March for America is coordinated by Reform Immigration for America (RI4A) with the help of a the wide range of groups. The groups expected the March would attract organizers from immigrant community organizations, faith groups, and unions like the UFCW, SEIU, UNITE HERE, and the AFL-CIO federation to mobilize their members.

My only beef with this issue, the Southwest, especially Texas, is under represented, in this major March. In a state with 8.5 million Latinos and only 300+ take part in this important event is unfortunate and disappointing.

The rally is expected to bring 50,000 reform advocates to the nation’s Capitol, and truth be told, can be seen as low numbers. Give that this march is seen as a make or break, since window of opportunity for the Congress to address immigration this year is quickly closing.

I bring this up because I will not organizer blame the Texas and the Southwest for their lack of participation. Considering there was heavy outreach on the the East Coast, one has to wonder how much consideration and resources was put into getting the word out in Texas and Southwest. During the 2006 Grand March, every major city in Texas had record breaking numbers in their respective cities. If we are seriously are wanting to get immigration reform this year, must rectify this mishap or continue to lose the trust of the community.

Unfortunately, I will not be there since I was not aware of the buses going there, instead, I will be attend a smaller rally in Houston, March for Dignity and Respect of ALL Immigrants.

So any Texans out there who was not aware of the DC March and still want to take part, come to the one in Houston.

Sunday, March 21, 2010
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Begins at: Canal St. and Cesar Chavez
Finishes at: 7000 Avenue Q at Hidalgo Park with a rally.

In honor for those making their way to either DC or Houston or another immigration rally on Sunday, lets get this started with protest music.

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine fame and Boots Riley of The Coup have joined forces to form Street Sweeper Social Club. The title of this post was inspired by one of their songs: Fight! Smash! Win! Let’s honor their wishes and adopt Let’s fight! Let’s smash! Let’s win! as one of our battle cry chants.

The next song from them is called 100 Little Curses. Let’s face it, getting immigration will be an uphill climb. The lone Republican senator, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who who is willing to address immigration reform this year has indicated he might change his mind because of the health bill. Graham said: “If the healthcare bill goes through this weekend, that will, in my view, pretty much kill any chance of immigration reform passing the Senate this year.”

This song should keep the fire lit so we can continue to put pressure on Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Click here to view the embedded video.

And for those who plan to use the threat of deportation as a fear tactic to silence the voice of dissent, sabes que – Can’t Deport Us All

Protesters called for the immediate action on passage of comprehensive immigration reform and the suspension of deportations of immigrants with US citizen family members. The protest highlights the growing frustration among immigrants and activists regarding the administration’s failure to deliver on basic commitments made during the 2008 presidential race.

“Last year on January 21st, we stood in front of DHS with faith leaders and 800 allies to urge a moratorium on the raids and press for immigration reform. We stand here again with our partners a year later to again make the case that in the absence of federal action to fix the broken immigration system, this nation will continue to see the devastation of thousands of families and neighborhoods,” stated EunSook Lee, executive director of NAKASEC.

Before the end of last year, Congressman Luis Gutierrez filled a bill on immigration reform. However, some Latino legislators believe the issue will be on the back burner for a while. Earlier this month, Rep. Henry Cuellar told reporters during the opening of the new Anzalduas International Bridge in Mission, TX that comprehensive immigration reform would likely occur in 2011.

This has not stopped immigrant advocacy groups from sponsoring public events to renew interest.

Tuesday’s action was held to draw attention to The Trail of DREAMs – the four month journey from Miami, FL, to Washington, D.C. by immigrant students to demand immediate relief for suffering immigrant communities. Drawing inspiration from the civil rights movement, four students embarked on a 1,400 mile walk to bring public attention to the barriers immigrant college students are facing and the failed immigration system that is tearing families apart.

The Trail of DREAMs, together with several other actions across the country, are taking place throughout the United States. Other actions include a 17-day fast from South Florida’s Fast for Our Families asking the Obama Administration to use its executive power to stop separating families and criminalizing immigrant communities. In Phoenix, AZ, ten thousand immigrant rights advocates marched in front of a county jail came out to protest Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his repression of unauthorized immigrants. While these sponsored events are local in nature, they have received nationwide support from activists frustrated by the slow response by Congress and the Obama Administration.

“The administration’s missteps in conceding advantage to a wildly unrepresentative far-right fringe is producing real anger among many people that heralded the 2008 election,” said Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA de Maryland. “We are here to mark one year of inaction and remind the administration that immigrants and people who love them are suffering every day that it refuses to take action,” said Mr. Torres.

Participating in today’s actions were representatives of a broad group of organizations including CASA de Maryland, the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), Jobs With Justice, the Miami Worker Center, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), the South Florida Interfaith Worker Justice Center, and We Count! Community Worker Center as well as hundreds of immigrant workers, faith leaders, labor activists, and community leaders.

More to come.

Information provided by CASA de Maryland

Here is an exclusive video, an interview with Maria Rodriguez, executive director of Florida Immigrant Coalition

Click here to view the embedded video.

The past two years, I live blogged the May Day events that occurred throughout the US. If there is a reason many feel May Day is an immigrant event, it probably had to do with the events that occurred on those days. In 2006, it was the year of Great American Boycott of 2006, known in Spanish as El Gran Paro Americano. It was estimated over a million people participated in the demonstrations. But lets not forget the what occurred last year.

Fearing that the same thing would occur, the police state decided to be prepared the corporate media played down the events that occurred throughout the US. But who can forget the tragic events that occurred in Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park?

This year, the news media has basically declared May Day over because the turnout for the May Day marches will be much smaller to their liking to report it. Maybe if they were actually reporting about America’s ugly underbelly that is deep-seated with undertones of class and ethnic conflict instead of covering the typical latest celebrity scandal, they would realize that the organizers of the May Day protests have stepped up their efforts.

In San Francisco, an antiwar march by the Bay Area International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) plan to shut down all 29 ports on the U.S. West Coast in protest against the war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. They will also take up demands for immigrant rights. Supporters of the ILWU should meet in San Francisco at Mason and Beach (in Fishersmans’ Wharf) at 10:30 am on May Day. A community group has called a noon rally, and immigrant rights activists are building for a 2 p.m. rally at Dolores Park and a march to City Hall under the theme, “Workers United Without Borders,” and calling for amnesty for undocumented workers. For more details click here

In Southern California activists are also mobilizing. In San Diego, an immigrant rights march starting at City College will call for legalization for all, an end to raids and deportations, and the right to migrate for future immigrants.

Up the coast in Seattle, immigrant rights groups will also join an ILWU march in the morning before going to an immigrant rights’ march in the afternoon.

In the Midwest, the Voces de la Frontera and Immigrant Workers Union are organizing marches in support of immigrants’ rights in Milwaukee and Madison. (h/t xoff at Uppity Wisconsin) Milwaukee marchers will assemble at 10:30am, corner of 5th St. & Washington, march to Veterans Park (north of Art Museum). In Madison, the rally will begin at 11:30am. They will march from Brittingham Park to Dane County Building. For more details click here

In Texas, several activist and community groups are organizing for a protest in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley.

In Boston, immigrant and labor rights advocates will hold their at the Boston Common Bandstand, starting at 4 pm. At 5:30 pm the rally participants will march to Copley Square to demonstrate their protest at the government policies against undocumented migrant workers, demanding an end to the raids and deportations and full legalization for all migrant workers and their families.

In Rochester, NY, the Rochester Alliance for Immigrants Rights will be holding their rally at 6pm at the Manhattan Square Park.

In Chicago, a broad array of organizations, including the March 10 Coalition for immigrant rights, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and a wide range of community and religious organizations will kickoff at 10am at Union Park and begin their march to Downtown at noon. They hold their protest rally in Federal Plaza where Mayor Daley will give the first speech.

This year I will be doing something new. I just signed up at CoverItLive which allows me to provide information in real time, instead of constantly updating this post. CoverItLive allows me to interact with you, the readers. Comments will appear instantly instead of waiting for me to approve your message if you happen to be a first time commenter. I know that I will miss something so I hope you will be part of this little experment let us know what is happening in your area.