Vol. 74/No. 10      March 15, 2010

A leaflet for the action calls for “Good Jobs, Full Citizenship for ALL, Stop Separation of Families!”

In 2009 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported 387,000 immigrants—the highest recorded number in U.S. history, even as the pace of immigration has slowed, in part due to the lack of jobs.

Under the administration of Barack Obama, ICE has tripled the number of immigration audits, which leads to the firing of workers who can’t prove they are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents, or have work permits.

“Every person who works 12 hours a day mopping floors, picking vegetables, or trimming meat in a factory should be treated with respect and not be the object of deportation or of permanent harassment,” said Jaime Contreras, director of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ in Washington, D.C., at a February 23 press conference. Casa de Maryland stated they expect tens of thousands of people from 45 states to participate.

According to the Web site set up to build the action, sponsoring groups include several immigration reform coalitions, the AFL-CIO union federation, SEIU, United Food and Commercial Workers union, UNITE HERE, and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The National Council of Churches is also promoting the march.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is organizing dozens of buses to go to the march. Several student groups at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago are working to fill buses and have posted flyers for the action on campus.  
 
 
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