The following is current work in progress flier draft for this event based upon an organizational e-mail from Jay Arena. For more information or to offer support, contact Jay Arena <jarenanynola@gmail.com> :
TO WIN THE WAR ON THE VIRUS
END THE WAR ON IMMIGRANTS
FREE ALL IMMIGRANT DETAINEES NOW!
President Biden, Senators Booker and Menendez, Governor Murphy along with many other Democratic officials say they want to fight the virus and end Trump’s vicious anti-immigrant policies. But 14,000 immigrants remain detained without charge or trial in Essex, Bergen and Hudson counties and across the United States. Prior to the pandemic, these detainees were victims of gross violations of their basic human rights—the detentions are and have always been unconstitutional. The violations of the detainees’ rights undermines the rights of all.
But now the detainees, in overcrowded conditions like other US inmates, are targets for the coronavirus. The detainees are suffering COVID infections at a rate 13 times that of the general population. This not only endangers the lives and health of those who are held unconstitutionally. It helps the virus to spread, through the guards and other employees, to the general community. Virus particles don’t check your papers or your birthplace. Holding immigrant detainees is not only an assault on all our rights, a crime against basic justice, it helps the coronavirus to spread, kill and evolve more dangerous variants.
Biden and Murphy must free the immigrants immediately with emergency orders NOW. Booker and Menendez must introduce legislation, which the Democrats can pass immediately, to end all detentions and deportations and to guarantee EQUAL RIG9:53 PMHTS TO ALL WHO LIVE HERE, regardless of place of birth. Every day they delay deepens the injustice and helps the virus.
PROTEST RALLY
SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2:00 PM
RAYMOND PLAZA
NEWARK PENN STATION
Endorser list contact info
Freeing immigrant detainees is an urgent first step towards our goal of a Workers Recovery—ending the pandemic and preventing future pandemics by eliminating the conditions that give rise to them. Where we rally in the Ironbound, air pollution is among the worst in the nation, leading to asthma rates triple the average, weakening lungs and making them more vulnerable to the coronavirus. Essex County has also had almost triple the COVID mortality rate as the US as a whole. We demand an immediate halt to all further concentration of waste processing in Newark and the immediate initiation of a State-financed project, paid for by taxing the rich, to eliminate the toxic sources of air pollution from all waste treatment and industrial sites and diesel truck traffic. These specific demands are part of our fight to achieve the following goals:
Our Goals
- All who live here, regardless of national origin, immigrant status, race, religion, sexual orientation or gender, have equal rights. We refuse to be divided by racism by sexism by religious bigotry. We oppose institutional racism, discrimination and the disparities created in society. End all deportations, end all detentions, end all violations of due process rights, end all limits on the right to vote, to unionize, to organize and to strike. Freedom of movement for all. Without equal rights, we can’t unite to defend our lives.
- All who live here have the right to quality and equal free education, health care, transportation, housing, clean air and water, and clean energy. The government must provide democratically-controlled quality services for all, paid for by taxing the rich and corporations, defunding the police, slashing weapons spending and ending all US wars, occupations and military aid that force people to migrate. Lack of adequate health care, fossil-fuel-driven air pollution which has weakened everyone’s lungs, and overcrowded housing has led to this pandemic spreading out of control.
- All who live here have the right to good jobs at good, living wages. Providing quality free education, health care, transportation, housing and clean energy will also provide guaranteed good jobs for all. The desperation that leads people to risk their health to hang on to a job must end.
- Socialization of finance. Public ownership with democratic control of all finance—banks, insurance, investment companies. The Federal government has bailed out the financial companies with our tax money and without our consent twice over—it must exercise its ownership, not give it away to billionaire shareholders.
More information on this topic at the following links:
Join the fightback – Here are the groups and initiatives organizing around this issue:
