Don't Run/No Corra-Una campana educativa de emergencia

by Guillermo Gonzalez/Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia

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Mi familia y yo estamos en EEUU ahora, precisamente en la area de la Bahia, anos despues de nuestro arduo viaje desde El Salvador, para perseguir el supuesto Sueno Norteamericano. Tengo 25 anos. Estoy en la escuela para ser un maestro y ala vez trabajando con POOR Magazine como un escritor del personal y maestro del proyecto Voces de Inmigrantes, que le ensena periodismo y organizar a monolingnes obreros inmigrantes de bajo ingreso.

En todas partes de mi vida trabajo para devolverle algo a mi comunidad. Mis maestros en la Universidad me predican sobre como debo dar las gracias a este pais por darme el permiso de estar aqui. Me dice que este pais es tan bueno hacia mi por darme una visa estudiantil. Pero el sentido de aprecio es dificil tener ahora por el hecho de la recien crecida de correriras de trabajadores pobres, estudiantes y familias por toda la area de la bahia, que curiosamente empezaron antes de las marchas del Dia Internacional Del Obrero 1ro de mayo en honor de todos los trabajadores y en solidaridad con la lucha de los obreros inmigrantes

"Estas correrias son como un acto brutal de venganza y criminilizacion por ICE hacia los inmigrantes por marchar el 1ro de mayo" dijo Tiny, periodista y editora social de POOR Magazine/PoorNewsNetwork, y autora de Criminal de la pobreza: Criandose sin Hogar en America.

Empezando con las correrias de una cadena be bien conocidas taquerillas, con localidades desde San Jose a San Francisco, con el asusto hacia los padres en la escuela primaria Oakhurst en el Este de Oakland, culminando en una correira en la escuela secundaria Berkeley, esta semana pasada ha causado inmigrantes ha vivir en terror, aunque muchas de estas ciudades son "ciudades santuarias."

El asunto es que no estoy preocupado sobre le que me va a pasar en cuanto se venza mi visa, porque se lo que agencies como ICE me pueden o no me puedan hacer si alguna vez me enfrentan. Reconozco mis derechos civiles y libertades aun no siendo ciudadano estadounidense. El problema es que no soy el objetivo de agencies de inmigracion, porque saben que nosotros aprendemos en la escuela sobre cuales son nuestros derechos, no, ellos despiadadamente perjudican a los trabajadores migrantes que no tiene defensa cognitiva en contra los enfrentamientos agresivos y tactiles hostiles.

Desde que empezaron estas correiras mas y mas, toda mi familia vive en temor que un dia un agente los enfrentar y seguramente los deportara. Despues que haremos? Mi familia, tanto como muchas familias inmigrantes, ni pueden funcionar economicamente sino es que todos juntos estemos trabajando para sobrevivir. Si mi papa o mi mama son deportados, Quien triara las ganancias hacia casa para apoyar a mis hermanos y a mi? Quien los dara de comer, dar un hogar, protegernos? pa que servir� mi visa estudiantil? La realidad que se asentar� es que mi hermano mayor y yo no dejareamos que destruyeran a nuestra familia. Encontrarnamos una manera de hacer suficiente dinero para mantener a nuestros hermanos, y hay que ser realistas no es tan sencillo como para que un inmigrante sin una educacion pueda ponerse un traje, caminar hacia Wall St. y encontrar un trabajo. Estareamos forzados a cometer crimines para sostenernos, asi perpetuando el ciclo y los esteriotipas que perjudican nuestra comunidad.

Para todo problema hay solucion. En este caso es la educacion. Como una comunidad tanto de inmigrantes y ciudadanos consientes, es urgente que trabajemos juntos para informar a la comunidad inmigrante sobre sus derechos. El hecho es que cuando enfrentado por un agente de inmigracion la �nica cosa que uno debe proveerle a ICE es su nombre, nada mas. Si el agente de ICE empieza a interrogarlo a uno sobre su direccion a domicilio, o la fuente de ingresos, o aun si preguntan por documentos de inmigracion (si un es documentado), todo lo que tiene que decir uno es que desean irse. Tenemos el derecho para declarar la quinta enmienda (the Fifth Amendment) a cualquier pregunta acerca de nuestro estatus legal en este pais. La cosa mas importante en recordarse cuando enfrentado por un agente, uno no debe ponerse panico, y pase lo que pase uno no debe coger. Ninguna agencia gubernameltan puede de fuerzas entrar a una propiedad privada sin un permiso. Si en cualquier momento un oficial de la ley, desea entrar un lugar de residencia o negocio, uno tiene derecho a demandar que se marchen y regresen solo si tienen un permiso.

Estos son nuestros derechos como residentes en esta nacion, tantos ciudadanos, y inmigrantes, el gobierno no tiene derecho ha infringir estos derechos. Asi es que, el verdadero Sueno Americano es la realizacion de nuestros derechos del constituto.

Guillermo Gonzales es reportero con la Red de PrenzaPobre y un maestro y facilidor-escritor con el proyecto de Las Voces de Inmigrantes en Resistencia. En la revista POBRE, que ensena periodismo, organizar de medios de comunicacion, y provee el acceso para las voces de obreros migrantes monolingnes de bajo ingreso en la area de la bahia

La campana educativa Don't Run/No Corra es patrocinada por POOR Magazine/Prensa Pobre, La Raza Centro Legal/ SF Day Labor Program,Mujeres Unidas y Activas, SF/LCLAA,Contra Costa Municipal I.D. Task Force,Concilio Latino,Contra Costa Faith Works. Si quisiera copatronzinar favor de comunicarse a deeandtiny@poormagazine.org

Oprima aqui para mantener el volante de Don't Run/No Corra folleto. (en ingles y espanol)

Oprima aqui para mantener el folleto Luchando Por Justicia (inSpanish) (in English)(en ingles y espanol)

The Article in English

My family and I are in the US now, the Bay Area to be exact, years after our arduous journey from El Salvador, to pursue the so-called American Dream. I am 25 years old. I am in college to become a teacher while also working with POOR Magazine as a staff writer and teacher of the Voces de Inmigrantes project, which teaches journalism and organizing to mono-lingual low-income immigrant workers.

In all parts of my life I work to give back to my community. My teachers in college preach to me about how I should express my gratitude to this country for allowing me to be here. They say that this country is so good to me for giving me a student's visa. But the feeling of gratitude is difficult to have right now as I hear about the recent spate of raids on poor workers, students and families all over the Bay Area that oddly enough began right before the May 1st International Workers Day marches in honor of all workers and in solidarity with the struggle of immigrant workers.

"I think it is very strategic that all of these ICE raids happened right before and after the May 1st marches," said Cesar Cruz, teacher, activist and author of Revenge of the Illegal Alien. I spoke with Cesar after I heard about the families who were afraid to pick up their children from an elementary school because they were warned by the school's principal that there were ICE trucks parked up and down the block in front of Oakhurst elementary school in East Oakland

"These raids seem like a brutal act of retaliation and criminalization by ICE to immigrants for marching on May 1st," said Tiny, journalist and co-editor of POOR Magazine/PoorNewsNetwork, and author of Criminal of Poverty: growing up homeless in America.

Beginning with a raid on a well-known Taqueria chain (El Balazo) with branches located from San Jose to San Francisco to the scare on the parents at Oakhurst Elementary school culminating in a raid on Berkeley High School, this last week has caused immigrants to live in terror, even though many of these cities are "sanctuary cities."

The fact of the matter is that I am not worried about what happens to me after my visa expires, because I know what agencies such as ICE can and cannot do if they would ever confront me. I am aware of my civil rights and liberties even though I am not a US citizen. The problem is, immigration agencies don't target students like me, for they know that we learn what our rights are at school, no, they ruthlessly target the migrant workers who have no cognitive defense against the aggressive confrontations and hostile tactics.

Ever since these immigration raids have been happening more and more, my entire family lives in fear that one day an agent will confront them and surely enough deport them. Then what will we do? My family, just like many immigrant families, cannot function financially unless we are all working together to survive. If either my father or my mother get deported, who will bring the money into the household to support my siblings and I? Who will feed us, shelter us, protect us? What good will my student visa be then? The reality that would set in is that my older brother and I would refuse to see our family be destroyed. We would find a way to make enough money to shelter and feed our siblings, and let's face it, it's not like any immigrant with no education can just put a suit on and go to wall street and get a job. We would be forced to turn to crime to make ends meet, thus perpetuating the ongoing cycle and stereotype that plagues our community. This happens all to often to families just like mine. Families that get dismantled because immigration takes one of our members away.

To every problem, there is a solution. In this case it is education. As a community of immigrants and conscious citizens alike it is urgent that we all work to inform the immigrant community about their rights. The fact is that when confronted by an Immigration agent, the only thing that one must provide to ICE is a first name, nothing else. If the ICE agent starts interrogating about an address of residency or a source of income, or even if they ask for immigration papers, all one must say is that they wish to leave. We have the right to plead the fifth amendment to any questions regarding our legal status in this country. The most important thing to remember is that when confronted by an agent, one must not panic and no matter what happens one must not run. No government agency can forcefully enter private property without a warrant. If ever any law enforcement official wishes to enter a place of residency or of business, one has the right to demand that they leave and return only if they have a warrant.

These are our rights as residents of this nation, citizens and immigrants alike, the government does not have the right to infringe on these rights. So perhaps the real American Dream lies in the realization of our constitutional rights.

Guillermo is a reporter with PoorNewsNetwork and a teacher and writer facilitator with The Voces De Inmigrantes en Resistencia Project (Voices of immigrants in resistance) at POOR Magazine, which teaches journalism, media organizing and provides media access for the voices of low-income, migrant workers in the Bay Area.

The Don't Run/No Corra public education campaign is co-sponsored by POOR Magazine/Prensa Pobre, La Raza Centro Legal / SF Day Labor Program, Mujeres Unidas y Activas,SF/LCLAA,Contra Costa Municipal I.D. Task Force,Concilio Latino,Contra Costa Faith Works, Justice Matters. If you would like to become a co-sponsor please email deeandtiny@poormagazine.org

Click here to download the Don't Run/No Corra flyer. (in English and Spanish).

Click here to download Luchando Por Justicia leaflet (in Spanish) (in English)