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Coalition for the First of May Unveils plans for “Day Without an Immigrant” in New Jersey
Contacts:
Mahonrry Hidalgo (732) 682 – 8262
J.Carlos Avila (609) 516 – 4119
Manuel Guzmán (856) 881 - 8040
The Coalition for the First of May in New Jersey today unveiled its plans to participate in a “Day Without an Immigrant,” by announcing a series of events throughout New Jersey scheduled for May 1.
At a Statehouse press conference in Trenton, leaders of the Coalition urged supporters to continue the struggle for immigrant rights and comprehensive, fair and equitable immigration legislation.
Events planned for May 1 include visits to the offices of the five New Jersey congressmen supporting legislation in Congress, the so-called Sensenbrenner Bill, that would criminalize undocumented workers and charitable organizations that work with them. The five congressmen supporting such legislation are: Mike Ferguson, Scott Garrett, Frank LoBiondo, Rodney Frelinghuysen and Jim Saxton.
There will also be rallies and activities in numerous municipalities across New Jersey. (A complete list of contacts for these local events is attached to this release). In addition, some immigrant workers plan to take off from work on May 1 and some businesses plan to close to show support. Many immigrants plan to refrain from making purchases on that day.
“The recent rallies and marches across the state and nation are evidence of a growing civil rights movement dedicated to ending the exploitation of undocumented workers,” said Martin Perez, President of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey. “The decision by some workers to abstain from work and limit their consumption on that day is a matter of individual conscience and is something our organizations completely support.”
Mahonrry Hidalgo, co-coordinator of the Coalition, expressed the hope that the actions of May 1 might provide the same spark for the movement to secure immigrant rights as the Montgomery Bus Boycott did to spark the movement for civil rights for African-Americans.
“To break the chains of oppression, an oppressed people must take risks,” Hidalgo continued, urging immigrant workers to call out from work. “During the Civil Rights movement many African-Americans risked their lives and some lost them. We must risk our jobs. One can always get another job.”
Coalition leaders called on New Jersey Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez to intercede with the federal Department of Homeland Security to declare a moratorium on deportations will the debate on reform continues in Congress.
Echoing that theme, Maria Juega, chairperson of the Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund, urged the federal government to cease actions directed at the immigrant community. “The problem does not lie with the immigrant workers or their employers, who for the most part want to do the right thing, but with legislation that does not provide a legal path for this otherwise legitimate and mutually beneficial economic activity to take place.”
Juega continued: “Everyone acknowledges that the current system is inadequate and unenforceable, yet the Department of Homeland Security just announced a whole series of measures to step up deportations and employer sanctions. It is an inhumane and ill-advised political game which is creating havoc in immigrant communities, and negatively impacting many business sectors."
Carlos Avila, co-coordinator of the Immigrant Public Advocacy Coalition of Trenton, said the main purpose behind the events of May First is “to show immigrants that their voices can be heard. They can shape their destinies. They are not powerless.” Avila continued: “Even though many of them cannot vote millions of voters support them and their struggles. The congressmen who voted for the Sensenbrenner legislation will hear from us and hopefully they will reconsider their votes.” |
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Coalition leaders also announced that there will be related events on Saturday and Sunday making this an “Immigrants Rights Weekend”.
The Coalition consists of dozens of statewide and community organizations including the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey (LLANJ), Immigrants Public Advocacy Coalition of Trenton (ImmPACT), ACORN, C.A.T.A. (Farm Workers Support Committee), United States Hispanic Advocacy Association (USHAA), JUBILEE Immigration Task Force, Dominican American Council of NJ, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF), New Jersey Immigrants Defense Committee, Hispanic Alliance of Atlantic County, Lazos América Unida, Conference of Dominican Affairs of New Jersey, Organización Mexico Americana, Peruvian American Action Committee, Latinos for Progress of Essex County, Casa Puebla / Mexicanos Unidos de NJ, Comité Cívico Ecuatoriano de NJ, COLAMOR (Colombian American Organizations of NJ), Central Jersey Regional Equity Coalition Immigration Task Force, Casa PRAC, IACO, Ecuadorian Lions Club, Club Colombia USA, Pro-Desarrollo Organization of Paterson, Congreso
Colombo-Americano, Desfile Dominicano Hispanos Unidos de NJ, Mujeres en Acción, El Club del Barrio, Monmouth County Hispanic Affairs Resource Center, Hispanic Institute for Research and Development , Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs, El Centro Comunal Borincano, International Emigrant Foundation, Hispanic Family Center of Southern NJ, among others. |
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Delegations from the Coalition will visit the offices of the following Representatives:
*Congressman Scott Garret, 5th District
Office: 210 Route 4 East, Paramus, NJ, 07652
12:00 p.m. (noon)
* Congressman Mike Ferguson, 7th District
Office: 45 Mountain Boulevard, Building D – Suite 1, Warren, NJ, 07059
12:00 p.m. (noon)
* Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen, 11th District
Office: 30 Schuyler Place – 2nd Floor, Morristown, NJ, 07960
12:00 p.m. (noon)
*Congressman Jim Saxton, 3 rd District
Office: 247 Main Street, Toms River, NJ, 08753
12:00 p.m. (noon)
*Congressman Frank LoBiondo, 2d District
Office 5914 Main Street, Mays Landing, NJ, 08330
2:30 p.m.
Other Activities on May 1st :
Atlantic City
Contact:
Bert López, Hispanic Alliance of Atlantic County ( 609 ) 513 – 1543
Bridgeton
Jessica Culley, Farm Workers Support Committee ( 856 ) 881 – 8040
Trenton
Carlos Avila, Immigrants Public Advocacy Coalition of Trenton ( 609 ) 516 – 4119
Princeton
María Juega, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund ( 609 ) 713 – 6616
Perth Amboy
Tatiana Ron, A.C.O.R.N. ( 201 ) 407 – 8628
Freehold
Frank Argotte-Freyre, Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey ( 908 ) 670 -0552
Lakewood
Rumu Dasgupta, Coalition for the Empowerment of Latinos and the Working Poor ( 732 ) 533 – 7528
West New York and Union City
Leida Flores, A.C.O.R.N. ( 862 ) 755 – 8812
Paramus
Julio Tavarez, Dominican American Council of New Jersey ( 862 ) 262 – 8621
New Brunswick
Teresa Vivar, Lazos America Unida ( 732 ) 421 – 7490
Passaic
Pirosca Barro, A.C.O.R.N. ( 973 ) 460 – 5340
Paterson
Romi Herrera, Peruvian American Action Committee ( 201 ) 704 – 1853 |
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¡LA LUCHA CONTINUA!
MAS DE 60 ORGANIZACIONES DE NEW JERSEY CONVOCAN A MARCHAR POR LA JUSTICIA Y LA LIBERTAD
Este domingo 23 de Abril, 2006
Abril 11, 2006
Contacto:WEB PAGE: www.marchadeinmigrantes.com www.immigrantsmarch.com
Diego Muñoz (973) 418-3632 diegofmunoz@yahoo.com
Norberto Curitomai (973) 278-7199 comiteperu@msn.com
Lucilo Santos (973) 647-9274 lsantos@dacnj.org
Newark – Más de 60 organizaciones que se han agrupado bajo el nombre de Comité de Defensa de los Derechos de los Inmigrantes de New Jersey están invitando a la comunidad a marchar el Domingo 23 de Abril en contra de la propuesta de ley H.R. 4437 y a favor de la propuesta del asambleísta estatal Joseph Vas de concederle a los inmigrantes indocumentados la posibilidad de obtener licencias de conducir.
“Marcha por la Justicia y la Libertad” es el nombre con el que el Comité ha denominado la jornada de protesta que se iniciará en el Lincoln Park, ubicado en el 1060 Broad Street, pasando por el edificio de Inmigración y terminando en el Military Park, en el 600 Broad Street en Newark.
El objetivo de la marcha es expresarle al gobierno federal y a los congresistas, que los inmigrantes de New Jersey condenan propuestas como la H.R. 4437 porque vulneran significativamente los principios democráticos de Estados Unidos como nación y que apelan por una reforma de inmigración que reconozca su valioso aporte a la economía y bienestar del país. Además, que apoyan propuestas como la del asambleísta Vas que reconocen el valor del trabajo de los inmigrantes para el desarrollo del país y su derecho a transportarse con seguridad.
Según el Censo del 2000, la población inmigrante en New Jersey creció en un 53% entre los años 1990 y el 2000 y el 43% de estas personas provienen de Latinoamérica. Datos del mismo Censo dicen que los latinos representan el 13,3% del total de residentes del estado.
Aunque el gobierno federal estima que unos 135,000 inmigrantes indocumentados viven en New Jersey, la Universidad Seton Hall estima que el número puede acercarse a los 500,000.
Entre las participantes se encuentran organizaciones como Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, Peruvian American Political Action Comité, Acorn Nacional, Dominican American Council of New Jersey, Immigration & American Citizenship Organization, La Casa de Don Pedro, Hispanic Information Center of Passaic, Hispanic Directors Association of New Jersey, Asociación de Comerciantes de Newark, Conciencia Positiva para la Dominicanidad, Comité Civico Ecuatoriano, Casa Puebla México, Latino Womens in Action, Club Colombia USA, Desfile Dominicano de New Jersey, United Dominicans, Peruvian American PAC, Veteran Soccer Association, Boys Scouts of America, Pro Desarrollo Org, International Emigrant Foundation, The Latino Power, 4to Poder, Parada Hispano Americana Estatal de New Jersey, Mira, Comunidad Cristiana, Alianza Ambateña, Latino American Democratic Association, Bonao Multi-Services, El Ecuatoriano News, Su Guía, La Guía del Inmigrante, Revista Ecuador 2000, Vecinos Latinos News, Frente Unido Dominicano, Iglesia Bautista, Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Comerce of New Jersey, New Jersey Redevelopment Authority, American-Arabic Anti Discrimination Group, Mercer County Division of Cultura & Heritage, Ecuadorian Lion Club, Hispanic USA Bergen County, Hermandad del Señor de los Milagros, Ecuadorian News, entre otras |
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