COMMENTS: 36
Immigrant Rights Activists March on ICE on Day After Inauguration
Sign up to stay up to date on the latest headlines via email.
Even as the masses celebrating President Obama's inauguration dispersed, a new crowd gathered Wednesday for a day-after march to place immigrant rights atop the president's agenda.
Immigrant advocates know their nativist opponents plan to deploy online organizing and viral communication to counter any attempts at immigration reform this year. They intend to seize every opportunity to build momentum on their side.
The pro-immigrant activists, many immigrants themselves, marched on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters to remind the fledgling administration of their demand for a "just and humane" immigration policy.
"It's an opportunity to celebrate, but also to point forward to the great need for immigration reform in the months ahead," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.
Immigrant advocates believe Pres. Barack Obama will stick to his promise to begin work on comprehensive immigration reform in his first year in office. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said the immigration system is "broken." And even before a major overhaul is proposed, activists hope for changes to some of the most criticized aspects of current immigration policy.
These may include the huge backlog in naturalization requests, the workplace raids that have sown chaos in immigrant communities, inhumane detention centers, or the "287(g)" program, which delegates immigration enforcement to state troopers, county sheriffs or local police.
The activists that gathered outside ICE headquarters were guided by interdenominational religious leaders in a "ceremonial cleansing," marking what they hope will be the agency's shift away from what they deem an "enforcement-only" approach.
The event was organized by the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), a coalition of state-level and national groups working for comprehensive immigration reform. FIRM also ran an ad campaign on signs atop Washington, D.C. cabs that showed real immigrants' faces and said: "Mr. President, count on me." Also distributed were T-shirts and signs bearing the slogan, "I am immigrant America."
FIRM's blog on Inauguration Day noted that in his inaugural address, Obama "spoke of a country that ensures freedom for all … Now, it’s our time to make sure that the same freedom and the same values include the immigrants of America."
The post-inaugural march is only a beginning. Immigrant advocates spoke about the need for maintaining momentum in the first months of Obama's administration. Though they perceive the new administration as sympathetic and staffed with some prominent supporters of their cause (most notably Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz, a veteran of the immigration reform movement) they don't want to let their guard down.
Stay up to date with the latest AlterNet headlines via email
Comments are closed-
Posted by: losingmyliberties on Jan 22, 2009 4:54 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
you feel these law breakers deserve more. Illegals
and those that employee them, are stealing from legal citizens. You that show all that support for
illegals,, show it with you money and not higher taxes on legal citizens!
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: ethanlbell
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: cmaciain
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: edgar1
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» America is not the world’s welfare system
Posted by: Nietzsche’s Bastard
» RE: America is not the world’s welfare system
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Jan 22, 2009 5:19 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
we can't even take care of OURSELVES...
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» Who are We? Who b US?
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: GregH on Jan 22, 2009 6:02 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Nietzsche’s Bastard on Jan 22, 2009 11:28 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I’ll have none of this “except for native Americans, we are all illegal” I was born in the US in 1982. Since Homo Sapiens are not indigenous to the Americas, there is no such thing as a native American.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: America is not the world's welfare system
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Brez on Jan 23, 2009 7:40 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We need jobs for American citizens and LEGAL immigrants. We need bus or plane tickets for ILLEGAL immigrants.
We need to overturn all H.1 visas, regardless of the lies told by greedy multi-billionaires like Bill Gates and his ilk.
Unless and until we get out of this depression, we need to take care of our own workers FIRST.
The next item on Obama's agenda should be tax breaks for corporations that locate or relocate in the US, and a 70% corporate profits tax on offshore corporations and those who outsource jobs to third world countries to screw the American worker in order to pay their executives millions more for gross negligence in governance.
The French had a great solution for these elitist pigs during their revolution with the invention of the guillotine, which was more merciful than hanging. I advocate even more mercy - just put them in prison. Be sure they go into the general population with Bubba & the Boys.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: We Are Full Up
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» RE: We Are Full Up
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Old Skeptic on Jan 23, 2009 9:53 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
No illegal alien should be allowed to become a US citizen until and unless he/she goes back home and goes through the legal process, just like all of the people from his/her country who came here legally !
In general, we accept far more immigration than any other nation, and it is costing us. When we have our TV networks "simulcasting" everything in Spanish so the illegal aliens won't have to bother learning English and everything you buy has the instructions in English and Spanish, you know our immigration levels are too high! We are balkanizing our country into ethnic/linguistic blocs and nothing good can come of it.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» You are right. More adult education is what we need.
Posted by: ahuizotl
» RE: You are right. More adult education is what we need.
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: Immigration "reform" is not what we need
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: scared on Jan 23, 2009 11:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Or if we stopped funding the bloody battle that's tearing apart Mexico through our phony drug war and actually did something useful with the aid money to make Mexico a more liveable place to be.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: progunprogressive on Jan 23, 2009 12:31 PM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If it is true, why would our government give them such a break? Why not a native citizen?
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Indians working in this country
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: Indians working in this country
Posted by: YogiBear
Comments are closed-
Posted by: paintchips on Jan 23, 2009 2:07 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Immigrants unfairly get a bad rap
Posted by: YogiBear
» RE: Immigrants unfairly get a bad rap but not illegals
Posted by: Old Skeptic
Comments are closed-
Posted by: grn1 on Jan 25, 2009 9:16 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: YogiBear on Jan 27, 2009 12:07 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Many immigrants are against illegal immigration
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: yankeesmyteam on Jan 31, 2009 7:29 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They are giving your hard working money to people that are not supposed to be here.
Since when should we be empahetic to those who break our laws by being here illegally.
Keep in mind terrorist come here illegally and I guess those guys should get a rebate to some Hussein Obama
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: losingmyliberties on Jan 22, 2009 4:54 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
you feel these law breakers deserve more. Illegals
and those that employee them, are stealing from legal citizens. You that show all that support for
illegals,, show it with you money and not higher taxes on legal citizens!
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: ethanlbell
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: cmaciain
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: edgar1
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» America is not the world’s welfare system
Posted by: Nietzsche’s Bastard
» RE: America is not the world’s welfare system
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: unfreeinus, show respect
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: veggiegrrrl on Jan 22, 2009 5:19 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
we can't even take care of OURSELVES...
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» Who are We? Who b US?
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: GregH on Jan 22, 2009 6:02 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Nietzsche’s Bastard on Jan 22, 2009 11:28 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I’ll have none of this “except for native Americans, we are all illegal” I was born in the US in 1982. Since Homo Sapiens are not indigenous to the Americas, there is no such thing as a native American.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: America is not the world's welfare system
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Brez on Jan 23, 2009 7:40 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We need jobs for American citizens and LEGAL immigrants. We need bus or plane tickets for ILLEGAL immigrants.
We need to overturn all H.1 visas, regardless of the lies told by greedy multi-billionaires like Bill Gates and his ilk.
Unless and until we get out of this depression, we need to take care of our own workers FIRST.
The next item on Obama's agenda should be tax breaks for corporations that locate or relocate in the US, and a 70% corporate profits tax on offshore corporations and those who outsource jobs to third world countries to screw the American worker in order to pay their executives millions more for gross negligence in governance.
The French had a great solution for these elitist pigs during their revolution with the invention of the guillotine, which was more merciful than hanging. I advocate even more mercy - just put them in prison. Be sure they go into the general population with Bubba & the Boys.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: We Are Full Up
Posted by: anneliese-nyc
» RE: We Are Full Up
Posted by: ahuizotl
Comments are closed-
Posted by: Old Skeptic on Jan 23, 2009 9:53 AM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
No illegal alien should be allowed to become a US citizen until and unless he/she goes back home and goes through the legal process, just like all of the people from his/her country who came here legally !
In general, we accept far more immigration than any other nation, and it is costing us. When we have our TV networks "simulcasting" everything in Spanish so the illegal aliens won't have to bother learning English and everything you buy has the instructions in English and Spanish, you know our immigration levels are too high! We are balkanizing our country into ethnic/linguistic blocs and nothing good can come of it.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» You are right. More adult education is what we need.
Posted by: ahuizotl
» RE: You are right. More adult education is what we need.
Posted by: Lara1967
» RE: Immigration "reform" is not what we need
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: scared on Jan 23, 2009 11:00 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Or if we stopped funding the bloody battle that's tearing apart Mexico through our phony drug war and actually did something useful with the aid money to make Mexico a more liveable place to be.
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: progunprogressive on Jan 23, 2009 12:31 PM
Current rating: 1 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If it is true, why would our government give them such a break? Why not a native citizen?
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Indians working in this country
Posted by: MdeG
» RE: Indians working in this country
Posted by: YogiBear
Comments are closed-
Posted by: paintchips on Jan 23, 2009 2:07 PM
Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Immigrants unfairly get a bad rap
Posted by: YogiBear
» RE: Immigrants unfairly get a bad rap but not illegals
Posted by: Old Skeptic
Comments are closed-
Posted by: grn1 on Jan 25, 2009 9:16 AM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Comments are closed-
Posted by: YogiBear on Jan 27, 2009 12:07 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
» RE: Many immigrants are against illegal immigration
Posted by: Lara1967
Comments are closed-
Posted by: yankeesmyteam on Jan 31, 2009 7:29 AM
Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
They are giving your hard working money to people that are not supposed to be here.
Since when should we be empahetic to those who break our laws by being here illegally.
Keep in mind terrorist come here illegally and I guess those guys should get a rebate to some Hussein Obama
[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]
Why Thousands Are Turning to a Psychedelic Plant from Africa for Release from Severe Addictions
Bloodbath in Mexico: Drug Prohibition Is to Blame for Thousands of Mexican and Now American Deaths
Racist Right-Wing Shock Jock Who Threatened the Lives of Judges Beats Jail Rap for Second Time




