04/30/08:May Day protesters gear up for immigration rally - Immigrant Workers Union
May Day protesters gear up for immigration rally
The Badger Herald
by Nicole Bartz
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
In recognition of International Workers’ Day Thursday, the Madison Immigrant Workers Union is holding a rally and march focusing on incarceration policies and political reform.
The rally is to begin at Brittingham Park, and protesters will march up to the City-County Building, just off Capitol Square.
Thursday’s “May Day” events are part of a larger national movement sponsored by the National Alliance of Immigrant Rights.
Alex Gillis, political secretary for IWU, said this is the third year that a national effort has been made through rallies and protests.
According to Gillis, there are two motives behind Thursday’s rally. On a national level, the union is advocating for immigration reform. The event has even more significance with this being an election year.
“We are concerned that the three candidates running are not bringing much detail to what they are going to do for immigration reform,” Gillis said.
Locally, IWU is concerned with Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney and his alleged violations of immigration authority. According to Gillis, Mahoney is violating a County Board resolution in asking for documentation of citizenship upon the arrest of certain individuals in Dane County.
“Local agencies cannot perform duties for [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and cannot enforce immigration laws,” Gillis said.
Mahoney previously said he is following Vienna Convention terms requiring law enforcement officials to report the immigration status of individuals arrested and booked from countries requesting documentation. He also said the county resolution does not apply in this case.
“The resolution is policy advisory,” he said.
The International Socialist Organization, Campus Antiwar Network, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan and the Student Labor Action Coalition are four student organizations on campus that plan to be involved with the protest Thursday.
The four organizations plan to hold a speak-out at Library Mall on May Day and link up with the citywide march afterward.
Elizabeth Wrigley-Field of the ISO said the organization has been a long time fighter for immigrant rights.
“Our feeling is that your human rights should not rely on which side of the line of a map you were born on,” she said. “It should not matter where you live and work. It makes no difference what kind of rights you have.”
According to Gillis, as of July 2007, an average of two to four immigrants were deported from Dane County each month. In September a dramatic increase shifted the number of deportees to an average of 15 between September and November. Since then, the numbers have remained high.
“In Dane County there has been a tremendous increase. In the first four months of 2008 there have been more people deported than all of 2007,” Wrigley-Field said. “We don’t support community members getting taken out of their home.”
Part of IWU’s stance is to call for the resignation of the sheriff due to his alleged violation of immigration laws.
“We’re hard workers, and we pay our taxes like everyone else. We’re just trying to get some recognition,” Gillis said, “We want Mahoney to step down. What he is doing is illegal, and what he is doing is bad for families.”
The Badger Herald
by Nicole Bartz
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
In recognition of International Workers’ Day Thursday, the Madison Immigrant Workers Union is holding a rally and march focusing on incarceration policies and political reform.
The rally is to begin at Brittingham Park, and protesters will march up to the City-County Building, just off Capitol Square.
Thursday’s “May Day” events are part of a larger national movement sponsored by the National Alliance of Immigrant Rights.
Alex Gillis, political secretary for IWU, said this is the third year that a national effort has been made through rallies and protests.
According to Gillis, there are two motives behind Thursday’s rally. On a national level, the union is advocating for immigration reform. The event has even more significance with this being an election year.
“We are concerned that the three candidates running are not bringing much detail to what they are going to do for immigration reform,” Gillis said.
Locally, IWU is concerned with Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney and his alleged violations of immigration authority. According to Gillis, Mahoney is violating a County Board resolution in asking for documentation of citizenship upon the arrest of certain individuals in Dane County.
“Local agencies cannot perform duties for [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and cannot enforce immigration laws,” Gillis said.
Mahoney previously said he is following Vienna Convention terms requiring law enforcement officials to report the immigration status of individuals arrested and booked from countries requesting documentation. He also said the county resolution does not apply in this case.
“The resolution is policy advisory,” he said.
The International Socialist Organization, Campus Antiwar Network, Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan and the Student Labor Action Coalition are four student organizations on campus that plan to be involved with the protest Thursday.
The four organizations plan to hold a speak-out at Library Mall on May Day and link up with the citywide march afterward.
Elizabeth Wrigley-Field of the ISO said the organization has been a long time fighter for immigrant rights.
“Our feeling is that your human rights should not rely on which side of the line of a map you were born on,” she said. “It should not matter where you live and work. It makes no difference what kind of rights you have.”
According to Gillis, as of July 2007, an average of two to four immigrants were deported from Dane County each month. In September a dramatic increase shifted the number of deportees to an average of 15 between September and November. Since then, the numbers have remained high.
“In Dane County there has been a tremendous increase. In the first four months of 2008 there have been more people deported than all of 2007,” Wrigley-Field said. “We don’t support community members getting taken out of their home.”
Part of IWU’s stance is to call for the resignation of the sheriff due to his alleged violation of immigration laws.
“We’re hard workers, and we pay our taxes like everyone else. We’re just trying to get some recognition,” Gillis said, “We want Mahoney to step down. What he is doing is illegal, and what he is doing is bad for families.”
Submitted by wnpj on Fri, 05/02/2008 - 2:35pm.