Vol. 75/No. 16      April 25, 2011

The main target of the march was SB 2040. This bill would increase state requirements for employers to check workers’ immigration status, either through the federal E-Verify system or other measures. It also seeks to extend immigration enforcement to all state police agencies and county sheriffs and to expand deportations of undocumented immigrants who are arrested for any reason.

On the march, Hector Leonel Hernández told the Militant that he had taken part in lobbying, and various politicians had promised support, but deportations have increased anyway. A recent graduate from high school in Miami, Hernández said he can’t afford to go to college so is taking electrical classes and working sporadically in construction.

Stefany Sagastizado, from St. Thomas University, said more students have gotten involved at her campus after a soccer player from the school was arrested while traveling to a tournament. “He was just a passenger sleeping in the car and because he had no documents he was arrested,” she said.

Several workers from the cleaning staff at St. Thomas joined the march in their work uniforms. They had negotiated with their boss to start and leave work early to participate. “We’ve been out before supporting the students and all undocumented people,” said Ana Menoscal.

Another proposed bill is HB 7089, the “Florida Immigration Enforcement Act.” It would make it a misdemeanor to be in the state of Florida without valid immigration documents. The bill also mandates all public and private employers to use E-Verify; requires all cop agencies to check the immigration status of anyone arrested or subject to criminal investigation; and allows police to arrest a person without a warrant if they have “probable cause to believe that the person is unlawfully in the United States in violation of state and federal law.”  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home