Just over 40 years ago, the civil rights movement inaugurated the "Freedom Rides"--busloads of African-Americans and whites campaigning for equal rights nationwide. Now the labor movement is extending that to immigrants.
Starting Sept. 20, at least 60 busloads of immigrants and their supporters will leave nine U.S. cities, heading for mass rallies in Washington on Oct. 1-2 and New York on Oct. 4.
The "Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride" will come from Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, Houston, Boston and Miami. Riders plan to show lawmakers strong support nationwide for proposals to legalize immigrants who have lived, worked and paid taxes in the U.S. for years.
Many immigrants are from Latin America, but others came to the U.S. from the Horn of Africa, western Africa and southern Asia. Many immigrants, particularly those who are not in the country legally, face exploitation. When they try to organize, some employers retaliate by calling the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service to check their papers--forcing some to flee and others to stop unionizing.
"We'll greet more than 60 buses...of riders to dramatize the need for immigration reform and greater protections for migrant workers who want to join unions," AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney said during a Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati.
A broad array of organizations, from unions to churches and human rights groups, have endorsed the ride. Many are providing housing for the riders as they make stops in various communities along the route, highlighting local campaigns around immigrant issues.
"The original Freedom Riders are American heroes who demonstrated that when ordinary people show extraordinary courage, a movement for sweeping social change can be sparked," ride organizers said. "We hope to make our contribution by widening and extending the road they traveled so that it includes immigrant workers and their families in the ongoing struggle against exploitation and exclusion, and in support of liberty and justice for all."
For more information
Visit the national website for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, www.iwfr.org
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Just over 40 years ago, the civil rights movement inaugurated the “Freedom Rides”–busloads of African-Americans and whites campaigning for equal rights nationwide. Now the labor movement is extending that to immigrants.
Starting Sept. 20, at least 60 busloads of immigrants and their supporters will leave nine U.S. cities, heading for mass rallies in Washington on Oct. 1-2 and New York on Oct. 4.
The “Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride” will come from Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Chicago, Houston, Boston and Miami. Riders plan to show lawmakers strong support nationwide for proposals to legalize immigrants who have lived, worked and paid taxes in the U.S. for years.
Many immigrants are from Latin America, but others came to the U.S. from the Horn of Africa, western Africa and southern Asia. Many immigrants, particularly those who are not in the country legally, face exploitation. When they try to organize, some employers retaliate by calling the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service to check their papers–forcing some to flee and others to stop unionizing.
“We’ll greet more than 60 buses…of riders to dramatize the need for immigration reform and greater protections for migrant workers who want to join unions,” AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney said during a Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati.
A broad array of organizations, from unions to churches and human rights groups, have endorsed the ride. Many are providing housing for the riders as they make stops in various communities along the route, highlighting local campaigns around immigrant issues.
“The original Freedom Riders are American heroes who demonstrated that when ordinary people show extraordinary courage, a movement for sweeping social change can be sparked,” ride organizers said. “We hope to make our contribution by widening and extending the road they traveled so that it includes immigrant workers and their families in the ongoing struggle against exploitation and exclusion, and in support of liberty and justice for all.”
For more information
Visit the national website for the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, www.iwfr.org