Major Actions Include May 1st Events, Children’s Marches, Vigils, Congressional Visits
Just last week, the Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), a coalition of the nation’s largest and most powerful immigrant rights groups, announced its next steps in the fight for comprehensive immigration reform. FIRM will have a constant presence at the Capitol, conduct thousands of lobby visits, deliver thousands of photos of families torn apart by the broken immigration system, host massive turnout events across the country on May 1st, lead children’s marches on Mother’s Day and conduct prayer vigils. Vigils and lobby visits will begin next week when the Senate Judiciary Committee holds its markup sessions.
Every day that Congress fails to pass immigration reform legislation, 1,100 families are torn apart. It is immoral and cruel that family members who would be eligible for citizenship under this bill are being detained and deported even as we speak. FIRM is calling on the Administration to put a moratorium on all deportations while Congress debates the bill.
This past election cycle, FIRM demonstrated its enormous and growing political power. FIRM will harness that power – on the streets, online, through our massive phone banking programs, historic voter engagement and lobbying by immigrant families themselves – to improve this bill and move immigration reform forward now.
Please see below for an updated list of May 1st events from FIRM and other groups:
Birmingham, AL
Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice
More than 3,000 people will march through Birmingham; the march will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Linn Park (710 20th St. N, Birmingham, Alabama).
Phoenix, AZ
Promise Arizona
At 5:30 p.m. crowds will rally at the State Capitol in Phoenix and march to the Hyatt Regency in downtown Phoenix.
In Tucson, a march will start at 9 a.m. from St. John’s Catholic Church at 602 W. Ajo Way and end at Rudy Garcia Park.
Los Angeles, CA
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
30,000 people will gather at noon for a kick-off rally at Olympic and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. They will march to La Placita Olvera. The march begins at 2 p.m.
Oakland, CA
Mujeres Unidas y Activas
At 3:00 p.m., 5,000 will gather at the Fruitvale BART for a rally and march.
Denver, CO
Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition
There will be a community rally and march beginning at 11:00 a.m. on the west steps of the Capitol.
New Haven, CT
March and rally to support immigration reform, attended by Junta for Progressive Action, labor, immigrant rights, civil rights, community and faith groups.
5:00 p.m. start, march begins at 6:30 p.m. New Haven Green.
Georgetown, DE
CASA in Action
CASA in Action is joining with others to host a rally in downtown historic Georgetown.
5:00 p.m. start: Georgetown Circle, Georgetown, DE.
Florida Events (Miami, Tampa and Orlando)
Miami: Public Assembly for Immigration Reform to educate the community about the immigration bill.
6 p.m. start: Little Haiti Cultural Center, 212 NE 59th Terrace
Tampa: Public forum on the immigration bill
6 p.m. start: Ybor Centennial Park 1800 E 8th Avenue
Orlando: ‘Right to Work, Right to Live, Right to Stay’ event hosted by Mi Familia Vota
5:00 p.m. start: Fountain of Living Water Church, 12250 S. John Young Parkway
Boise, ID
Alliance for a Just Society
Thousands are expected to participate in a march in Boise, Idaho.
Marchers will begin arriving at Julia Davis Park at 4:00 p.m.; the program will begin at 5:00 p.m. and the march to the Capitol will start at 6:00 p.m.
Chicago, IL
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)
2 p.m.: Rally kicks off in Union Park (Ashland and Lake). The march will begin at 3:00 p.m. with a rally at the Haymarket memorial (Randolph and Desplaines) at 3:30 and a rally at Federal Plaza (Jackson and Dearborn) at 4:00 p.m.
Portland, ME
Maine People’s Alliance
The Maine People’s Alliance will join with faith, labor, community rights and other groups at 4:00 p.m. The march will begin at 6:00 p.m. in Lincoln Park on Congress Street.
East Boston, MA
March to support immigrant and worker’s rights.
3:00 p.m. start: marchers leave from Everett City Hall and Revere City Hall
4:00 p.m. start: marchers leave from Chelsea City Hall
5:00 p.m.: marchers converge on East Boston Liberty Plaza (corners of Bennington and Meridian Street).
Michigan events (Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids, Lansing)
Kalamazoo: Noon start: Bronson Park, 200 S. Rose Street.
Grand Rapids: Noon start: downtown march.
Lansing: 4 p.m. start: Union Missionary Baptist Church, 500 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Bozeman, MT
Montana Organizing Project
Buses from five Montana cities will drop participants off at Lindley Park. Participants will gather in the park for salsa line dance lessons and refreshments at 1:00 p.m. and at 1:45 p.m. they will march down Main Street to the front of the Bozeman Public Library.
Las Vegas, NV
Reno, NV
Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada (PLAN)
10,000 people are expected to join PLAN and a coalition of labor, faith, civic, community and other immigrant rights groups as they rally at 4:30 p.m. at the federal building in downtown Las Vegas.
In Reno, PLAN’s march will begin at 3:00 p.m. in Reno City Plaza.
Concord, NH
Labor, interfaith and community organizations will rally at the New Hampshire Statehouse for immigrant and workers’ rights.
Noon start: Statehouse in Concord.
New York, NY
The New York Immigrant Coalition (NYIC)
NYIC will join with labor unions, immigrant rights groups and immigrants in a large rally. Tens of thousands of immigrants and supporters are expected to attend.
4 p.m. start at Union Square that will end at City Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Cleveland, OH
Ohio Organizing Collaborative and Ohio Prophetic Voices
At 5 p.m. there will be a rally in the public square in downtown Cleveland.
In Cincinnati, a rally will be held at 5 p.m. at Washington Park.
Salem, OR
CAUSA Oregon
5,000 people from across the state will rally on the steps of the Capitol in Salem at 11:00 a.m.
In Portland, the Portland May Day Coalition is hosting a rally and march.
3:00 p.m.: rally begins, and then the march kicks off at 4 p.m. from O’Bryant Square.
Harrisburg, PA
Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition
Families and faith leaders will join together outside the state capital building to call on the Pennsylvania
Noon start: Capitol Park, corner of North 3rd and Walnut Streets, Harrisburg, PA.
Richmond, VA
CASA in Action
CASA in Action and SEIU 32BJ will host a march in Richmond where hundreds of people are expected to march to the Republican Party of Virginia to urge the GOP to support immigration reform.
2:00 p.m. start at Monroe Park in Richmond, VA (corner of West Main and N. Belvedere Streets).
Washington State
OneAmerica
OneAmerica will host six marches statewide in Wenatchee, Yakima, Spokane, Walla Walla, Vancouver and Mount Vernon.
Wenatchee march: 6 p.m., Lincoln Park.
Yakima march: 5:30 pm, Miller Park.
Spokane march: 1 pm, Riverfront Park.
Walla Walla march: 5 pm, Jefferson Park.
Vancouver march: 6 pm, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler’s office.
Mt. Vernon march: 3:30 pm, Skagit Valley College.
Seattle march (coordinated by the May 1st Action Coalition): 1 p.m., St. Mary’s Church, 611 20th Avenue South.
Milwaukee, WI
Voces de la Frontera
Voces de la Frontera will march with elected officials and leaders from labor, public education, faith, civil rights and the LGBT community. Thousands of people are expected to attend.
The groups will assemble at Voces de la Frontera at 11:00 a.m. (1027 S. 5thSt., Milwaukee). They will march to Pere Marquette Park (at 3rd and State) for a massive rally.
