Chicago, IL – on Friday morning, January 23, nearly 100 people packed into Casa Michoacan for a press conference and rally. In solidarity with the broad coalition shutting down the Twin Cities that same day, speakers demanded the conviction of Jonathan Ross for murdering Renee Good, ICE out of Minnesota, and no more federal funding for ICE.
Speakers connected the crimes of ICE in Minnesota with the terror they have inflicted across the country, specifically mentioning the murders of Keith Porter Jr in Los Angeles and Silverio Villegas Gonzalez in Franklin Park, IL.
“It’s about time that we recognize in our neighbors faces that we are part of one body of one nation. And if one of us is missing, then all of us are missing,” declared Marién Casillas-Pabellón, executive director of the West Suburban Action Project (PASO).
“Minnesota, we stand with you. We have cried with you, and we will not let the tears be the end of it. Because we have power.” Casillas-Pabellón added.
Like the actions in Minnesota, the press conference represented a wide coalition of organizations that fight for working and oppressed people. Representatives shared actions they would be taking to bring the demands to local elected officials and branches of corporations.
“Outrage alone does not change conditions. Organizing does,” said Genie Kastrup, president of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1.
Kobi Guillory, a middle school science teacher and executive board member of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU), spoke about actions CTU, SEIU, and other organizations would be taking against Target that afternoon.
“Our siblings in the Minneapolis Federation of Educators are protesting Target for their complicity with ICE abductions in their stores. We will be out at ten different Targets around the city today,” Guillory explained. Target in particular is under fire after two Target employees were kidnapped from a Target store in Minnesota while the corporation refused to protect them.
“There’s power in this room and there’s power in the streets. We won’t stand idly by as they separate families,” affirmed Veronica Castro, Deputy Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). Castro and other speakers encouraged listeners to take action by joining organizations in preparation for further ICE escalation.
“If CBP tries to come in thousands then our response has to be just as organized, just as widespread, and just as ready,” said Any Huamani, immigration defense coordinator with Brighton Park Neighborhood Council.
Organizers affirmed their commitment to fight to abolish ICE, defeat the Trump agenda, and create a better world.
“We won’t let Trump take us back to 1850, nor will we go back to 2015. We will keep fighting until our children have the safe, just, fully funded communities they deserve,” Guillory proclaimed.
#ChicagoIL #IL #ImmigrantRights #Labor #CTU #SEIU #ICIRR #PASO #ReneeGood #AlexPretti
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