Immigration Working Group Notes Nov 17

Immigration Working Group, Centro Presente and S-Comm Group

Planning Meeting for Secure Communities Teach-In and Action

Location: Centro Presente

November 17, 2011 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Meeting Notes:

Individuals present represented The Immigration Working Group at Occupy Boston, CISPES, Socialist Working Party, Centro Presente, Ocupemos El Barrio, New Sanctuary Movement, UUA, National Immigration Project, JwJ, Quakers Concerned with Immigration Justice as well as others.

The group gave introductions: name, organization and why we were interested in getting involved.

Some comments: “[I] Oppose Secure Communities and everything it does to all of us.” [People] “Think it [Secure Communities] doesn’t affect them.”

We discussed the Teach-In and had a discussion relating whether we thought that the Teach-In should be on site or at another location.

• Danielle from IWG discussed the pending reality that the camp could be gone (considering the court ruling and Greenway letter) after December 1^st and that it may be beneficial to have an indoor location. We also discussed the symbolic importance of have the Teach-In on site (at Dewey Square) and also the reality that if it is on site it will reach a larger audience of OB participants.  
• Peter from NSM discussed that we could have the Teach-In on site and then have a “plan B” location just in case we had a problem (a problem similar to the immigration forum, disruptions etc) or if the site was gone.
• Margot from IWG and JwJ voiced her concern regarding the events of disruption at the Forum and stated we may want to consider having the Teach-In at a location off site.
• The group discussed what happened at the Forum and Danielle from the IWG gave an update regarding accountability for the Forum.
• The group finally decided to have the Teach-In on site and have a plan B of an indoor location on December 4^th from 2-4. Update: the Teach-In is now 12-2 as the main stage and microphone was reserved at Dewey from 2-4. Danielle agreed to find an in-door space for the Teach-In as a plan B. Danielle has contacted Encuentro 5, SEIU 615, United for a Fair Economy and, UUA. An indoor location has not been found at this time.
• Centro and Danielle agreed to work on a flyer for the event. Danielle agreed to distribute the flyer and inform OB groups about the Teach-In. Update: Teach-In is on the calendar and groups have been emailed, the flyer is available and has begun to be distributed.
• Gabriel, Laura and Jose will work to plan the details of the Teach-In with the IWG.

Next item on the agenda:

Edgar, an immigrant from Guatemala shared his personal story about the impact of Secure Communities on his own life.

• In 2011 Edgar left church and was stopped by the police while sitting at a stop light. After a long process he was detained and incarcerated for 6 months. He discussed how Secure Communities affected him and also how he saw the ways in which it destroyed families.
• Edgar discussed that when he was stopped he was told it was a “Routine Check”
• Edgar described how ICE forced detainees to sign a deportation document as a scare tactic.
• Edgar discussed how immigrants were not criminals and how Secure Communities is a form of racial profiling that results in the criminalization of immigrant subjects.

Next item on the agenda:

• Planning of an Occupy City Hall event.
• Many of the members of the group agreed that an Action of Occupy City Hall was important. We also agreed that it should take place shortly after the Teach-In.
• The group decided that the event would take place on Wednesday December 7, 2011 at 12:00 noon. We discussed how this time may not be ideal due to the fact that people would need to work at this time. After a democratic majority vote the group decided to hold the action on December 7, 2011 at 12:00.
• A committee will meet shortly regarding planning the details of the action.

Closing Remarks:

Announcement of the SIM event for Dennis and Vinny on Monday November 21 at 10:00 am.

Announcment on Centro’s 30^th Anniversary Party.