NEW YORK – Immigrant and union groups will march in cities across the United States on Monday to mark May Day and protest against President Donald Trump’s efforts to boost deportations.
Thousands of immigrants and their allies are expected to rally in cities such as New York, Chicago, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Demonstrations also are planned for dozens of smaller cities from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to Portland, Oregon.
In many places, activists are urging people to skip work, school, and shopping to show the importance of immigrants in American communities.
While union members traditionally march on May 1 for workers’ rights in countries around the world, the day has become a rallying point for immigrants in the US since massive demonstrations were held on the date in 2006 against a proposed immigration enforcement bill.
In recent years, immigrant rights protests shrank as groups diverged and shifted their focus on voter registration and lobbying. Larger crowds are expected to return this year as immigrant groups have joined with Muslim organizations, women’s advocates, and others in their united opposition to Trump administration policies.
“We have never seen such an outpouring of support since we have since the election of Donald Trump,” said Kica Matos, a spokeswoman for the Fair Immigration Reform Movement.
As Trump approaches his first 100 days, he has aggressively pursued immigration enforcement, including executive orders for a wall along the US-Mexico border and a ban on travelers from six predominantly Muslim countries. The government has arrested thousands of immigrants in the country illegally and threatened to withhold funding from jurisdictions that limit cooperation between local and federal immigration authorities.
In response, local leaders have vowed to fight back and civic participation has seen a boost, including February’s “Day Without Immigrants.” The travel ban and sanctuary order were temporarily halted by legal challenges. (AP)
