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
May 1, 2007

Contact: Marcela Díaz, Somos Un Pueblo Unido

Santa Fe, New Mexico — Today, over 1,700 immigrant workers and allies rallied in Santa Fe to support comprehensive immigration reform and to call for an end to immigration raids. Representatives from local governments and dozens of community, faith, business, and labor organizations joined with workers to urge Congress and the President to pass a reform bill that allows undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship and full workplace and civil rights protections.

The event theme "Celebrating one more year of struggle and hope" reflects the unprecedented pro-immigrant mobilizations in the past year and the government's failure to respond. As the White House continues to stall efforts at the national level to move immigration reform forward, speakers at the rally, including Santa Fe Mayor David Coss and Española Mayor Joseph Maestas, relayed a common message: the time is now.

"Congress has a narrow window of opportunity to enact a fair, humane and workable immigration plan," according María Cristina López, founding board member of Somos Un Pueblo Unido. "Every day that passes without reform is a day that local families live in fear of being separated. More than ever, we need our Senators' support."

Santa Fe residents have seen first hand the effects of government efforts to crackdown on undocumented immigrant families. Several speakers at the event decried the recent ICE raids at apartment complexes and mobile home parks that resulted in the detention and deportation of 30 Santa Fe residents.

"ICE's policies have torn families apart, terrorized immigrants, and disrupted local schools and businesses," said Roberto Sánchez, a board member of Somos. "We are here today to demand a stop to these abhorrent tactics and to support viable solutions that give immigrant families an opportunity to legalize their status and reunify with their families."

Several locally owned businesses provided a free dinner for participants of the event. "José Ortega, owner of Mariscos Costa Azul Restaurant, said "By offering the food, we are saying 'thank you' to the immigrants whose work is vital to Santa Fe's local economy. The government should enact sensible immigration laws that recognize the contribution that immigrants make to the US economy as workers, consumers, tax-payers, and business owners."

Co-sponsors of the event included: Somos Un Pueblo Unido, Northern New Mexico Central Labor Council, Communication Workers of America Local 7076, National Education Association of New Mexico, American Federation of Teachers of New Mexico, AFSCME Council 18, and National Union of Hospital and Health Care Workers–District 1199.