Press Advisory
For Planning Purposes
June 29th Event
Just weeks after Religious Leaders announced Hunger Strikes demanding a moratorium on deportations…
Immigrant Rights Organizers Launch Moratorium on Deportations Campaign
Thirty days before Arizona’s SB 1070 Law goes into effect; Chicago organizes a Nation-Wide Campaign!
WHAT: Press Conference to announce the launch of Moratorium on Deportation Campaign just thirty days prior to the enforcement of Arizona’s SB 1070 law. The Chicago community re-organizes and re-strategizes in the fight against deportations. “We will organize direct actions against all law enforcement and government agencies that contribute to the deportations of human beings”, said Mario Cardenas, a member of the Immigrant Youth Justice League and one of the organizers for the campaign, “the message is simple; we demand a moratorium on all deportations through president Obama’s executive power until a just and humane immigration system is in place”.
The Moratorium on Deportations Campaign has come up with a manifesto and timeline which points to July 29th, “The National Day of Non-compliance” to protest Arizona’s SB 1070, which requires police to question anyone who is suspected of being undocumented.
A call to Community Leaders and Organizations around the state to join and show support for the Campaign and the announcement of the first mass action against the Cook County Jail, located on 26th St. and California Ave. schedule for Saturday July 29th, 2010 to demand an end to the collaboration of the Chicago and County Police with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 29th, 10:30 AM
WHERE: ICE Headquarters 101 W. Congress Pkwy, Chicago IL
WHO: Youth, students, local organizations, labor unions, organizers, activists, religious leaders, and community members.
WHY: “The Obama administration is on track to deport a record 400,000 people in 2010, 70% of whom are non-criminal undocumented immigrants who have been caught up in an aggressive dragnet of local, state and federal raids and enforcement actions. Deportations more than doubled in the Bush years and are increasing even more in the Obama administration. In conjunction with the fact that border security spending and personnel have also increased in recent years, the deportation numbers show that ramped-up, enforcement-only immigration policy already is the status quo”. (Taken from the American’s Voice)
As a result, On May 18th Pastor Santellano from Hope Apostolic Ministry started a hunger strike demanding President Obama to use his executive power to call a moratorium on deportations. On June 17th, Pastor Santellano handed off his 32 day hunger strike due to health risks and pleas from his family and congregation to well known Chicago priest, Father Jose Landaverde from Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Mission. Landaverde steps up to take Santellano’s place in the hunger strike demanding that president Obama signs an executive order to implement a moratorium on deportations.
Since June 17th different organizations, activists, organizers, community leaders, youth and students have shown solidarity and support towards Father Landaverde. “But much more is needed in this fight” said Jose Herrera, a member of the Immigrant Youth Justice League and one of the organizers for the campaign, “we need to come together and re-organize, re-strategize, and re-build the movement, we need mass actions that will pressure our main target, President Obama, to do what’s right, using his executive power to implement a moratorium on all deportations, no more promises, no more waiting, no more separation of families!”
Visuals: Participants will carry signs & banners and present materials bearing slogans that will be used for this campaign along with the first migra-manta!
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Moratorium on Deportations Campaign 