by Rubén Tapia
With a 24-hour fast, a group of immigrants and activists from Los Angeles are joining a national movement to demand that the judges of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans deliver a verdict on Obama’s executive order that created the programs of deferred deportation, DAPA and DACA. Time is almost up. If the court does not make a decision in the next few days, the Supreme Court will not be able to consider the case next year and millions of potential beneficiaries will be in limbo for another year. Some are urging the judges to make a decision and others are beginning to register new voters and promote candidates who support DACA and DAPA in 2016. From Los Angeles, our correspondent Rubén Tapia reports.
Los Angeles families march for DAPA. Photo: Rubén Tapia.
Eleven immigrants and activists march from the immigration detention facility to the federal building in downtown Los Angeles, chanting, “What do we want? DAPA! When do we want it? Now!” At the federal building, they will fast for 24 hours.
“This is my first strike,” says Carolina Moran, a Mexican immigrant who is carrying a little boy she babysits. “My husband is coming to get the child, and I have all his food and everything he needs here in my bag,” she says.
Moran says the child’s parents support her because they also need DAPA to pass.
“The judges should unblock this program that would benefit 5 or 6 million people so much,” she says.
Carolina Moran is one of the fasters. Photo: Rubén Tapia.
Axel Paredes, a 36-year-old Guatemalan with two children in Mexico, joins the strike, too. In the factory where he works, he hurt his spine and is awaiting an operation, but he didn’t hesitate to join the protest.
“We are hungry for justice. We are hungry for solidarity. That hunger is much stronger, no?” asks Paredes. “And for all the people who are working right now, we are their voice.”
These immigrants and activists are joining others who are holding a hunger strike outside the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, awaiting a decision on DAPA – DACA. The case has been held up in the court for more than 60 days.
“These are political maneuvers by the judges. They need to make a decision, yes or no,” says Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). “They want to make the process go as long as possible.”
Other events, including an intense phone-call campaign, are being held in Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia and other places.
“I don’t think they expected the immigrant rights movement to pressure them this way, or that they would have so much scrutiny on what they were doing, ” says Salas.
If the judges don’t make a decision before November 1st, it’s unlikely the case will get to the Supreme Court next year.
So some immigrants are taking measures to increase the number of young Latinos who register and vote next year in defense of the immigrant community.
Yamilex Rustrian speaking, with Angélica Salas of CHIRLA to the left. Photo: Rubén Tapia.
Yamilex Rustrian, who is also participating in the fast, says, “You can make the difference in my life, since I can’t vote. And you can make a lot of difference for your whole community.”
According to recent data from “Latino Decisions,” in California there are 3 and a half million Latinos eligible to vote who are not registered. There are 12 million nationwide. A coalition of community organizations in the state has set a goal to register 200,000. Rustrian, who is an organizer with Children Over Politics, is preparing to do her part in Southern California.
“Our goal is really to go school to school,” says Rustrian, “and adopt a city, register people there, and when election day comes, remind them that there are elections.”
