Msgr. Arturo Bañuelas led the prayer commemorating the dead. (Edwin Delgado/Borderzine.com)

Day of the Dead procession remembers recent casualties along the U.S.-Mexico border

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EL PASO – The Border Network for Human Rights held its eighth annual Day of the Dead Procession along the Cesar E. Chavez border highway on Nov. 1 to remember those who have perished while trying to enter the United States and show their support for comprehensive Immigration Reform. “As the Day of the Dead looms, we take this day to remember the immigrants who unfortunately lost their lives while crossing the border,” said BNHR director Fernando Garcia. “We should never forget them; we will be here honoring them every year because if we forget about them their deaths will be in vain and more people will lose their life.”

The non-profit BNHR, along with nearly 150 El Pasoans of all ages, marched from Bowie High School through Central El Paso and along the border highway that separates El Paso from Ciudad Juarez. Participants carried coffins made out of cardboard, religious crosses, lit candles and banners to express their support for immigration reform. Although the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill that grants a path to citizenship to undocumented residents last summer, the bill is currently stalled in the House of Representatives and unlikely to be discussed this year.

Texans protest proposed anti-immigrant laws

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AUSTIN  – More than 1,000 persons gathered Tuesday at the Texas Capitol in hopes that legislators would hear and consider their plea for respect and equality when passing immigration laws. “Texas Can Do Better,” was chanted, overpowering the downtown streets of Austin from Waterloo Park to the Texas Capitol. Texas legislators have proposed 60 anti-immigration bills at the federal and state level.  Some of this proposed legislation would allow law enforcement agents to deport immigrants without establishing a reasonable doubt of the legality of their immigration status. The new laws could take education away from immigrant children, depriving them from a shot at the American dream.

Policía de El Paso reprime manifestación en puente internacional Santa Fe

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El Paso, Texas — Varias corporaciones policíacas ordenaron a un grupo de personas disolver una manifestación, durante la mañana del sábado 23 de abril, cuando condenaban la ley anti-inmigrante (SB1070) ratificada el viernes por la gobernadora de Arizona. La protesta, que concentró a diversos sectores sociales entre ellos campesinos, amas de casa, derecho humanistas y a algunos jóvenes anglosajones, se realizó hasta cerca de las 9:30 a.m., en las inmediaciones del Puente Internacional Santa Fe, en la calle El Paso, en el centro de la ciudad. “Esta es una ley totalmente represiva, cruel, que promueve la tiranía no sólo en Arizona, sino también en los Estados Unidos; esto no va a resolver los problemas migratorios, los va a arreciar porque convierte en criminales a los indocumentados”, dijo, el activista, Guillermo Glenn. Y agregó: “Nunca pensé que en los Estados Unidos iba a darse un paso como este; todos debemos unirnos para evitar que esta ley se extienda, es una responsabilidad moral ponerle alto al racismo de Arizona”. Algunos participantes rehusaron ser entrevistados, se concentraron en agitar sus banderas rojas con el logotipo de la Asociación de Trabajadores Agrícolas Fronterizos, otros se limitaron a mostrar sus carteles o a gritar: “todos somos Arizona”, “Derechos humanos, sí”, “no al nazismo”, entre otras, frases de repudio a la posición de la gobernadora republicana Jan Brewer.

Marchers Demand That Congress Reform Unfair Immigration Laws

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EL PASO, Texas – Now that the historic health care reform bill has been pushed through Capitol Hill, hundreds of thousands of immigration reform supporters expect to see their comprehensive plan in the congressional forefront this year. “It’s been needed. It’s been needed for a while now,” said Fernando Garcia, executive director of Border Network for Human Rights, who organized a march in El Paso, Texas. “We have people being separated. We have people being deported.