Immigrant Workers join a modern Freedom Ride

Salt shakers
September 2003

Immigrant Workers join a modern Freedom Ride
Inspired by the Freedom Riders of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, an Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride will set out from nine major U.S. cities—Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas Houston, Minneapolis, Chicago, Miami and Boston in late September—and will make numerous stops in cities across the country. Freedom Riders will converge on Washington, D.C. to meet with members of Congress and then travel to Liberty State Park, New Jersey on October 3, culminating in Flushing Meadows Park, Queens, New York mass rally on October 4, 2003.

According to the AFL-CIO, the new Freedom Ride and rally will be a massive show of solidarity in support for the legalization of the millions of immigrant workers that live and pay taxes in the U.S but have been largely ignored by this country’s "out-of-touch and outdated immigration policies."

In a press release, the AFL-CIO said: "The Freedom Ride will send a strong message to leaders in Washington and beyond that any new immigration policy that passes through Congress must include the following three essential requirements:

• a clear and well-defined road to citizenship for all immigrant workers;

• the right of immigrant workers to re-unite with their families;

• protecting the rights of immigrants in the workplace.

"With the 2004 election season well underway, it is important that presidential and Congressional candidates, as well as both major parties, know that there are millions of voters who care about the rights and concerns of immigrant workers in this country."

The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride is an initiative composed of a broad coalition including the AFL-CIO, international unions, and national civil and immigrant rights, religious, community, and student associations.

For more information:
The Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride

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