BY FRANCISCO PICADO
NEW YORK - "We are here and we are not leaving," chanted hundreds of people in Spanish, marching through Manhattan in defense of immigrant rights October 12. The more than 1,200 demonstrators included contingents from cities such as Los Angeles; Chicago; and Lawrence, Massachusetts. It was one of several regional actions held that day across the United States.

Among the marchers were workers and young people born in Mexico, Bangladesh, Poland, Haiti, Morocco, Korea, Puerto Rico, the United States, and many other countries.

"We are here demanding amnesty for Bangladesh .. and all immigrants," said Mafizur Rahman, pointing to the contingent of some 150 Bangladeshis. Rahman is a part- time construction worker and cab driver in Queens. General amnesty for all immigrants was a central demand of the action.

"I'm here to make it clear that we're going to put a halt to the racism against immigrants," said José Antonio Padilla, a member of Local 79 of the Laborers' International Union of North America. Other unions present were the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, Service Employees International Union; Teamsters; Brotherhood of Carpenters; and the United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America.

Close behind the laborers were more than 100 Salvadorans from Hempsted, Long Island, and Newark and Elizabeth in New Jersey. "We are here and we're not leaving, and if they take us away, we're coming right back," they chanted.

New immigration laws that are about to go into effect will make gaining legal residence in the United States much harder. Up to 1.5 million people could be required to return to their homelands while awaiting residency papers. The government has greatly stepped up deportations of immigrants who at some time in the past were convicted of a crime under U.S. law. And under another law that took effect in September, any undocumented immigrant who leaves the United States after being here more than 180 days cannot return for between three and 10 years.

"We have the right to choose where we want to live and work, and to do so without getting separated from our families," explained Esly Umanzor, a member of the Workplace Project for Labor Rights.

"Let them become citizens like everyone else," agreed Glen Russo, who was watching the march in front of the Winter Garden Theater, where he works. "My family came to this country three generations ago from Italy. Why would I want something different for them?" he asked.

Representatives of the participating organizations spoke at a rally close to the UN headquarters later that afternoon. "I know what it means to be an immigrant in this city," said Lolita Lebrón, a Puerto Rican Independence fighter who spent 25 years in U.S. prisons. Lebrón, who is president of the Nationalist Party, explained, "I remember walking the streets, hungry and unemployed, reading the `Puerto Ricans need not apply' signs."

Other speakers included Alfonso Benítez, the president of the Independent Telephone Workers Union of Puerto Rico, who had just led a demonstration of 60,000 people against the proposed sale of the Puerto Rico Telephone Co. in San Juan the previous week. Former Democratic Party candidate for mayor Alfred Sharpton, as well as representatives of the Communist Party and Workers World Party also spoke. Olga Rodríguez, Socialist Workers Party Candidate for mayor got a warm welcome at the speaker's platform as the only candidate who promoted the demonstration on the recent televised mayoral debates.

Ryan Lewis contributed to this article.

BY BARRY FATLAND

LOS ANGELES - Nearly 1,000 people marched from East Los Angeles down César Chávez Blvd. to City Hall here for a rally demanding "real amnesty" and "papers for everyone" on October 12.

The action was sponsored by the International Network for Full Rights for Immigrant Workers and Their Families that included marchers from Central America and Mexico who protested proposed changes in the immigration laws.

Sponsoring organizations, part of the Network, include the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), the Association of Salvadorans in Los Angeles (ASOSAL), Coordinadora 96-2000, the FMLN of El Salvador, El Rescate, a Central American service center, the Party of the Democratic Revolution of Mexico (PRD), the Community Services Organization and other political organizations including the Labor Party, the Socialist Workers Party, and the Workers World Party.

An October 9 news conference publicizing the march and rally was covered by the three Spanish-language TV stations and the daily La Opinion.

When asked what she thought of the recent legislative attacks on immigrants, marcher Carolina Rodríguez of Santa Ana, Orange County said, "It's another way to keep immigrants on the bottom rung of the ladder." She marched behind a banner written in Spanish that said, "Orange County for the human rights of immigrants."

An hour-long rally was held on the steps of city hall with speakers from the sponsoring organizations and individuals affected by the changes in the immigrations laws.

Other actions that day included a demonstration of 1,000 in Austin, Texas. In Tucson, Arizona, 80 people marched to the local border patrol headquarters and planted 18 crosses in front of it with the names of undocumented people killed by the Border Patrol in that state.

Barry Fatland is a member of the United Transportation Union Local 1544.  
 
 
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