Above: #Not1more Deportation campaign protesters chant “Yes, you can” at the White House.
Families Announce Ongoing, Indefinite Presence at White House to Stop Deportations
As part of the national #Not1more Deportation campaign, immigrant communities in more than seventy cities will participate in a national day of action under the banner of “Two Million Too Many” with marches, rallies, vigils, and forums to push the White House to take immediate action to expand deferred action, end its quota programs like S-Comm, and suspend deportations.
The protests are prompted by the record deportations under the Obama administration which are reaching the milestone of two million removals since he took office.
In Los Angeles groups will rally outside City Hall calling for a strict policy rejecting ICE hold requests. In DC they will march to and rally at the White House. In Chicago a two day march will end with participants shutting down ICE at the Broadview Detention Center. In Phoenix, participants will start a 60 mile walk on April 2nd to rally at the Eloy Detention Center on the fifth where many of their loved ones are being held. In Atlanta, GA, they will rally at the state capitol.
Initiated in April of last year with the music video “El Hielo – ICE,” NDLON’s #Not1More campaign has built urgency for administrative relief through grassroots casework of individuals fighting for the right to remain, passing local legislation curtailing deportations, and by organizing direct actions of undocumented participants chaining themselves in front of deportation buses and detention center gates to stop deportations themselves. In February, NDLON filed a formal rulemaking petition to the Department of Homeland Security under the Administrative Procedure Act requesting a halt to deportations and outlining its authority to do so.
“We want President Obama to be a real reformer, not the deporter-in-chief,” explains Marisa Franco, campaign organizer for the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. “He can give immigrants relief with the stroke of a pen.”
As its demands penetrate the Beltway and prompt the administration to respond, participants are urging immediate action. They say their families can’t wait for relief and that the President doesn’t have to wait for Congress to use his executive authority to stop the suffering. He could expand the deferred action program he created for immigrant youth and suspend deportations immediately. Parallel to the President’s review, undocumented leaders have formed a Blue Ribbon Commission to do an independent investigation of current deportation policies and will present its findings shortly after April 5th.
A partial list of events is below. Promotional video by Cuéntame is available here. More information on activities across the nation can be found at: http://bit.ly/april5n1m
Alabama
4/05 – 1:00pm Birmingham – Not1More Teach-in on weaving together immigrant, LGBTQ and racial justice movements
Arizona
4/02 – 4/05 – 9:00am Phoenix – Trail to End Deportations March to Eloy
4/05 – 4:00pm Flagstaff – Single Garment of Destiny Rally
4/05 – 11:00am Safford – Prayer Vigil for #Not1More
California
4/03 — 2:30pm San Bernardino — Rally Against Pres. Obama’s 2 millionth deportation
4/04 – 11:00am San Francisco — Rally to Stop Deportations, 2Million2Many
4/05 – 11:00am Garden Grove – Press Conf. Calling on Congresswoman Loretta
Sanchez to stand against deportations
4/05 — 11:00am Sacramento — Shut Down ICE Rally
4/05 – 12:30pm Palmdale – Rally United Against Deportations
4/05 – 10:30 & 1:00pm San Jose – Rallies to say #Not1more
4/05 – 6:30am Santa Ana – Banners Against deportations
4/05 – 9:00am Van Nuys – Keep ICE Out of the Valley Rally
4/06 –10am Encinitas — Vigil, Informational Forum, Petition Signing
4/06 – 1:00pm San Diego – Overnight Fast for the First House of Mexico
Colorado
4/04 — 4:00pm Denver — Street Theater highlighting 2 Million Deportations
4/05 – 11:00am Denver – March with families fighting deportation
4/05 – 11:ooam Durango — Rally Against Deportations
4/05- 4:30pm Frisco – Rally to draw attention to deportation crisis
Connecticut
4/05 – 9:00am – 4:00pm Hartford – Families will Caravan across the state
District of Columbia
4/03 – 12:00pm Press Conf. to Announce post April 5th Escalation at WH
4/05 – 11:00am – March from Mt. Pleasant to the White House
4/05 12:00pm Georgetown — Students say 2Million2Many
2:00pm – Rally at the White House
Florida
4/05 – 6:00pm Homestead – March and Vigil
4/06 – 1:00pm Miami – Not1More Rally
Georgia
4/05 – 10:00am Atlanta – Rally at State Capitol
Illinois
4/04 – 4:00pm Aurora – Prayer Vigil for #Not1more
4/05 – 6:30pm Chicago – El Pueblo Canta Concert
4/07 – 9:30am Chicago – Two Day March to Shut Down ICE from Downtown to
Broadview Detention Center
Iowa
4/04 – 10:00am Des Moines – Rally for #Not1More Deportation
Louisiana
4/05 – 10:00am New Orleans – March for #Not1More Deportation
Massachusetts
4/05 – Springfield – Day of Action
4/05 – 1:00pm Worcester – Rally Against Deportations
4/06 – 3:00 Springfield – Training: How to Stop Your Deportation
Minnesota
4/05 – 7:00pm Minneapolis – Prayer Vigil for Reconciliation
North Carolina
4/05 – 11:00am Asheville – March to Stop Deportations
4/05 — 4:00pm Raleigh — Rally for Not1More
New Hampshire
4/05 – 10:00am Nashua – Not1More Deportation Art Exhibit
New Jersey
4/05 – 3:30pm Elizabeth – Break ICE Rally Against Deportations
New Mexico
4/03-4/05 12:oopm Albuquerque – 3 Days of Fasting and Prayer for Not1More
4/04- 1:00pm Albuquerque – Education Not Deportation Press Conference at UNM
4/05 – 2:00pm Clovis – March to County Jail to Stop Deportations
4/05 — 12:00pm Las Cruces – Rally Against Deportations
New York
4/05 – 11:00am New York City – Rally Against Deportations
4/05 4:00pm Brooklyn– Not1More Motorcade
North Carolina
4/05 – 7:30pm Charlotte- Vigil to Demand President Obama Stop Family Separation
Ohio
4/04 – 4:00pm Columbus – Rally Against Deportations
Oregon
4/05 – 2:00pm Portland – Teach-in on Deportations
4/05 – 12:00pm Newport – Rally for Not1More Deportation
Pennsylvania
4/05 – 10:40am West Chester – 2Million2Many Rally
4/05- 1:00pm Norristown- Walk to End Deportations
4/06 – 7:00pm Norristown – Prayer Vigil to stop Deportations
Rhode Island
4/04 – 4:00pm Providence – Prayer Vigil Against Deportations
Tennessee
4/04 – 12:00pm Knoxville – Vigil Against Deportations
4/05 – 1:00pm Nashville – March to Stop Deportations
Texas
4/05 – 12:00pm Dallas – Rally Outside Sheriff’s Jail
4/05 — 3:00pm Houston — Vigil in Support of Hunger Striking Detainees
4/05 – Conroe – Hunger Strike by Detainees in GEO Group Detention Center
Utah
4/04– 8:30am West Valley City– Rally to Support the Canenguez Family, Not1More Deportation
Washington
4/05 – 12:00pm Sumas — Not1More Rally at Border Patrol Station
4/05 – 3:00pm Tacoma – Rally to Support Hunger Strikers in NW Detention Center
4/05 — 2:30pm Forks — March to Stop Deportations
4/05 – 6:30pm Yakima – Vigil for Not1More Deportation and to support BringThemHome Families
Wisconsin
4/04 – 4:00pm Milwaukee – Speak Out and Rally
4/06 – 12:00pm Milwaukee – Prayer Vigil
As Obama Administration Reaches Two Million Deportations, Groups Say “Not One More,” Urge Immediate White House Action, Announce Ongoing White House Protests
WASHINGTON, DC – Beginning on the April 5th “Two Million Too Many” national day of events against deportations, families and undocumented immigrants will begin an indefinite presence at the White House until President Obama stops deportations and reunites them with their loved ones currently held in detention.
Cynthia Diaz, an 18 year old U.S. Citizen, is fighting to keep her mother from being deported and asking for the Department of Homeland Security to release her from detention in Arizona.
Naira Zapata, partner of Ardany Rosales, and Jose Valdez, father of Jaime Valdez, are fighting to bring home their loved ones, both of whom were deported in retaliation for civil rights organizing and recently presented themselves at the border to appeal their cases.
They say their families can’t wait for relief and that the President doesn’t have to wait for Congress to use his executive authority to stop the suffering. He could expand the deferred action program he created for immigrant youth and suspend deportations immediately.
The families will remain on President Obama’s front lawn until their loved ones are released and until their demands for relief are met. “If the President wants to address deportations, he should speak directly with those of us who are suffering because of his policies,” explains Jose Valdez who has had all three of his sons deported from his home in Arizona.
Cynthia Diaz adds, “It hurts to hear the President say he feels our pain without doing anything to relieve it. We’ve knocked on every door we could for help. We’re at the White House because the President could pick up his pen and bring my mother home today. I’ll be here until I can feel my mom’s arms around me again.”
The group pledges to have a presence in Lafayette Park (2pm closing rally) every day starting Saturday April 5th where a march from Mt. Pleasant (11am starting rally) will conclude as part of a national day of events against deportations. Updates available on twitter at #Not1more.
