RACINE, WISCONSIN — Late Wednesday night, Democratic Congressional leaders announced a tentative agreement with the President on a bill protecting DACA recipients from deportation. The agreement is said to include money for more ground sensors and drones at the border, but no measures to expand the border wall or hire more border agents. On Thursday morning, the President tweeted his support for the agreement. Voces de la Frontera issued the following response:
“Our movement is united in calling for a clean Dream Act that provides a path to citizenship for immigrant youth and contains no provisions to further militarize the border or increase deportations and the separation of immigrant families,” said Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera. “No one in our community is negotiable, and that includes border communities. This announcement adds to the urgency of our demand on Speaker Ryan that he support a clean Dream Act. We urge all community members to attend Fiesta Patria in Racine on Friday to be part of our campaign.”
“Many of us have crossed the desert, we have all been separated from our families, we have enrolled in schools, learned a second language, and paid taxes,” said Valeria Ruiz, Racine organizer with Voces de la Frontera and Youth Empowered in the Struggle and a DACA recipient. “I have survived 17 years in a country that challenges our right to exist here, and yet we call it home. We went on hunger strike to pressure Paul Ryan to support our community and the Dream Act. We will continue to raise the pressure and do things like go on hunger strike or go to Speaker Ryan’s church until he agrees to hold a real town hall meeting with his constituents on immigration. Join us at Fiesta Patria this Friday to be part of the fight for the Dream Act.”
On Friday, the student arm of Voces de la Frontera, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, will host Fiesta Patria Racine, an annual community festival held since 2007 to celebrate Mexican Independence Day and honor the fight for immigrant and worker rights. This year’s Fiesta will be a community forum on the fight for the Dream Act. Advocates will help community members whose DACA expires before March 5, 2018, apply for renewal before the October 5th deadline, and obtain financial help paying the $495 federal renewal fee. The event will include games, dancing, and dinner donated by local Mexican restaurants. Jesus Salas will be the keynote speaker. Jesus organized Wisconsin farm workers with Cesar Chavez and remains a leader in the Wisconsin immigrant and worker rights movement.
Who: Voces de la Frontera, Youth Empowered in the Struggle, immigrant families and supporters
What: Fiesta Patria Racine – Mexican Independence Day celebration and community forum on the Dream Act
When: Friday, September 15th, 5pm
Where: Horlick High School, 2119 Rapids Dr, Racine, WI 53404