National Grassroots Immigrant Strategy Conference
Friday - Sunday July 28-30, 2006
American University
Washington, DC

Together, We Build A New National, Broad-Based,
Immigrant Rights/Civil Rights Movement!

Organized by: National Immigrant Solidarity Network

More Information, and Registration

Conference Flyer (Spanish English)

6/3 San Ysidro, CA: Western Regional Protest and March!

Western Regional Rally June 3rd 1:00pm
Larsen Park 455 Sycamore Rd San Ysidro, CA
against the deployment of 6,000 National Guards to the U.S.-Mexico border region

Called by San Diego Si Se Puede Coalition

Flyer Talking Points

Urgent Action Alert!
The Upcoming Battle Against Anti-Immigrant Legislation,
And A Call for A National Immigrant Solidarity Movement

A Call From National Immigrant Solidarity Network
May 14, 2006

http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org http://www.NoHR4437.org

Folks:

Next week will be a key moment in immigrant rights/civil rights work.

Tomorrow evening (Monday, 5/15), President Bush will deliver a prime time televised address, announcing the deployment of National Guard troops to the U.S-Mexico border. Also at some point in the next two weeks, U.S. Senate leaders are expected to approve parts of the so-called compromise immigrant legislation (such as the HEGAL-MARTINEZ Bill).

This is a critical moment for the immigrant struggle. Despite millions of people across the country on May 1st marching in the streets for immigrant rights, the right wing anti-immigrant forces in Congress and President Bush want to "talk tough on immigration."

We should brace ourselves for the ultimate showdown of the immigrant struggle soon, and we should mobilize ourselves quickly to respond to the racist anti-immigrant xenophobia that will go down.

We suggest organizing the following actions:

1) A local press conference, rally or vigil to denounce the racist anti-immigrant proposals from Congress and the President.

2) Legislative actions, including calling, writing and faxing your elected officials.

3) An emergency community meeting to strategize rapid response to a possible nationwide crackdown or attack on immigrants.

4) We are calling for multi-ethnic, broad-based national mobilization on Memorial Day weekend (5/27-29). Organize creative local actions against the possible passage of any anti-immigrant legislation and further government-sponsored immigrant crackdowns.


We urge you to support the Nine Points for Immigrant Rights, proposed by the Los Angeles March 25th Coalition:

- No to the anti-immigrant HR4437 and any other "copycat" legislation from Congress
- No to militarization of the border
- No to criminalization of immigrant communities
- No to the planned immigrant crackdown across the country
- No to the guest worker program

- Yes to amnesty for undocumented immigrants
- Yes to immigrant family reunification
- Yes to a humane path to citizenship
- Yes to labor rights and living wages for all workers


On May 1st, we showed the world that our force, our strength and our voice cannot be silenced from this moment on! This is the birth of a new civil rights movement for the 21st century, and we will fight for our demands until we prevail.

United We'll Win! Together We'll Achieve Our Dreams!

SEND A FAX OR EMAIL THIS LETTER DIRECTLY
TO SENATOR REID AND MARTINEZ! TODAY!

WHY?
WE WANT REAL JUST AND FAIR IMMIGRATION REFORM.
A FAIR AND JUST PATH TOWARDS CITIZENSHIP
NO ROADBLOCKS AND LOOPHOLES TO DISQUALIFY WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FROM LEGALIZATION!

TO SEND AN EMAIL, JUST SEND IT FROM SENATOR REID'S WEBSITE: THIS WILL TAKE 2 MINUTES!

TO SEND A FAX, JUST FAX THE LETTER BELOW TO: 202-224-7327 (FAX #)
HIS OFFICE PHONE: 202-224-3542

TO CONTACT MARTINEZ CALL: Senator Mel Martinez: (202) 224-3041

TO SEND AN EMAIL TO MARTINEZ USE EMAIL FORM ONLINE

Senate Switchboard for other senators: (202) 224-3121

SIGN YOUR NAME AND/OR ORGANIZATION IF YOU HAVE ONE. INCLUDE YOUR ADDRESS.

DON'T WAIT ANOTHER MINUTE, DO THIS TODAY! SAMPLE LETTER BELOW

Read the Full Action

May Day 2006 - We Have Made History!

Ten Millions Across the Country Take to the Streets to Demand Immigrant Rights!

Lee Siu Hin
National Immigrant Solidarity Network
The May 1st "A Day Without Immigrants" National Movement

http://www.NoHR4437.org http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org

Today was one of the most important days in U.S. history: ten millions of immigrants, activists and allies in over 200 cities from across the country chose to skip work, school, and the normal daily routine to participate in "A Day Without Immigrants." We held a national boycott, general strikes, rallies and symbolic actions in order to demand basic rights for all immigrants, and to build a new multi-ethnic united civil rights movement for the 21st century!

This could be the biggest civil rights/social movement ever seen in U.S. history. Millions flooded the streets of Los Angeles and essentially shut down the city. In New York City, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, together with one million Latino, African and Asian immigrants marched into the heart of Manhattan. In Chicago, hundreds of thousands mobilized for this May 1st march.

We have shown the world that our force, our strength and our voice cannot be silenced from this moment! and we'll fight for our demands until we prevail.

What should the next step be?
This is an historical turning point for us, and we need to keep the momentum going. Over the next three months, we need to gather our strength and build a new, national, broad-based immigrant rights/civil rights movement.

This could include (and is not limited to):
- Holding a national dialogue or conference;
- Creating together a national strategy;
- Forming a new broad-based national immigrant rights/civil rights
organization.

These are just some ideas to consider: we encourage you to come up with more. We welcome everyone to participate in the process and offer us support and feedback, and we'll announce the details within the next few days.

Thanks to everyone who helped make history today. I am proud of you!

United We'll Win! Together We'll Achieve Our Dreams!

May 1, 2006: Call to Action!

"El Gran Paro Americano 2006" "The Great American Boycott 2006"

"Un dia sin immigrante" "A day without an immigrant"

Nationwide General Immigrant Strike!
Wear White T-Shirt at May 1st!

We are clling No Work, No School, No Sales, and No Buying, and also to have rallies around symbols of economic trade in your areas (stock exchanges, anti-immigrant corporations, etc.) at May 1st to protest the anti-immigrant bill.

On May 1, we will wear "white" a T-Shirt and/or white arm bands, we can paint and write our political demands (and creative arts) at the T-shirt go to rally, protest, strike, vigil, work or school--we will have a ocean of white T-shirts with our political demands from east coast to west coast, at the street, work place, school, bus station & store... and our voice will be LOUD AND CLEAR AND CANNOT BE SILENT FOR EVER!

We will settle for nothing less than full amnesty and dignity for the millions of undocumented workers presently in the U.S. We believe that increased enforcement is a step in the wrong direction and will only serve to facilitate more tragedies along the Mexican-U.S. border in terms of deaths and family separation. >> More details

http://www.NoHR4437.org

News Reports:

3/30: May 1 Strike to support undocumented people's legalization (Notimex)

http://www.April10.org

April 10 National Day of Action & Rally for Immigrant Rights!

Recognizing that the USA is a nation of immigrants, join the April 10 in a massive rally to:
- Stop the anti-immigrant House resolution 4437
- Stop all attacks against immigrants
- Stop criminalization of immigrant communities

We demand comprehensive immigration reform, including:
- A path to citizenship, not a temporary guest worker program
- Family reunification measures
- Worker protections
- Full rights for all immigrants!

Lists of the A10 Rally Cities:
http://www.cccaction.org/cccaction/april_10_local_events.html

Lists of April 10 Events at NoHR4437 page

Saturday April 15th 2006 @ 10 AM Olympic & Broadway to City Hall

Los Angeles, CA Area School Walk Outs Help-Line Information

http://schoolwalkouts.info

School Walk Out Help-Line Numbers: English (310) 712-7066 Spanish (310) 712-6373

>> More Details

3/30: Actions Need For Senate Immigration Bill, Call Your Senator!

1. Why the Senate's Proposed Immigrant Bill is Bad for the Immigrants.
2. Take Actions! Call Your Senator to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform!

3/21: Visit your Senators in their District Offices over Recess To Discuss the Immigrant Rights!
By National Immigration Forum
Congress is on recess this week, and we ask you to pay a visit to your senators NOW.

3/22: Petition to Defeat the "Sensenbrenner Bill", Repressive Anti-Immigrant Legislation!
By United Students Against Sweatshops
Please support the following on-line petition to support the immigrant rights!

3/21: CLEAR Act update -- contact your senator today!
By National Immigration Forum
An immigration bill drafted by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) has been under consideration in that Committee for the past couple of weeks.

3/24: Guide for state groups dealing with anti-immigrant worker legislation (PDF Reports)
by: National Employment Law Project

- State Anti-Immigration Legislation Guide
- Anti-Immigrant Workers Compensation Bills 2006
- State Employer Sanctions Bills 2006

Talking Point

Myths about Undocumented Immigrants English and Spanish
(by: National Council of La Raza)

Useful Tools

Tool kit on fighting state/local police enforcing immigration laws
PDF File

3/27: THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS LEAVE THEIR SCHOOLS TO PROTEST HR 4437

On Monday March 27th, word spread fast around high schools in California and across the nation that students would be walking out of their classes in protest of the anti-immigrant legislation known as HR 4437. House bill HR 4437 would make being an undocumented immigrant a felony and criminalize anyone who offered non-emergency assistance to undocumented workers and their families. The demonstrations continued Tuesday and grew in number. >> Read the photo reports byLA IMC | Report by Don White

3/30: Student Walkouts - The Next Step (National Immigration Law Center)

Reports from across the country
Northern California

The walkouts have included thousands of students in Fresno, Aptos, Watsonville, Hollister and Salinas. Police have dealt harshly with many of the students while other authority figures have both offered support for the student's cause and simultaneously urged students to remain in school. School districts, working with local police, have now begun to implement lockdowns to prevent students from leaving campuses. Nevertheless, the actions continued Wednesday and more are planned for the near future. >> Read More

March 27 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 · Audio: 1 | 2
March 28 Photos and Reports: 1 Audio: 1
March 29 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3
March 30 Report
March 31 Photos and Reports: 1 | 2 | 3

3/28 Watsonville, CA: Watsonville High Walk Out

Watsonville Student Legal Defense

Los Angeles: La Gran Walkout, to City Hall

3/27: 25,000 students walked out of school today to protest anti-immigrant reform!

Leslie Radford reports: Today I met 2,000 of them walking to City Hall. I heard them on the streets, the cheering, chanting crew, the police sirens, the helicopter circling. By the time I shook loose from what I was doing, they'd passed by, so I jumped in my car to catch up with them marching down Cesar Chavez. A thousand students, spread over blocks, were walking down the sidewalk, with a police escort shutting down a lane of traffic . Full Story: La Gran Walkout, to City Hall by Leslie Radford

Photos: Silver Lake and Echo Park Students March by jlr - builder123 || Must see City Hall: School Walk Out by jmr || Students March on Van Nuys by Andrew Said || Artesia High School Students Walkout! by revolutionrock

April 1: North High Students March to City Hall

Santa Ana, CA

3/27: GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN ORANGE COUNTY SHUT DOWN BY STUDENTS

Details are still sketchy, but it appears that the Orange County Treasurer/Tax Collector's office and a number of other government agencies were shut down yesterday when Santa Ana high school students flooded them in protest of anti-immigration legislation.

3/28: SANTA ANA POLICE DEPLOY ARMORED CARS AND HORSES TO SQUELCH PROTEST

Several of Santa Ana's poorest working class Mexican neighborhoods suddenly found themselves under a state of siege last night when an estimated two hundred Santa Ana police officers, Orange County Sheriff's deputies, and California Highway patrolmen descended into the area and squelched a peaceful protest near the intersection of Bristol and McFadden Streets.

3/17: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TAKE OVER RIVERSIDE FREEWAY

San Diego, CA

3/31: A 6,000 strong march of mostly students culminated a week of student walkouts.

[San Diego IMC} The march went through barrio logan and sherman heights. Many bystanders showed support, standing on their porches or on top of buildings, waving mexican flags. Lots of people from the community joined the march as it went by.

Students walked out of high schools all over San Diego and as the marches arrived at Chicano Park, the crowd roared. Some students simply didn't go to school. SDSU, City College and UCSD students were in attendance as well. Report Photo

3/31: Emergency Calls Needed for Student Protestors in San Diego!

3/30: Schools Shut Down Today, Massive Walkouts Friday

3/29: Police Brutality Against Students Walking Out

Phoenix, AZ

3/28: Photo Report

Tucson, AZ

3/30: Students walk out for a second day

El Paso, TX

3/30: Fliers, notes help organize students

3/30: 4 Articles about El Paso Students walk Out

Houston, TX

3/31: More than two dozen Houston students detained after walkout

Houston police have taken at least 26 Houston public school students into custody after dozens of students walked out of classes today.

3/28: Immigrant Students Take a Stand at City Hall

Students from all ends of our sprawled city made the march to city hall to protest repressive immigration laws proposed by the government of this country. It rained cold all morning in Houston, but the heat in the passionate hearts of these youth kept them going regardless of the weather or the distance.

3/25: March for a DREAM brings thousands to the streets of Houston

[Houston IMC] On Saturday March 25, A 5,000 strong immigrant's rights rally followed the Dream March filling the streets of Houston with chants, solidarity and celebration.
See Photos
Audio: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

The march was orgnized by Jovenes Unidos por un Futuro Mejor (Young Immigrants for a Better Future), around support for the DREAM Act, which would allow undocumented students who graduate from high school to recive in state tuition and allow some college students to apply for temporary and permanent legal status.

Dallas, TX

3/28: Photo Report

Police Repression Against Students

From Los Angeles to Houston, it's clears that the police are begin using repressive means to attack and arrest walk out students.

On March 29, The Los Angeles School district and police are enforcing a crack down on student walk outs today. All high schools are on lock down and police cars are patrolling the perimeter of some of those high schools that have seen the largest walk out in the past three days.

Still this crack down did not prevent about 50 students from Westchester High from staging a walkout and march to the offices of Univision this morning. They were able to meet with an anchor from the station. The students were followed by police squad cars, one police helicopter and 2 media helicopters. After staging a short rally and speaking with the newsman from Univision the students voluntarily boarded 2 school buses and were taken back to school. The march was peaceful and there were no arrests. The students will, however, be cited with truancy.

3/28 Los Angeles, CA: ARRESTS, CRACKDOWNS AND THREATS DIRECTED AT STUDENT PROTEST

In a clear reversal by city officials, educators and police, student protesters today faced campus lockdowns, arrests and threats with both Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Schools Superintendent Ray Romer threatening consequences to further student protests and "truancy."

3/31 Houston, TX: More than two dozen Houston students detained after walkout

3/29 San Diego, CA: Police Brutality Against Students Walking Out

3/28 Santa Ana, CA: SANTA ANA POLICE DEPLOY ARMORED CARS AND HORSES TO SQUELCH PROTEST

3/28 Watsonville, CA: Watsonville High Walk Out

Legal Defense for Student Walkouts!

Useful Advise from Los Angeles National Lawyers Guild
http://www.nlg-la.org/righttoprotest.htm

Students Rights to Participate in Political Protest (National Lawyers Guild Northern California)

*The law and school policies depends on the state and school district you lives, so you shoulc check with your local National Lawyers Guild chapters for more information.

Hotlines:
English: (310) 712-6373
Spanish: (310) 712-7066

Assistance with Walkout related Truancy Tickets, School Suspencion and other Disciplinary actions for the Los Angeles, CA area students.

3/25: Los Angeles: Between Half-million to One Million People Protest against Anti-Immigrant Law!
http://www.NoHR4437.org

For More Photos, go: Photo Album

March 25, in downtown Los Angeles, over 1 million people demonstrated in support of immigrant rights. This was the largest demonstration in the history of California. March organizers announced from the stage that the crowd was over 1 million. Univision and other Spanish-language television reported that up to 2 million people marched. The Los Angeles Times, reflecting police estimates, gave the march 500,000 - police estimates have been trying to minimize pro-immigrant rights demonstration for the last few weeks.

>> Read the Full Report

Recent News:

3/25 San Francisco, CA: 3rd Comunique from the Hunger Strike for Immigrant Rights

3/2: Civil Liberties Update

CLEAR Act

2/28: Senate debate and the CLEAR Act

PATRIOTIC Act

3/3: Senate passes a revised Patriot Act

Senate Vision of "Sensenbrenner Bill"

2/24: Draft Senate Immigration Bill Released

2/24: Partial Summary of Select Provisions in Senator Specter's February 23 Draft Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation

1/10: Stop the CLEAR Act from Becoming Law ! Write Your Senators Now!

The Senate is poised to take up immigration legislation early on this year. The only way the CLEAR Act will be kept out of any final immigration reform package negotiated between the House and Senate is if we mobilize! >> Read More

2/4: Thank You! The Los Angeles Petitions to Oppose Anti-Immigrant Bill was a success!

We had successfully collected hundreds of signatures within 10 days for a petition addressed to the Los Angeles City Council requesting they adopt a resolution in favor of the immigrant community. The petition will be hand delivered to City Council on February 2nd. Our voices need to be heard and we need to defeat H.R. 4437 the moment it reaches the Senate. Currently, folks in D.C. are speculating that the issue of immigration will be taken up in mid February. If City Council approves the resolution it will be an issue the lobbying committee of the city takes on in D.C. as a priority.

Our Petition to the Los Angeles City Council

2/3 LA City Council to Minutemen: Go Home!


LOS ANGELES, February [LA IMC] The Los Angeles City Council this morning issued an official and harsh rebuke to inland and border anti-migrant vigilantes. The Council moved Item No. 7 to second position on the agenda, effectively declaring it a consent item. The Council resolved to "include in the City’s 2005-06 State and Federal Legislative Program, SUPPORT of State or Federal Legislation denouncing and prohibiting the vigilante actions of individuals against immigrants along the border and within urban communities and enact immigration reform leading towards a path of permanent status for immigrants here now and wider legal channels for those coming in the future.

From the Newswire: LA City Council to Minutemen: Go Home! by Leslie Radford

The Minutemen's immigration protests organized across the country Saturday were completely failure! They only drew small numbers, and some were outnumbered and out-shouted by those who support immigrant rights.

The so-called ``Stop the Invasion'' protests were organized by Minutemen in 19 states, demanding the government increase border security and penalize employers who hire who hire day laborers.

1/7: Few Drawn to Minutemen's National Day of Anti-Immigration Protests

1/7: Herndon, VA: Virginia Minutemen Protest

For More New About the Minutemen, please visit Minutemen Watch

12/22: More on the Sensenbrenner/King Bill and Next Steps in Comprehensive Reform Advocacy

Unfortunately, despite the strong protest from the immigrant, human rights, labor and civil liberty groups the, U.S. House last night passed the disgraceful anti-immigrant H.R. 4437 the "Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005" by House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.) and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) on December 17, and U.S. House also vote to extend the PATROTIC Act for another 5 weeks on December 21 (give Congress and President Bush more time to work out their differences) while they also approved $453 billion defense spending bill that funnels $29 billion in hurricane aid to the Gulf Coast and $50 billion more for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It's clears that President Bush along with the Congress, again spinning their rhetoric to blaming immigrants for causing all the World's problems (away from the failure war in Iraq, decline economy, and government/corporate corruptions).

It's also clears that the President, right wing Republicans and even many Democrats will use immigrant as scapegoat for their Nov 2006 mid-term elections. They will use any possible mean to secure conservative/right wing voters by focusing on blaming people of colors, immigrants and support anti-abortion and anti-gays/lesbian rights.

Yes, we need to understand our struggle will be long and hard, but that doesn't mean we don't have hope. While the House vision of the Bill had passed, we still can mount our strong opposition against the upcoming Senate vision--will be introduce and debate at sometime February, 2006.

When we finished our Holiday seasons, we should gear up our fighting spirit to build multi-ethnic community actions against the final passage of the bill in early next year!

Unity is very important! This is NOT only about the immigrant rights, it also about the Human Rights for everyone! because injury to one is injury to all!

The activists and organizers have particular responsibilities in pointing out the links between Katrina's impact, immigrant rights, civil liberties, labor rights and the U.S. war in Iraq. Understanding the connections between our individual conditions of life and the lives of people everywhere in the word allows us to come together and organize across all borders. WE NEED to link the connections between: wars in Africa, south America, Asia, Iraq, Palestine & Korea with sweatshops in Asia as well as in Los Angeles, New York; international arm sales and WTO, FTAA, NAFTA & CAFTA with AIDS, hunger, child labors and child solider; multinational corporations and economic exploitation with racism and poverty at home--then we can win the struggle.

12/22: U.S. House OKs Five-Week Patriot Act Extension

12/22: Senate Passes Patriot Act Extension

Recent U.S. House passage of the racist anti-immigrant bill

12/17: Analysis - Sensenbrenner/King Bill Passes House

12/15: America's real enemies

12/16: House OKs Bill to Tighten Immigration Laws

12/15: Sensenbrenner Bill Boosts Immigration System's Worst: Indefinite Detentions