National Fast for Immigrant Justice - September 30!

Please participate in the National Fast in your city and area!

National Fast for Immigrant Justice – September 30!

Cite as "AILA InfoNet Doc. No. 06092157 (posted Sep. 21, 2006)"

The National Fast for Immigrant Justice is September 30, 2006!

The National Fast for Immigrant Justice will call attention to the horrors of IIRIRA, and put a human face on the suffering this terrible law is inflicting on the most vulnerable among us. Participants in the National Fast for Immigrant Justice will donate the money that they would have spent on food on September 30th to organizations that fight for justice for immigrants, and will contact elected officials and let them know that they are fasting, and why.

September 30, 2006 marks the tenth anniversary of the enactment of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), a heinous anti-immigrant and anti-family law. IIRIRA has caused great suffering and irreparable harm to U.S. citizen children across the country, and has torn countless families of U.S. citizens and immigrants apart. IIRIRA mandates detention and deportation for whole classes of immigrants, without regard to the hardships that will be suffered.

Many of IIRIRA's harshest provisions are being applied retroactively causing even more suffering. IIRIRA also precludes judicial review of many government decisions, and bars millions of immigrants with family members and long term residence in our nation from returning to the United States for ten years, and in many cases for life! IIRIRA is cruel, inhumane, and draconian. It must be repealed!

The Chairperson of the National Fast for Immigrant Justice is Dolores Huerta. September 30, 2006 is also the 44th anniversary of the founding of the United Farm Workers Union, by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta. Cesar would often engage in public fasts to raise consciousness about the plight of migrant workers and their families, and their struggle for justice. The National Fast for Immigrant Justice is dedicated to Cesar Chavez.

The group is also planning a bi-lingual Mass for Immigrant Justice at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines, Il. on Sept. 24th, at 1:00 followed by a short presentation on IIRIRA, and testimony by U.S. citizen children and spouses of individuals who have been harmed by IIRIRA. They are also planning an inter-faith service at the Federal Plaza in Chicago for Sept. 30, at 1:00 p.m. in support of those who will be taking part in the National Fast for Immigrant Justice.

For more information please contact: John Gomez (312) 550-7036. You can also read more online at: http://www.nationalfastforimmigrantjustice.com/