Photo via Voces de la Frontera
June is National Immigrant Heritage month in the United States and Voces de la Frontera is supporting actions that will stand out and make voices of immigrants heard and are ready to fight and march in the name of comprehensive reform. Sunday, June 20 saw the kickoff to a march that will continue for nine days, building up to a statewide rally at the Capitol in Madison on Monday, June 28.
They 90+ mile march from Milwaukee to Madison is meant to pressure the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants, many of them essential workers, in the United States.
The march honors Father’s Day, the date when it began. Eduardo Perea Hernandez, son of essential workers in Milwaukee who will be marching all nine days, said, “My parents have worked hard for 30 years to provide for me and my three siblings. My father works in construction and has helped build critical infrastructure all over the state. Congress passing citizenship for all would mean that my family would feel safe, and allow my parents to gain access to healthcare, earn dignified wages and the ability to retire eventually.
“Their sacrifices have allowed my older sister and I to graduate from college, and also allowed me to earn a master's degree. My family, and the 11 million immigrants who are undocumented, deserve to live with peace, tranquility and dignity. We need President Biden and Congress to pass citizenship for all now.”
Record Turnouts
This marks the most ambitious march to date organized by Voces de la Frontera, who are responsible for providing record turnouts in Milwaukee, particularly for the May Day march and the Day without Latinx rallies. Guadalupe Romero, immigrant essential worker in the food service industry, said: “I’ve been contributing to this economy for 31 years as an essential worker, and for those 31 years I’ve been living in fear. As the mother of six children, I’ve felt afraid every time I drive them to school or to the doctor—all because I don’t have access to a driver's license. I’m an essential worker and I’m necessary to this nation. Immigrant essential workers have been fighting for our dignity for decades, and our time is now.”
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The Biden administration spoke of a path to citizenship as a campaign promise. The proposal, unveiled by Democrats on Capitol Hill, offers an eight-year path to citizenship for most of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, and eliminates restrictions on family-based immigration and expands worker visas.
Milwaukee Alderman Jose Perez, who marched alongside immigrant essential workers on Sunday, said, “We need our elected representatives in Washington and President Biden to prioritize comprehensive immigration reform. It’s been 35 years since Congress has passed any comprehensive immigration legislation, and our community has waited too long and sacrificed too much. We can only build back better if we do it together, and that means all of us—Dreamers, TPS holders, their families, electeds. We’ve heard enough excuses. It’s time for Congress to act.”
