No one is illegal: March for status for all

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On International Workers Day (May 1, 2010) participate in the 5th annual May Day of Action and march for status for all!

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In the past 6 years the struggle for justice for immigrants and refugees has grown immensely. Inspired by the individual and collective strength of Mohamed Cherfi, Kimberley Lizano-Sossa, Fahim Kayani, Shamim Akhtar, Isabel Garcia, Wendy Maxwell, and the many others that we have known, and the countless others that have had to fight alone, the Migrant Justice movement has fore fronted struggles of people of color, women, disAbled and queer migrants, particularly those without full status.

Rising out of schools, shelters and apartment blocks from Jane and Finch to Crescent Town, our voices have reached the streets and the hallways of power. From the 2004 No One Is Illegal march from Montreal to Ottawa, to the first Toronto May Day of Action in 2006, to the take over of Yonge and Dundas square on May Day in 2009, we have worked tirelessly to create real meaningful change – stopping deportations, winning access to schools, changing federal immigration policy. We have been on picket lines with labour unions, on barricades in solidarity with Indigenous struggles, supported people’s organizations in streets and in communities.

Now, in 2010, as the Conservative government arrests and deports our friends. As they tear apart our families. As they push us in to unsafe jobs. As they call us “bogus refugees” and “illegals”, and do it with a smile, we say no mas, no more.

On Christmas Eve, four migrant construction workers fell to their deaths, unable to demand safe working conditions. Days before International Women's Day, bullies from Immigration Enforcement raided shelters, intimidating, harassing and arresting women and children in the middle of the night. Workplace raids have increased dramatically in Southern Ontario. Faced with being sent back to certain torture, Habtom Kibraeb killed himself rather than be deported.

Kenney & Harper are writing a new story of migration. A ruthless story that claws back past victories, and launches new attacks. Now more than ever, we must fight back! 

When a mother can’t bring her child to a hospital for fear of deportation, when a worker is condemned to unsafe work for fear of detention, when Immigration Canada acts as judge, jury and executioner, we need to join together across movements, across divides, and across the city to fight for Status for All. 

The Struggle for Status is the fight for movement, good jobs, food, health-care, education, shelter, housing, justice and dignity for all people, irrespective of Immigration status. 

On May 1, respectful of the history of struggle that has gone before us, and in the spirit of solidarity, strength and anger, join us.

Alexander, Aleksey, Fayzullo, Vladimir, Habtom, Grize ...

Endorsed by: South Asian Women's Rights Organization, Caregivers Action Centre, Justice for Migrant Workers, Jane Finch Action Against Poverty, Mujeres al Frente, International Federation of Iranian Refugees, United Food and Commercial Workers, Good Jobs for All Coalition, Davenport-Perth Neighbourhood Centre Bread & Bricks, LIFE Movement, Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, and more...

Supporters and volunteers meeting on April 14, 2010 6:30 p.m.  252 Bloor St. W. RSVP @ nooneisillegal@riseup.net [2]

For more details, videos and posters visit http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/MayDay [1]

For details on Immigration changes as of October 2009: http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/336 [4]

For information on the Christmas Eve killings, visit  [5]http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/node/391 [5]

For details on changes to the refugee system, visit http://toronto.nooneisillegal.org/immigrationpolicy [6]

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