!!!!!! UNDOCUMENTED YOUTH & ORGANIZERS ARRESTED FOR CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN MONTGOMERY ALABAMA YESTERDAY, IN DEFIANCE AGAINST HATE LAW HB 56. !!!!!! THEY NEED HELP BEING BAILED OUT
Martin Unzueta, long-time Chicago community organizer and parent participated in a civil disobedience in Montgomery, Alabama. He was arrested along with 3 other undocumented parents, and 10 undocumented youth protesting the increasing criminalization of immigrants.
They need funds to be bailed out, PLEASE DONATE IF YOU CAN:
$1, $5, anything you can!
These people are fighting so that people in this country can have access to WATER and HEAT..and be treated with dignity. In 13 states the DREAM Act has passed, which generally means that states can set up private donation-based funds for undocumented youth to receive scholarships for college. In some states, their DREAM Acts also provide a pathway to citizenship. However, no such thing has passed in Alabama, and Alabama is in fact regressing. On top of the fact that many undocumented youth cannot go to college, their whole families are now being denied water, heat, and electricity. This is why these undocumented youth & parents have convened in Montgomery. It’s very important that they continue to do this work
What happened:
13 undocumented youth and parents, including Chicago organizer and parent Martin Unzueta, took a stand against hate perpetuated by HB56 in Alabama yesterday and were arrested in a civil disobedience in Montgomery. HB56 has allowed Utility companies to deny HEAT, WATER & ELECTRICITY to those who cannot present documentation!
The undocumented youth & parents- all organizers/DREAMers, publicly declared their undocumented status in defiance of HB 56, which is considered to be the harshest anti-immigrant bill in the country. It makes it possible for utility companies to deny anyone they presume to be undocumented gas, electricity, and water. If you cannot provide documentation, you do not get service. “We want to remind the immigrants of this state that they have a voice and it’s time to use it,” said Belen Rebelledo, an undocumented mother of three.
WHY
I am risking deportation because I’m tired of seeing the suffering of our children, tired of the lies of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We do civil disobedience because we are not afraid of those who persecute us” said Martin Unzueta, community organizer at Chicago Community and Workers’ Rights who was arrested during the civil disobedience, and parent of two undocumented youth organizers of the Immigrant Youth Justice League.
The civil disobedience targets the climate of fear that undocumented immigrants are facing due to harsh anti immigrant laws like Alabama’s HB 56, and calls for the community to take action. HB56 passed. Under this legislation police are required to investigate the immigration status of people who are pulled over for routine traffic stops, and makes it a felony for undocumented immigrants to do business with the state. There have been wide- spread reports that undocumented immigrants are leaving the state and of children being harassed at school for their perceived immigration status.
The civil disobedience took place during a national convening of undocumented organizers part of the National Immigrant Youth Alliance.
Whats happening: Montgomery police chief Kevin J. Murphy said those arrested would be asked to provide documentation, which could lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be contacted.
CLICK THE LINKS BELOW FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20111115/NEWS/111115017/Arrests-made-immigration-law-protest?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2011/11/07/363096/alabama-utilities-denying-service/
please repost!
