STAND VIGILANT AGAINST RACISM AND IMMIGRANT SCAPEGOATING!

Saturday, January 21st. noon to 2 pm. Peace Arch

To reserve a seat in carpool: email whatcomsolidarity at tripod.com or call (360)927-9765 in Washington. Email noii-van at resist.ca or call 778-552-2099 in Vancouver.

The Whatcom County Farm Worker Solidarity Committee and No One is Illegal-Vancouver invite you to the Peace Arch for a day of public protest and education against the Minuteman Project and against government anti-immigrant policies.

Since April of 2005, the Minutemen have engaged in the targeting of racialized communities under the pretext of preserving U.S. security. The Minuteman Project has arisen out of a history of vigilante groups patrolling the U.S/Mexico border against “illegals” and “potential terrorists”. The post 9/11 climate has perpetuated the false association between migrants and terrorism. A new anti-terrorist paradigm guides enforcement and immigration matters are now contextualized within the “war on terrorism” where the result is an increased number of abuses of migrants and racialized communities.

In the US, on December 26, 2005 by a vote of 239-182 the House of Representatives passed the “Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005” (H.R. 4437). Federal Bill HR 4437, now up for vote in the Senate, aims to further militarize the US borders and further criminalize migrants and promote civilian surveilance activities.  The Act seeks to implement biometric data enhancements, makes being an undocumented person a crime, and increases the availability of Department of Defense surveillance equipment along the US international land and maritime borders.  The Act relies on cross-border security agreements with Mexico and Canada that would allow and seeks to domestically establish a national border strategy as well as a university based Center of Excellence for Border Security.

In Canada, the upcoming federal election has of course meant token lip-service to immigration issues. No matter who wins in this election, our communities will still be struggling against security certificates and anti-terrorism legislation, fighting against ongoing detention and deporatations, and continuing to demand an end to the Safe Third Country Agreement and other exclusionary border integration agreements. Directly-affected immigrants and refugees have been challenging federal politicians all across the country over the past few weeks on their record of anti-immigrant measures. We demand justice and dignity for all immigrants and refugees!