‘Excluded’ NJ Immigrant Workers To March In Newark On May Day
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Hundreds of “essential and excluded” immigrant workers plan to take the streets of downtown Newark this weekend to demand citizenship, COVID relief and job protections.
According to a statement from organizers, the march will begin with speeches at noon on Sunday, March 1 at Military Park, 51 Park Plaza. Participants will then walk along Broad Street towards the Rodino Federal Building, where Department of Homeland Security/ICE offices are located at 970 Broad Street. Several marchers plan to share their testimonies, and a small activity will take place. The marchers will then head towards Lincoln Park, located at 7 Lincoln Park, for a small gathering.
Members of several advocacy groups will be present, including Make the Road New Jersey, American Friends Service Committee, Latina Civic, NJCU Dreamers, New Jersey Working Families Party, North New Jersey Democratic Socialists of America, SEIU 32BJ, and UndocuRutgers.
The march is being held in solidarity with International Workers Day, also known as May Day. There will be several other events that take place in New Jersey that day, organizers said.
Organizers released the following statement about the march:
“In New Jersey, there are nearly a half million undocumented immigrants. More than half likely worked as essential workers throughout the pandemic but have been excluded from nearly every form of relief and still fear deportation. While the Excluded New Jerseyan Fund has supported some families to receive relief, the majority continue to be excluded from aid. Immigrants are an essential part of our country; they’re our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and community members. Most of us can agree that to live a good life, we should be able to provide for our families, put food on the table, see a doctor to stay healthy, and go to work without fear of being separated from our families. For undocumented immigrants, that vision of life is still not a reality. That is why on May Day, on International Workers Day, we honor the millions of immigrant essential workers that contribute to this country each day.”
Their demands include:
Economic Relief for All: We urge the New Jersey state legislature to allocate $1 billion dollars for the Excluded New Jerseyans Fund - no one should be left behind from aid. Two years into a pandemic, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and excluded New Jerseyans continue to be left behind and haven’t received a penny in aid. This pandemic taught us that no one is safe if we leave hundreds of thousands behind from aid. That is why we urge the legislature to create a permanent inclusion for excluded New Jerseyans - including immigrants, workers in the cash economy, and others that have not been able to access the safety net.
A pathway to citizenship: We urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship undocumented people who call this country home. Immigrant workers have worked essential jobs and have saved lives throughout the pandemic. We cannot wait any longer.
A stop to all deportations and detentions: We urge the Biden administration and Congress to end funding for ICE and CBP, to stop detentions and deportations and Title 42 immediately. Our communities deserve to live without fear
Jobs with dignity: Over 127,000 "temp" workers are working without basic protections and for the lowest wages. We demand justice and an immediate halt against temp agency exploitation of workers. It is time legislators pass the The Temp Workers Bill of Rights (S511.A1474) to guarantee fair wages, including equal pay for equal work for "temp" workers in NJ.
Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
Sign up for Patch email newsletters. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site.
‘Excluded’ NJ Immigrant Workers To March In Newark On May Day originally appeared on the Newark Patch
