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Posts Tagged ‘Michigan’

Ivan Nikolov Released from Jail but Still Faces Deportation

8:00 am By Maegan La Mala · Detriot|DREAM Act|Immigration · Comments Off

24 Aug 2010

VivirLatino has been actively supporting the DREAM Act students and have been publicizing many of their stories here. Recently, we asked for your support for Ivan Nikolov, who was transported to the local jail in Dearborn, Michigan last Friday. Dearborn is often the last stop for many undocumented immigrants before being deported. It was the last stop for Ivan’s mother, who was deported two weeks ago. It was feared that he too was going to be deported immediately. Instead, yesterday, Ivan was released.

Ivan’s struggle is not over. He is currently under electronic monitoring and still has a deportation order pending. Ivan’s struggle is just example of countless struggles, not just of students and young people, but millions of undocumented living in fear not just because there is no comprehensive immigration reform, no DREAM Act, but because the federal government has swung to the side of detaining and deporting first…all else later, if ever.

Support Human Rights

9:26 am By la Macha · Detriot|Immigration · 2 Comments

5 Jul 2010

There have been pretty relentless ICE raids for about the past month in the area that I live. There has not been the massive round ups that have happened in other cities, but rather instead, the constant presence–the threat–has been hanging over the area, constantly reminding people of what could happen. A couple of people disappear here, a few more there–and it’s never quite enough to invoke outrage (or bring in the bad publicity of those massive raids) or mobilize the greater community.

That’s why it’s important to support smaller actions where ever we can. Ann Arbor (home of the University of Michigan) has legislation up for vote soon that would condemn SB1070. Not only is this morally good because it shows support to the people in Arizona–but it also would come within context of Michigan attempting to implement it’s own version of SB 1070.

Here is the call to action put out by the ACLU.

On Tuesday, July 6, Ann Arbor City Council will consider a resolution urging the repeal of Arizona’s Senate Bill 1070. Adoption of this resolution, sponsored by Council members Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith, will make Ann Arbor the first Michigan city to go on record against the anti-immigrant law. Read the resolution draft here >>

Arizona SB 1070 requires local law enforcement to investigate a person’s immigration status based on only the vague notion of “reasonable suspicion” that the person is in the Country unlawfully. Not only does this law invite racial profiling, it forces local police to redirect scarce resources away from the prevention of serious crime.

Michigan’s House and Senate have recently introduced copycat legislation. Michigan cities should go on record opposing such dangerous, unfair and discriminatory laws that run counter to the American values of freedom and equality.

Using the form below, tell Ann Arbor City Council members, Mayor Hieftje and City Attorney Stephen Postema that you support this resolution and that Ann Arbor should continue its long tradition of support for human rights through its adoption.

Please sign and support the petition–it’s a little thing, but it may wind up meaning something huge to the people who are being terrorized by ICE.

Thanks.

Michigan Is Not the Next Arizona

10:27 am By la Macha · Immigration|Michigan · Comments Off

18 May 2010

In case you haven’t heard, my home state, Michigan, is working to implement Arizona’s SB 1070 in Michigan. Thank God, resistance is flowing free since the announcement came. Please spread the word!

May 29: Town Hall Meeting in Detroit

Michigan Is Not the Next Arizona &
“Know Your Rights” Educational Meeting

Saturday, May 29th, 1:00 PM
St. Anne’s Church, Parish Hall
1000 St. Anne, Detroit

One week ago, a State Representative announced her intention to bring an Arizona-style anti-immigrant law to Michigan.

We know Michigan is better than this. We know that racism is unacceptable, and legalized racial-profiling is not an option.

But we need to stand up before this awful law gains any more ground. Please attend a town hall meeting against bringing an Arizona-style law to Michigan. We will call on our leaders to publicly oppose legalized discrimination.

ALSO, we will provide important information for the immigrant community regarding your rights. ICE and Border Patrol are targeting our communities with increased deportations. Families need to know how to respond.

Co-sponsored by the MOSES and the Reform Immigration for America – Michigan coalition.

For more information:
rbates@reformimmigrationforamerica.org (English)
248.787.6767
lurdaneta@mosesmi.org (Spanish)
313.414.6308

Pete Hoekstra: Michigan Does Not Claim You

1:12 pm By la Macha · Detriot|Media · 1 Comment

29 Dec 2009

And unless you think I am not serious about the level of humor Michiganders were able to drum up in reaction to the terrorist attack, please check out this post from Blogging For Michigan about our lovely representative, Pete Hoekstra. Pete is famous for having his ass handed to him by Rachel Maddow and being all all around extreme Christian Conservative.

And of course, as somebody who is not from this side of the state, much less Detroit, as somebody who has never once stood for Detroit (or this side of the state), as somebody who has supported racist “support ‘rural Michiganders’ instead of urban areas” (aka freeloading black folks are stealing from hardworking white people) agendas of various politicians in the state–Pete feels totally comfortable playing the attempted attack up to suit his own agenda.

…that didn’t stop Pete from spending part of Christmas and the entire day of the 26th like some warped modern version of Paul Revere, running to every available form of mass media that he could to remind you that it wasn’t a terrible day, but if you just use your imagination, you can and should turn it into one! Here he is in the Detroit News, “Hoekstra: Attack not aimed at Detroit”, the Detroit Free Press, “Hoekstra: Air terror try hints at a larger plot” (followed by the inevitable, Napolitano: No sign of larger terror plot), the Associated Foreign Press, “Pete Hoekstra: Detroit terror suspect Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab may be connected to Fort Hood shooter”, WOOD TV in Grand Rapids, “Hoekstra: attack attempt cutting edge”, and there were probably other appearances that we didn’t see because we were too busy checking our basements to make damn sure there were no terrorists down there. Whew.

Ah…Pete. If you weren’t such a total asshole, Michigan might claim you just for the humor you make available to us.

It Wasn’t All About the President : Medical Marijuana Measures Pass in Michigan and Massachusetts

1:17 pm By Maegan La Mala · Health|Massachusetts|Michigan · Comments Off

5 Nov 2008

Michigan became the thirteenth state to legalize the physician supervised possession and use of cannabis. According to early returns, more than 60 percent of Michigan voters decided in favor of Proposal 1, which establishes a state-regulated system regarding the use and cultivation of medical marijuana by qualified patients…

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, some 65 percent of voters (and virtually every town) decided “yes” on Question 2, which reduces minor marijuana possession to a fine-only offense…

Question 2 is expected to become law in 30 days — making Massachusetts the thirteenth state to decriminalize the personal possession and use of cannabis.

Via / Alternet

Air Pollution Most Likely to Affect Latinos in Michigan

3:44 pm By Maegan La Mala · Michigan · Comments Off

14 Dec 2005

Although Latinos represent less than 4 percent of the population of the state of Michigan, Latinos are three times more likely to live in areas that have high levels of air pollution.

In general minorities and impoverished families are more likely to breathe unhealthy air. It’s unfortunate that those on the bottom rung of the economic ladder always seem to face the most obstacles in trying to “make it.”

Via / Hoy Internet

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