Mass march for immigrants' rights

As raids and deportations against immigrant communities here have increased, so too have protests against this racist and terrorist repression. These protests not only reflect a fight-back mood against these policies but also frustration about the lack of progressive immigration reform.

A Los Angeles news conference on April 9 where Javier Rodríguez of the National May 1 Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights, said the undocumented community will fight for just immigration reform and an end to the deportations and raids.

Building on the March 25 demonstration organized in just a few days that practically surrounded Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, on April 7 tens of thousands marched in downtown Los Angeles for immigrant rights. The march, organized by Latino Movement USA, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional and the ANSWER coalition, demanded general and unconditional amnesty; education for all; legalization for immigrants and an end to the raids.

The protest began at Olympic and Broadway and continued up Broadway right through the middle of the area where mainly Latin@ workers work in the highly exploitative clothing industry, which depends heavily on undocumented labor. And, although this is the community in Los Angeles that ICE frequently targets, the march was received with much enthusiasm. Many joined from work to participate in the march.

At a news conference held April 9 at the downtown Federal Building by the March 25^th Coalition, almost 20 media cameras and about 10 print journalists attended and heard various organizations call for a May 1 boycott. Javier Rodríguez, coordinating committee member of the National May 1 Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights, thanked the organizers of the April 7 demonstration for making it clear that the undocumented community and their allies have not lost their determination to gain comprehensive and just immigration reform and an end to the deportations and raids. He said that the momentum for May 1 has been clearly demonstrated at the march and urged everyone in Los Angeles to unite and join the May 1st Boycott beginning at 12 noon at Olympic and Broadway.