Ground Zero protest backs immigrant workers

Just hours after President George W. Bush tried to exploit a photo-op at Ground Zero on Sept. 11, the May 1st Coalition held a vigil and presented a wreath at the World Trade Center site to commemorate the forgotten victims of 9/11, particularly immigrants. The vigil was attended by leaders and organizations from throughout New York City, including many labor leaders.

News conference of activists defends immigrant rights. Photo: PVN

Hundreds of people who had come to commemorate that day responded favorably to the plight of immigrants who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001, as well as those involved in the cleanup of Ground Zero who have been ignored, along with others.

Earlier, on Aug. 30, the May 1st Coali tion for Immigrant Rights had held a news conference at City Hall Park to discuss the case of Elvira Arellano, who is currently taking sanctuary at a church in Chicago while resisting deportation. Several community and immigrant rights organizations, including Asociación Tepeyac, San Romero Church, Families for Freedom, Long Island Workers’ Center and Pacha mama, representing many nationalities, participated in this news conference in solidarity with Arellano.

The May 1st Coalition has been actively organizing in New York City in support of immigrant workers. On the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the coalition submitted a resolution in solidarity with Katrina survivors to the National Alliance for Immigrant Rights, which was adopted. Excerpts from the resolution follow:

“The National Alliance for Immigrant Rights wishes to send its unconditional solidarity to the people of New Orleans, the states of Louisiana and Mississippi, and the entire Gulf Coast region on the occasion of the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

“As immigrants, supporters of immigrants, and as both U.S. and foreign-born workers in this country, we recognize the terrible plight the survivors of Hurricane Katrina endured last year and are enduring still today. We know this is not the result of a natural disaster but of the unnatural and cruel way the hurricane was handled by the government.

“We send our message of love, solidarity and companionship and declare that your struggle for justice is our struggle. By standing together, immigrants and their supporters with the people of the Gulf Coast, we CAN build a united movement of all those disenfranchised and exploited by the powers that be. We stand as one in our quest for the recognition of our human rights.”