Wake Up Progressives, It’s Time for You to March With Us for Immigrant Rights

by Cori Redstone, Artist, Activist

I am attending the 2010 Netroots Nation Conference ( a conference for progressive bloggers, activists, advocates and organizers)  and I have had two days of surprises. I am active in human rights issues; LGBT rights, environmental justice, poverty and immigration. Immigration issues and undocumented immigration advocacy work have consumed my life for the past two years.

Multiple people at this conference tell me they support immigrant rights but its tough because they (the undocumented) are taking American jobs or they aren’t really interested in the issue. In other words people say they care but there really is no follow through and many assumptions are just flat out wrong. It is sad to see how the talking points of organized anti-immigrant groups have permeated even the most progressive Americans. Now, more than ever, progressives should be actively engaged in issues surrounding immigration and demanding comprehensive reform. Now is the time people should be paying attention so get interested.

I see little passion about this issue in many others here at Netroots other than Latinos. Progressives (of all people) should know that being an American is much more than a piece of paper. The undocumented immigrants I know are American in every sense of the word. They are honest, hard working, family oriented, flag waving, innovative people and they deserve to be defended. Keep in mind that American citizens with a certain shade of color are also targets of these laws and eventually everyone will be. Asking someone to prove their status as a legal alien or American citizen will result in unjustified detentions and interrogations of many Americans and legal aliens.

A state, an American state just legalized and basically mandated racial profiling and the immigration panels aren’t even half full. Horrific stories are coming out of border states about unjustified detentions. Progressive bloggers and activists should be frothing at the mouth about this. Bloggers should be actively interested. I would like to know fellow progressives, where is the outrage?

Show me you papers laws are being pushed in almost two dozen state legislatures across the country. Emboldened anti-immigrant activists just distributed a hit list of undocumented immigrants and some citizens in my home state of Utah. Twelve million people’s lives hang in limbo right now as they wait for an unresponsive federal government to act. Parents make emergency plans in the event that they are picked up during work and their children are left without them. Our government plans to deport 400,000 people this year. That’s more people than the prior administration ever removed. Can you imagine the lives disrupted? The families torn apart? This is an issue that should consume you.

We are waiting for you to help educate and empower people. You are being asked to march with us. Immigrants aren’t asking for a hand out. They aren’t even asking for amnesty. They only ask for a chance.

Let’s work with and on behalf of Latino communities and see that they get that chance. We will bring an entire generation of Latino dreamers to the Progressive movement when we do. Help end the raids, help end the deportations, help keep families together, help LGBT partners of undocumented immigrants keep their families together and STOP legally mandated racial profiling.

Bloggers, organizers and activists the immigrant rights movement needs you. If you care about LGBT rights, our cause is your cause; March with us.

If you care about the environment and environmental justice; March with us.

These are issues that touch all of us. The immigrant rights movement is inviting you to come, to blog, to make calls and to march with us. With this new partnership the immigrant rights movement will then march with you.