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Miembros de ACIJ se Unieron a Cientos de Activistas en Nueva Orleans en Apoyo a las Acciones Ejecutivas en Inmigración
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ACIJ Members Joined Hundreds of Immigration Activists in New Orleans in Support of Executive Actions Granting Administrative Relief in Immigration NEW ORLEANS, LA—Dozens of activists from the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice joined hundreds of Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM) members in New Orleans on July 10 as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments on a lawsuit delaying implementation of the executive actions announced last fall by the Federal Government. Chants of “We are not one, we are not 100, we are millions!” and “We are the immigrants, the mighty, mighty immigrants,” could be heard all around as families and supporters marched around the courtroom carrying signs and chanting cheers accompanied by a classic New Orleans style band. Activists traveled from 21 states to make their voices heard and their presence felt, both inside and outside the courtroom. Many of the families rode on buses and vans throughout the night to participate in the rally outside the federal courthouse. ACIJ members sent a bus fully loaded with supporters from Birmingham and other participants who drove vans from Mobile. “We are here to fight for our families. We are here to tell anti-immigrant extremists that we will fight them every step of the way until the relief is implemented,” said DAPA eligible Angel Aldana, a member of ACIJ and father of a U.S citizen, who travelled to the protest from Birmingham. Fernanda Herrera, also a member of the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice, came to the U.S. from Guadalajara, Mexico when she was two years old with her family. Today she is a student of International Studies at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Herrera is a beneficiary of DACA, and her dream is to go to law school. Her parents could be eligible for DAPA under President Obama’s executive actions. "My younger brother is an American citizen. If my parents were ever to be deported I would have to quit school and raise him because everything he knows is here: his school, soccer team, friends, and future goals,” Herrera said. “President Obama’s executive actions would give more people the opportunity to achieve their dreams.” FIRM spokesperson Kica Matos, who was inside the courtroom, called the hearing “political theater and a farce meant to give the appearance of justice.” “We do not expect the outcome of this hearing to be in our favor. If that’s the case, we are prepared to take this matter to the Supreme Court where we are certain we will prevail. We will not stand by while our communities get trampled in the legal arena. We will STAND UP AND FIGHT BACK!” Matos said. Activists, along partners and allies, came from the following states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington State. |