Hispano "Cuzcatlan" (Steering Committee Member) * DAMAYAN Migrant Workers Association * Domestic Workers United * Domenico American Society * DRUM--Desis Rising Up and Moving (Steering Committee Member) * Forest Hills Community House*Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project *Justice 4 Immigrants Filipino Coalition (Philippine Forum, New York Committee for Human Rights in the Phillippines, Anakbayan NY/NJ, MIGRANTE-NY, SANDIWA National Filipino American Youth Organization, Movement for a Free Philippines, Critical Filipino/a Studies Collective) * Humanist Center of Cultures * National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities * Organizacion Negra Centro Americana * ROC-NY * Salvadorian American National Network * Ugnayan

Our Platform:

Immigrant Communities in Action supports and calls for Congress to pass genuine “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” that includes the following:

Legalization for individual workers and families who are actively contributing to our country and a path to legalization for future flows. No guest-worker program of work & leave that has no path to legal status;
Improved and faster family reunification opportunities for all;
Enforce the protection of human and civil rights by reducing detention & deportation, ending collaboration between the DHS and public agencies, and ending deaths & abuses of migrants at the borders;
Non-compliance with the REAL ID Act by New York State and the guarantee of equal access to driver’s licenses for immigrants;
Equal protection of labor rights of undocumented workers.

2006-05-11T16:53:00.001-04:00

Why a blog?

With the beautiful & intense level of energy expressed by immigrant communities around the country over the past months, the immigrant justice movement has risen! To celebrate the diversity of political expression and resistance, here is one place to find out how to get involved in the New York City Area. We start with the National Week of Action, from May 14th to May 20th.

If we've missed your organization's activity, please e-mail: kavitha@drumnation.org