Vol. 72/No. 18      May 5, 2008

ICE arrested nearly 300 workers employed by Pilgrims Pride poultry, in dawn raids April 16 at plants in five states and at workers’ homes. The company worked with ICE to target workers.

“We knew in advance and cooperated fully,” Ray Atkinson, a Pilgrim’s Pride spokesman, told the media. ICE announced that 91 workers face criminal charges of identity theft.

Raids also took place that day at a donut factory in Houston and at a chain of seven restaurants in western New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

“The raids and other forms of repression serve no purpose other than to create fear and terror in immigrant communities across the country,” read the call for the protest issued by the immigrant rights group the March 10 Movement. Demonstrators called for a moratorium on raids and the release of all those arrested.

“On May Day 2008, we will be marching for equal rights for all workers; legalization now!; and an immediate end to workplace raids and deportations,” read the call.

The Chicago march will begin at 10:00 a.m. at Union Park at Ashland Avenue and Lake Street.

More that 100 unions, immigrant rights groups, student groups, and other organizations have endorsed. Flyers are being distributed in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Tagalog.

At an April 17 press conference here at the Haymarket Memorial, Margarita Klein, staff director for UNITE HERE Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board, said, “Today we are demanding not only legalization, but that all workers have medical insurance, rights, and the dignity they deserve.”

Joining Klein were representatives of the Chicago Federation of Labor, United Food and Commercial Workers, and the Service Employees International Union, urging participation in the May 1 march.

ICE conducted large raids on the eve of these May Day actions last year as well.

In 2007, on April 24 in the predominately Mexican neighborhood of Little Village, known as La Villita, ICE agents, some with automatic weapons, surrounded a popular shopping mall, trapping dozens inside. Instead of instilling fear, the raid sparked widespread outrage. Working people turned out for the May Day rally in higher numbers than projected.

On April 27, a march for immigrant rights has been called in Belvidere, Illinois. It begins at 2:30 p.m. at 1313 State Street. Organizers are encouraging participants to also join the May 1 rally in Chicago.
 
 
Related articles:
No work or school on May Day! Legalization for all immigrants!
Houston rally protests ICE raids, builds May Day action
May Day actions for immigrant rights
‘Skip class and work— Celebrate May Day!’  
 
 
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