Immigrants plan strikes & demos

As immigrants throughout the country prepare to participate in a National Day of Action full of worker strikes, boycotts and demonstrations, many Queens and city residents will also have another opportunity to show their support for fair and just immigration reform.
On Monday May 1, at 12:16 p.m. businesses along 37th Avenue and 74th Street in Jackson Heights as well as other locations throughout the city, will close down for 15 to 20 minutes while immigrant businesses, workers, families and students form a ‘human chain’ displaying their solidarity. The demonstration will take place as part of a National Day of Action and a symbolic gesture against the passage of a House of Representatives Bill passed on December 16, 2005, which called for illegal immigrants to be treated as criminals within the United States.
“As an alternative to the general strike that is being called nationally, we want to organize local events that highlight the economic contributions of immigrants,” said Ana Maria Archila, Executive Director of the Latin American Integration Center, who is helping to organize the rally.
Along Roosevelt Avenue, more than 500 people are expected to participate in the demonstration.
“This is a real grassroots community event,” said Zahida Pirani, who is helping organize the event on behalf of the New York Civic Participation Project. Pirani said that since many of the businesses along this strip are small Latino and South Asian businesses, they cannot afford to shut down for an entire day, but this event will give them a chance to advocate for reform.
The United States Senate reconvened on Tuesday to continue debates on the immigration bill with the hopes of reaching an agreement soon. Congressman Joseph Crowley, who represents one of the most diverse areas in the country in Jackson Heights, hosted a forum this week calling upon the Senate to come to a fair agreement.
“As we have seen today, with the participation of all these key groups and leaders, our nation’s immigration policy must balance the need to tighten our border security along with providing a pathway to citizenship to the 11 million undocumented people living in our nation,” Crowley said.