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Snapshots of the National Immigrant Rights Movement

New America Media, Interviews, New America Media staff, Sep 25, 2006

Editor's Note: New America Media editors interviewed 30 immigrant activists on where the movement is at as of mid-September. The interviews show remarkable scope and depth to the movement but conditions are different in every state. The following are excerpts from Longmont, Col., to Charlotte, North Car, from parts of the country that have seen vicious anti-immigrant backlash as well as important multiracial movements for immigrant rights.

Two interview with Immigrant activist

GEPSIE METELLUS, Executive Director, HAITIAN NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, Miami, Fl.

The immigration marches were making people very tense. Miami is one of the most diverse cities, there's great sympathy for immigrants, but there's still a lot of discomfort. You overhear immigrants themselves say while it's true that this nation was built by immigrants and immigration is wonderful, we can't take everybody in.

There's some tension in the African-American community. On one hand, it wants to be supportive of other black immigrants because immigration policy hasn't been favorable to immigrants from black nations. But there's also the feeling that these immigrants will displace African-Americans from housing, the work force and a number of services. It's the same tension and growing pains throughout the nation.

We've got to find a way to make people comfortable with the immigration issue. We put the most positive face on the Haitian community, emphasizing the positive makes you more acceptable to people. We have the highest number of Haitian Americans in public office and enrolled in adult education centers.

People are constantly looking for ways to ensure that the word gets out. Radio and TV are key ways to mobilize the community. It's traditionally a very oral community that gets news from radio. We use ethnic media; mainstream media is hard to access. It's either very expensive or you wait a long time for the story to get printed.

The trick is to get the word out to go beyond your own ethnic group and tap into others. We try to hook up with sister organizations that work in the Hispanic community, sending press releases out to everyone and holding events and rallies together. We hold joint events about immigration reform and fraud -- these are highly attended and televised.

Haiti is at a difficult crossroads, and it's likely people will continue to flee here. But politics back home don't affect us as much as immigration. It's a topic high on our radar.

MOHAMMAD RAZVI, Founder/Executive Director, COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S ORGANIZATION (COPO), Brooklyn, N.Y.

On May 1 we organized to shut down the neighborhood and businesses. We did, and had a human chain of Bangladeshis, Indians and Haitians, hand in hand, under all flags: Mexican, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, etc. We chanted "legalize don't criminalize, si se puede," and at 12:16 we recognized the date Dec. 16, when that horrible draconian bill was passed. The march moved the whole community to work hand in hand. Over 100 businesses shut down and 250 people showed up. We were just one part of a huge gathering collectively in the other boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island. In New York 55 percent of New Yorkers are either foreign born or one of their parents are.

The impact was that many individuals saw people coming together from different ethnic groups and we had a collective voice. Different faith-based communities came out: Christian, Jewish, Muslim. We felt more comfort that there were other people in the same situation and political and elected officials have also changed their tone. Before they did not want to discuss the matter openly. Now immigration is discussed more openly. Congressman Nadler now says that there should be a path toward legalization. At the moment the nation is distracted by international conflicts, but we have to move forward. Political individuals who prevent us from moving forward will be out of office very soon. The foreign-born will become citizens and will voice their opinions.

We're not asking for amnesty. We just want a roadway for individuals who have been here for many years. There is a difference between amnesty and a roadway to legalization.

We are a group that started after 9/11 to help those wrongfully detained based on their surname. The FBI and other officials rounded up suspects based on their names and without search warrants went into their houses. The first thing we realized when we began to reach out was that the majority of these individuals didn't speak English. So we began to teach them ESL and immigration issues. The first day 300 people showed up. What was once supposed to be a temporary program is now a permanent one for 5 years. We have expanded services to citizenship prep to job readiness and youth groups. The most powerful thing is our services are spread through word of mouth.

Every generation of immigrants has encountered people who look different or don't speak their language. I believe our country has a remarkable ability to accept immigrants no matter where they came from and to integrate them in very fabric of American life. That's the beauty of the country.

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