Immigrant Rally

Location

Wisconsin State Capitol
State Street Entrance
Madison , WI
Event Details
Event Contact Name: 
Alex Gillis 608/345-9544
Event Date: 
Thursday, March 3, 2011 - 10:30am

All Support to Public Employees and their union rights
All Support to Public Education
All Support to Immigrant Working Families

The Immigrant Workers Union will rally Thursday March 3rd at the stairs of the Capitol, by State St Entrance, in support of public employees and against the current anti immigrant climate set by the current administration.

In January of this year all counties in Wisconsin signed up for secure communities. Basically, the fingerprints of everyone arrested and booked are not only checked against FBI criminal history records, but they are also checked against DHS immigration records. If fingerprints match DHS records, ICE determines if immigration enforcement action is required. "This is very unfair for thousands of immigrant families who before be found guilty by a court, they are put in deportations proceedings," says Alex Gillis president of Immigrant Workers Union.

As of yesterday afternoon, the attacks on immigrant families only increased when we learn that in-state-tuition and other services are proposed to be banned for immigrants. "if there was a doubt that the crisis at the capitol affect us all, you only have to see the plans of Scott Walker for education, how will be able to close any gap if resources are being ripped from our schools" says Jorge Carrera leader of Immigrant Workers Union and father of one 4-years-old son. "We pay taxes, in each gallon of milk we buy, in each apartment rent we pay, in each paycheck we earn working very hard, why do the workers has to pay for the crisis? What are the big fortunes of Wisconsin sacrificing?" continues Jorge Carrera.

The event will start this Thursday March 3rd at the Capitol at the State St entrance. At 11:00 a.m. different community members will express their total support to public employees struggle for union rights and their opposition to the current anti-worker budget."We have been participating almost every day, in the big rallies; hundreds of immigrants have been joining the crowds, because this is a struggle that affect us all. Tomorrow, we will just make it very explicit: Madison's immigrant workers community is against Scott walker plans and in total support of public employees" says Yvonne Geerts outreach director of the Immigrant workers union.