CHICAGO EFFORTS PROVE IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS MOVEMENT IS STILL STRONG

July 19, 2006

LIVE From Chicago:

Despite the House’s decision to push off immigration reform until possibly after the November election, the immigrants’ rights movement remains stronger than ever. Rallies around the country in May garnered support from immigrants and activists alike and the momentum continues to grow with efforts from local organizations.

In Chicago, a major rally organized by Centro Sin Frontreras, a Chicago-based organization dedicated to offering services to Latino immigrants, is causing Jackson Boulevard in downtown Chicago to shut down as we write. Such efforts have kept comprehensive immigration reform from falling to the backburner as issues often do.

“Si, se puede”, yes we can, was heard once again in the streets of downtown as activists and immigrants marched with American flags, posters, and signs, demanding the voices of protesters to be heard.

Meanwhile, there have been active efforts throughout Illinois to keep the momentum strong after May 1. Recent events have included a National Day of Citizenship held on July 1, 2006 at Little Village High School. The event was organized by member organizations of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) such as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), Muslim Women’s Resource Center, Southwest Organizing Project, and many other organizations. In addition, a groundbreaking campaign was launched that day.

All eyes have turned to the immigrant community. Everyone wants to know if, after all the rallies and protests, proponents of comprehensive immigration reform will win their agenda. With the elections coming up in November, CAIR-Chicago, ICIRR, SWOP, and fifteen other organizations have spearheaded the New Americans Democracy Project (NADP). The NADP is a project where ICIRR and host organizations work fulltime with a fellow hired full time to register voters and mobilize people to the polls.

CAIR-Chicago, as a host organization, is working in the third congressional district where fellow Haady Taslim is working to mobilize the American Muslim community in Bridgeview around the issues of comprehensive immigration reform, as well as a unique issue that affects the community there: citizenship delay. "We are at a critical point in American history where the American Muslim community, as well as other immigrant communities, are waking up and realizing their full potential as Americans," said CAIR-Chicago Executive Director Ahmed Rehab. "The right to vote and to participate actively in the political process is a part of what it is to be American and it is our duty, as Americans, to help our communities understand that such privilege comes with certain responsibilities such as advocating for the rights of those who need our help."

For American Muslims, voter mobilization is a key way to educate the community regarding the problem many Muslim men face when going through the citizenship process. Some have been waiting for more than two years for their background checks to come back from the FBI. "Mobilizing around such issues sheds light onto the real problem and creates a sense of responsibility for people who are already citizens," stated CAIR-Chicago Governmental Relations Coordinator Sadiya Ahmed. "It mobilizes people around an issue specific to their community and empowers them with the ability to help their fellow community members."

From people taking over the streets demanding comprehensive immigration reform, to empowering people to turn out at the polls in record numbers, the immigration debate is not likely to die down anytime soon. "The rallies and all the work that has been done until now is only the tip of the iceberg. The real power of immigrants is only beginning to hit us all. It will hit us full force on election day, when thousands of people mobilize to the polls in favor of comprehensive immigration reform," said Ahmed.

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