Somos Un Pueblo Unido Protecting Immigrants' Rights in New Mexico

Somos Un Pueblo Unido 1205 Parkway Dr, Suite B Sante Fe, NM   87507   telephone: 505-424-7832 fax: 505-438-8518 email: somos@rt66.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2006

Contacts:
    Santa Fe—Marcela Díaz, Somos Un Pueblo Unido
    Albuquerque—Rachel LaZar, EL CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos (505) 217-5189
    Las Cruces—Josie Marrujo, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (505) 250-4041

New Mexico - Over 70 community, labor, student, political and faith organizations throughout New Mexico will unite with immigrants on April 9th and 10th in statewide mobilizations to support comprehensive immigration reform. Marches and rallies will take place in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Las Cruces in solidarity with groups across the country as part of the "National Day of Action" for immigrants’ rights.

On the heels of the Senate’s failure to enact viable immigration reform, immigrant groups and allies are calling on Senators Domenici and Bingaman, as well as other members of Congress, to pass a fair and workable immigration policy. These organizations want reform that does not criminalize undocumented immigrants and the agencies that help them, that creates a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented workers and students in this country, and that provides safe and legal means for future immigrant workers to migrate to the US with full workplace protections.

"Millions of lives are at stake," said Mayté García a student leader and board member of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, a Santa Fe based immigrants’ rights organization. "Immigrants will continue to mobilize until Congress puts aside its election year politics and passes an immigration bill that doesn’t separate our families, but that gives us an opportunity to become legal permanent residents and fully integrated members of our communities."

Today, hundreds will march from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Santa Fe to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Church, labor, and student representatives will speak at Cathedral Park at a rally themed "United for Justice and Equality." Archbishop Michael Sheehan and local elected officials, including the Mayors of Santa Fe and Española and the Santa Fe County Sheriff, are expected to address the crowd.

In Albuquerque, community groups have organized a rally at the Hispanic Cultural Center with music and community speakers this afternoon at 4:00 PM. This event follows a community dialogue on immigration reform that was hosted at Holy Rosary Church on March 27th with more than 600 people in attendance.

"We are excited about the broad support of immigrants from so many organizations and community members," said Célida Herrera, member of EL CENTRO de Igualdad y Derechos, an immigrants’ rights organization in Albuquerque. "As an immigrant worker, it makes me proud that so many people here recognize how vital we are to this community."

Dioceses of Las Cruces Bishop Ricardo Ramirez will lead a march on Monday, April 10th from the Federal Building to Klien’s Park in downtown Las Cruces. Students from the Gadsen and Las Cruces Public Schools are expected to attend.

"Communities near the border have seen first hand the devastating effects of enforcement-only immigration policies," stated Las Cruces march organizer Josie Marrujo from the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement-AFL-CIO. "Immigrants are marching in Las Cruces to show that our families are not criminals, just hard working people who deserve to be treated with dignity and fairness."

New Mexico’s municipalities and State Legislature have a long tradition of collaborating with grassroots groups to pass some of the most progressive immigrants’ rights policies in the country. These seventy organizations will continue to work together not only to demand comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, but also to ensure that the human and civil rights of everyone in New Mexico are respected, regardless of national origin and immigration status.

Supporting organizations include:

Community and student organizations - ACORN, Albuquerque Center for Peace and Social Justice, American Friends Service Committee, Catholic Charities of New Mexico, Center for Action and Contemplation (ABQ), Center for Economic Justice, Centro de Igualdad y Derechos (ABQ), CHALE (ABQ), Citizens for Alternatives to Radio Active Dumping, Coalition for Prisoners’ Rights (SF), Colonias Development Council (Las Cruces), Community Health Council (ABQ), Community Health Partnership (ABQ), El Centro de la Raza –UNM, El Centro Immigration Services Center (Roswell), Enlace Comunitario (ABQ), Hispanic Round Table (ABQ), La Raza Unida, La Raza Unida Youth Committee, LULAC (Las Cruces), National Hispanic Cultural Center, New Mexico Association of Bilingual Educators, MALSA (ABQ), Mujeres en Progreso (Taos), PACE New Mexico, Peace Action New Mexico (SF), Raton Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Revisioning New Mexico, SAGE Council (ABQ), Santa Fe County Green Party, Santa Fe Immigration Committee, Santa Fe Living Wage Network, Santa Fe NAACP, SOLAS (ABQ), Somos Un Pueblo Unido (SF), Southwest Network for Environmental Justice, Southwest Organizing Project, UNM Chicano Studies, Veterans for Peace

Labor Organizations - AFSCME International, AFSCME Council 18, AFSCME Santa Fe State Local 477, AFSCME Santa Fe County Local 1782, AFSCME New Mexico Corrections Northern 3422, AFSCME City of Santa Fe Local 3999, Central New Mexico Labor Council, City of ABQ Blue Collar Employees AFSCME Local 624, Communications Workers of America Local 7076, DS1199NM—Hospital and Healthcare Employees, IATSE (International Association of Theatrical and State Employees) Local 480, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement—AFL-CIO, National Education Association—New Mexico, National Writers Union, New Mexico Federation of Labor—AFL-CIO, Northern New Mexico Central Labor Council, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1564 of New Mexico

Faith Organizations - Archdiocese of Santa Fe, Diocese of Las Cruces, Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (SF), New Mexico Conference of Churches, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (SF), PAX CRISTY New Mexico (SF), Temple Beth Shalom (SF), San Juan Parish (San Juan Pueblo), St. Thomas of Aquinus (Lovington)