Wis. May Day action protests law targeting immigrants

BY ILONA GERSH

MILWAUKEE — A spirited march and rally of more than 1,000 people here May 1, International Workers Day, demonstrated the self-confidence of immigrant workers and youth who are leading a fight against anti-immigrant legislation in the state. Many carried handmade signs and banners in English and Spanish, saying “Keep families together!” “We are all Wisconsin!” “Enough of the migra [immigration cops]!” “Rights for immigrants, NOW!”

Buses came from Racine, Madison, and Green Bay. Voces de la Frontera (Voices from the Border), which organized the protest, held a neighborhood block party before the march with informational tables, music, food, and poster-making.

There were small contingents of home care and nursing home workers from the Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers calling for a $15 minimum wage and union rights.

“I came here to support the fight of immigrants. We all need to stick together,” home care worker Maggie Ressalier, who was carrying an SEIU Fight for $15 banner, told the Militant. “A lot of immigrant workers get paid $7.25 an hour doing work that we get paid more for.”

The May Day action stands on the shoulders of a Feb. 18 “Day Without Latinos,” when some 20,000 people, many waving American and Mexican flags, protested in Madison against two anti-immigrant and anti-worker bills in the Wisconsin state legislature. In an echo of the May 1, 2006, protests that shut down factories and businesses across the United States to protest anti-immigrant bills before the U.S. Congress, workers at factories, warehouses, stores and dairy farms across Wisconsin skipped work that day.

The February strike and protests helped block passage of Assembly Bill 450, which would have withheld funding from so-called sanctuary cities and banned any local legislation that blocked government employees from “cooperating with a federal immigration officer” or that prevented cops from questioning anyone they stop about their immigration status.

Law denies ID to immigrant workers

But Gov. Scott Walker signed Senate Bill 533 April 25. That law blocks county officials from issuing photo identification to anyone who can’t prove they are legal residents. This makes it harder for a wide range of working people to get needed ID. Villages and cities would still be allowed to issue IDs but the card would have to say, “Not authorized for voting purposes.”

“I’m against SB 533 because people need state identification to do practically anything, including immigrants, former prisoners, homeless people and others,” Jordan Greene, a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, said at the May 1 protest.

Another side of the Milwaukee march was support for two executive orders by President Barack Obama that temporarily halt the deportations of some immigrant children without papers who have grown up in the United States and the undocumented parents of children who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Federal courts have blocked the “deferred action” orders and the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review the case.

Deferred action, “would help 5 million people, not specifically all the community,” Huelmely Jesus told Wisconsin Public Radio. “But at least it would benefit the children and some families.”

“The Latino community is present and we’re not going anywhere,” Kennia Coronado, a youth organizer with Voces de la Frontera, told the Militant. “We’re a strong labor force in this community.”

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