by Over 550 Attend Historic Mexicano/Latino Leadership Immigration Summit
The "Immigrant Sanctuary Movement" is Born
Hector Carreon
La Voz de AztlanRiverside, Alta California - February 13, 2006 - Over 550 Mexicanos, Mexicas and Latinos attended the "Mexicano/Latino Leadership Immigration Summit" on Saturday at the Riverside Convention Center. The spirited attendees vowed unanimously to fight and defeat the xenophobic H.R. 4437 bill that is pending before the US Senate and which would criminalize undocumented immigrants.
A number of actions were voted on and approved by the entire assembly. The purpose of these national and international political actions are to defeat the so-called racist "Sensenbrenner Legislation" which would make it a criminal offense to be in the United States without permission instead of it being merely a civil offense. Among the major accomplishments of the Summit was the establishment of an "Immigrant Sanctuary Movement" which consists of declaring, through city government resolutions, sanctuaries for immigrants throughout the Southwest. The City of Maywood, California has led the way and the City of Huntington Park , California has already followed. Citizens will be at the Pomona City Council tonight to begin the process there and Los Angeles will soon follow as well.
The historic event was organized and hosted by by the National Alliance for Human Rights (NAHR) and the University of California at Riverside's MEChA and Chicano Student Programs. Participants included leaders and organizations from throughout California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Nevada, Illinois and from Mexico. Present were delegations from many organizations that included, among others, MEChA de UCR, the "Brown Berets de Watsonville", the Mexica-Movement, the Committee on Chicano Rights, CARECEN, Pueblo Sin Fronteras de Chicago, Comite Latino of Coachella, La Alianza Hispana de Nevada, New Mexico Hispanic Roundtable, LULAC de Orange County, the Mexican-American Political Association, Greenlining Institute, SEIU, and Asociacion Jose Marti.
Political elected leaders that addressed the Summit included Speaker of the California Assembly Fabian Nunez, Mexican Senator from the State of Zacatecas Raymundo Cardenas, California Assemblymember Hector De La Torre from South Gate, Councilman of Riverside Andy Melendez and the Vice Mayor of the City of Maywood Felipe Aguirre.
Dr. Armando Navarro, Professor of Ethnic Studies at UCR and coordinator of the Summit, said that NAHR plans to focus on leaders in America, Mexico, and Central and South American countries. There are plans to send a delegation to Mexico to meet with President Vicente Fox. Also, NAHR plans to meet with Senator Diane Feinstein, other members of Congress and Ambassadors from other countries to solicit their support against H.R. 4437.
"If they come out openly and protest, that would influence the Senate because it would create a diplomatic problem for the Bush administration," Professor Navarro said. "Basically we as Mexicanos and Latinos are facing what some of us describe as literally a political war," he added. Dr. Navarro concluded, "Understanding the horrific anti-immigrant political climate rampant throughout the country and the severity of the consequences of the racist Sensenbrenner legislation, in particular the building of an Iron Curtain along the U.S./Mexico border, Mexicanos and Latinos in this country are under a state of siege reminiscent of the McCarthy Era."
Related La Voz de Aztlan articles:Agenda set for the Mexicano/Latino Summit on the Immigration Crisis
IMMIGRATION CRISIS: Preparations for the Mexicano/Latino Leadership Summit being finalized
"Latino Mobilization Summit Conference" to be held at the Riverside Convention Center
Mexicano/Latino Mobilization Gathers Momentum
Latinos Meet to Mobilize Against Nativist Immigration Legislation and Attacks
