¡Milwaukee presente! Hundreds march for immigrant rights

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, February 9, the Immigrant Rights work team of the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (MAARPR) led a crowd of close to 500 participants in a march through Milwaukee’s South Side, which is home to a significant immigrant population.

This march was part of the Legalization for All’s national week of action, and there was overwhelming support from participants and community members who saw or drove by the march.

Alondra Garcia, an elementary school teacher, kicked things off with recounting her experience being reprimanded by her school’s principal for supporting undocumented students and mixed status families. Julissa Velazques, outreach chair of the MAARPR, explained the connections between the struggles for immigrant rights and against police crimes, stated, “Throughout this country, our immigrant brothers and sisters are being brutalized by ICE in similar ways that our Black, brown and poor siblings are being brutalized by the police here in Milwaukee.”

The crowd marched towards a statue of César Chávez, issuing chants calling for legalization for all, an end to deportation, and solidarity. At the statue, César Hernández of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement brought highlighted the importance of immigrant rights for organized labor. The need for unions capable of fighting for immigrant workers on the shop floor will be crucial in the years to come.

Speaking on behalf of Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Kayla Patterson stated, “We, as revolutionaries, work in every mass movement because the masses are the makers of history. For every attack Trump and his cabinet launch at us, we’ll strike back tenfold in the streets.” Patterson continued, “FRSO spearheaded the massive marches on the RNC and DNC, and we are building the broadest movement possible that will continue to fight this racist agenda and will bring imperialism to its knees!”

The march returned to the Mitchell Park Domes for closing remarks. Sara Onitsuka, chair of the Milwaukee Antiwar Committee, stated, “What are often viewed as issues of domestic racism and xenophobia, actually stems from the effects of the U.S. war machine and the U.S. government’s agenda abroad.”

Speaking from their family’s experience, Onitsuka recounted how during WWII, “the U.S. found an opportunity to stoke racism against Japanese Americans in order to later occupy Japan and install dozens of military facilities.”

This march is the beginning of a broader fight in Milwaukee. The people spoke out today and showed that the people of Milwaukee are here to fight back against Trump’s policies. Immigrants are welcome in Milwaukee, and the movement is building the necessary momentum to defend them.

#MilwaukeeWI #WI #ImmigrantRights #NAARPR #MAARPR #FRSO #MAC #Featured