IMMIGRATION DEBATES UP IN THE US SENATE, NEW SANCTUARY MOVEMENT LAUNCHED IN THE U.S. (tags)
The US Senate, after a long delay will finally begin debates this coming Wednesday, May 16, on the much-awaited comprehensive immigration reform bill that will decide the fate of more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The issue: Amnesty or a guest worker program? Senator Arlan Specter wanted the Senate Bill 2611 to be revived while the White House proposes a very expensive “ temporary guest worker program” The democratic party promised a comprehensive immigration reform that will be favorable to the large immigrant community where it derived its support during the last elections. On the other hand, the traditionally anti-immigrant republican party is trying to win over the conservative sector of the immigrant population by giving a limited reform. President Bush, whose wife is a Mexican, promised an immigration reform bill by the end of this year. Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain are also bent to revive their own immigration bill that died last year during the Senate debates that gave way to SB 2611 that the Republican controlled lower house killed in 2006. The senate killed the oppressive HR 4437 but gave way to some of its anti-immigrant features in the SB 2611 that did not pass the republican controlled lower house. CDIR Immigrant Rights Update
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MARCH/RALLIES FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: (tags)
SI SE PUEDE! ( YES, WE CAN!) With this battle cry and despite threats from racist anti-immigrant raids, anti-immigrant innuendoes and discouragement from the bourgeois media, school clamp downs on students and visible police presence and harassments, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their advocated marched and rallies din at least 74 cities of the United States on May Day- the International Workers Day. More than 100,000 immigrants and advocates marched in Los Angeles in separate rallies May 1. In the morning, at least 20,000 people march from Broadway/Olympic led by the March 25 Coalition and held rally in front of the City Hall south lawn Another 60,000 marchers led by Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahoney and the Multi ethnic immigrants workers organizing network (MIWON) from Vermont Ave and 3rd St marched and converged at Macarthur Park from Vermont and 3rd while another 10,000 marched to Macarthur Park from Washington Blvd. led by La Raze Coalition. The police attacked this group early evenin