Posted on 09/29/2003 6:31:43 AM PDT by johnny7
Immigrant Worker Rally Today.
The event today promotes protecting their civil rights in U.S.
(September 29, 2003) — BROCKPORT — In an event designed to hearken back to the “ freedom riders” who pushed for civil rights in the South, more than 100 immigrants will travel into Brockport today as part of a rally promoting legal rights for undocumented immigrants. The caravan is one of several that are part of the “ Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride,” a demonstration that will culminate in Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The Freedom Ride promotes “ securing the rights of all people who live and work in this country and making sure that they have the same workplace rights as the person they’re working next to and everybody else,” said Joan Collins Lambert, a consultant to Farmworkers Legal Services of New York. With its bounty of produce farms, western New York relies heavily on the labor of undocumented workers, said Jim Schmidt, executive director of Farmworker Legal Services of New York. Yet many live in substandard conditions with no worker protections, Schmidt said. “ If a worker is undocumented and then tries to exercise any of his or her rights under federal law, there’s the intimidation factor that he or she will be reported to the INS,” Schmidt said of possible prosecution by the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, which is now the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. The bureau is now part of the Department of Homeland Security. The caravan traveling through the Rochester region started in Chicago. Traveling along will be immigrant workers and advocates for immigrant rights, said Linda Sabo, one of the Chicago trip organizers.
The rally takes its name — and, its supporters contend, its very inspiration — from the Freedom Riders who journeyed to the South in the early 1960s to push for integrated bus service. Despite its attempt at a historical pedigree, the “ Freedom Ride” has spurred opposition from some who say it’s nothing more than a celebration designed to circumvent immigration laws. “ From our viewpoint, what they really want is a free ride, free from the laws of the land, free from the obligations to play fairly and immigrate legally into the United States,” said David Ray, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which lobbies for tougher immigration enforcement. “ They’re trying to hijack the civil rights movement by calling it a ‘ Freedom Ride.’ The civil rights movement never had anything to do with open borders.”
Rally organizers say that Americans benefit daily from the toil of undocumented immigrants. And, they say, thousands of migrant workers flock to western New York each year and help ensure the flow of produce from farm to grocery store to consumer. “ I don’t think people have any idea” how many migrant workers populate western New York in the fall months, Lambert said. “ We have people working under conditions that people think would not be allowed in thiscountry.
”GCRAIG@DemocratandChronicle.com
They ask supporters to "Urge President Bush and members of Congress to support immigrants' rights. Make your toll-free calls any time on October 2 to the White House at 800 321-8268 and to Congress at 888 355-3588."Oct 2 has been designated "National Call-In Day to Support Immigrants' Rights" by the Freedom Riders.
Time to make a few calls of our own, stating a few facts..
Hint, most pay phones will dial a toll free number, no charge..
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