AFIRE- Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights & Empowerment

Under the banner of the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE), Filipino Americans marched with tens of thousands of pro-immigrant advocates last May 1^st, traditionally known as International Workers' Day. The May 1st rallies have continued to push for fair and just immigration law based on respecting the civil and human rights of all. On that day, Chicago saw the largest rally among similar rallies held in key cities nationwide. According to the police count, 150,000 people came out of the streets. Organizers, on the other hand, believed that about 300,000 people participated in the rally. They based the count on the continuing flow of people in the stretches of Lake, Ashland, Des Plaines, Jackson and Columbus avenues from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Grant Park was already crowded as early as 11:00 a.m. when tens of thousand of marchers were still at Union Park at Lake and Ashland.

"We were at Union Park listening to the speeches of the youth, workers, activists and organizers from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. We got out of the Park at around 1:30 p.m. when we were asked to follow the delegation of the Arab American Action Network (AAAN). It took us another fifteen minutes before all of our allies in the Coalition of Arab, African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrant of Illinois (CAAAELII) got into the flow of the march,” said Boni Enrile, an AFIRE organizer.

Filipino Americans representing the Pintig Cultural Group, the Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA), the Committee on Philippine Issues (CPI), the Illinois Veterans Equity Center (IVEC), the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA), the California Nurses Association (CNA), and the Filipino Human Rights Coalition (FHRC) marched shoulder to shoulder with the representatives of the Palestinian, Somalian, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Cambodian, Korean, Chinese, and Latino communities.

Yes to legalization. No to raids and deportations.

A year ago, half a million marchers filled the streets of Chicago. The reactions in the streets were in response then to the punitive provisions of HR 4437 (The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005). The people just did not accept the idea of criminalizing workers simply by virtue of their immigrant status.

The number of marchers this year is lower because the harsh anti-immigration legislation was masked by STRIVE ACT of 2007 (Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy) which combined the language of extreme enforcement (HR 4437) and the promise of citizenship in S 2611 (Comprehensive Reform Act of 2006). This STRIVE ACT dispersed the energy of national mobilization to numerous information campaigns and political realignments. This dispersal was complicated by a major increase in raids and deportations over the past year. For example, the anger over the April 24 raid in the Little Village neighborhood resounded loud in Chicago. The message, “Yes to legalization. No to raids and deportations” drowned the other chants in the rally. Moreover, the feeder marches that came from Pilsen and Humboldt Park early in the morning amplified the resistance against raids and deportations. Despite the intimidations and the masking of the anti-immigrant legislation, Chicago still generated the largest mobilization nationwide.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley even addressed the crowd in Grant Park acknowledging Chicago’s attraction to immigrants from all over the world, making it one of the most diverse cities in the nation. He said, “Immigrants contribute to the vitality of the City by filling key roles in its economy, paying taxes, and contributing to its schools, neighborhoods, churches, and communities."

Sustained participation of AFIRE

While AFIRE mobilized less marchers this year than last year, it gained more allies from other immigrant communities. AFIRE is now a partner organization of the Coalition of Arab, African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrant of Illinois.

AFIRE has sustained its participation in the immigration debate by becoming more intentional in its educational and organizing approaches.

Before the May 1^st mobilization, AFIRE hosted the April 5 "Night of 1,000 Conversations” at Video Machete in Chicago. The conversation was interspersed with different immigrant stories and a monologue. While the “Conversations” addressed laws that unfairly target immigrants, the monologue focused on the story of an immigrant caregiver working hard in taking care of an elderly man and saving money to send to her family back home. This event initiated by Rights Working Group drew more than 5,000 people nationwide. The “Conversations” highlighted the need to safeguard the right of due process for everyone who calls America home.

AFIRE also sent a delegate to the “Building America’s Future Together: Immigration Reform Now,” a national mobilization of Asian Pacific Americans in Washington DC last April 30. Carlos Cortes, an AFIRE delegate, lobbied and rallied together with members of national Asian American advocacy groups. On his part, he emphasized AFIRE’s position of keeping families together like the speeding up of the processing of Filipino reunification backlogs, and insuring that the rights and liberties of all people are respected. He said, “Waiting for more than 20 years to be united with your family is just insane and inhumane.”

In a related educational session a week before the rally, AFIRE identified the seven talking points Filipino Americans must relay to their legislators, such as:

1. Maintain and improve the Family based immigration policies.
2. Eliminate the backlogs in Family Reunification visas.
3. Hasten reunification of Filipino WWII veterans’ families by exempting them from country of origin visa numerical quota and suppressing the economic means test for eligibility.
4. Provide pathway for legalization of overstaying/out-of-status immigrants.
5. Abolish touch-back requirement to become permanent residents. The White House plan is economically restrictive. Under the plan, to become permanent residents immigrants would have to return to their home countries, apply for a visa through a US embassy or consulate, and pay a fine of $10,000. The immigrant would then be legally permitted to reenter the United States through the same permanent immigration channels open to all foreign nationals.
6. Protect the rights and dignity of individuals who have come to the U.S. to work.
7. Guarantee that every U.S. worker has the right and the protection to organize.

Marching towards the full realization of immigrant rights and empowerment

AFIRE organizers marching with tens of thousands of immigrant advocates expressed optimism in expanding its reach inside and outside the Filipino American community. In a span of one year, AFIRE has established working relationship with the Asian American Institute and Centro Sin Fronteras, Centro Romero, Chinese Mutual Aid Association and Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago through CAAAELII.

Throughout the rally, the different ethnic groups have been exchanging chants. The Filipino chant of “Mabu-Mabu-Mabu” has been embraced by the Latino marchers as they responded in chorus, “Hay-Hay-Hay.” On the other hand, the Asian Americans including AFIRE marchers, echoed loud the chant, “Latino, Asiano, luchando a mano-mano” (Latino and Asians in struggle arm to arm).

From the parliament of the street, AFIRE carries the struggle to the table of the legislators. For example, Senator Richard Durbin, through the letter writing of one of AFIRE’s convenors, shared his view of comprehensive immigration reform. He said in part, “I also voted in favor of amendments that sought to ensure that immigrants would be treated in a humanitarian fashion, particularly those immigrants who apply for asylum or who are in other vulnerable populations. Additionally, I voted against amendments that would impose continuing penalties on immigrants after they have paid their dues and obtained legalized status under the bill.

….I recognize that the immigration debate has created strong opinions on all sides, and I appreciate your sharing your opinions with me. I am working in good faith to pursue a balanced package of reforms that will be tough but enforceable, economically sensible, and morally fair.”

Next steps

After recognizing the level of commitment of the Filipino Americans who joined the march, AFIRE plans to call for a series of “fireside” conversations and family meetings to further examine the meaning of the immigration rights movement to the growing community.

"AFIRE has rekindled the energy of the community in promoting comprehensive, fair, just, and humane immigration legislation," said Susan Short and Janis Licuanan, co-chairs of the Know our Community committee.

On the other hand, Mon Alcantara and Boni Enrile of the Know our Rights committee said, "We will continue to engage our community to a series of conversations about the issue of immigration. The sentiments of our kababayans will be posted to our website to elicit more conversations. We will expand our research on issues that matter most to our immigrant community, like the family reunification backlogs and the creation of fair and just citizenship pathways for overstaying Filipinos who have been working and paying taxes for many years. Meanwhile, we encourage our kababayans to work with us in shaping our role in this important immigration debate. We will need community builders to expand the base of an empowered community."

For more information, visit AFIRE’s website at www.afirechicago.com or call Boni Enrile at 773-248-1019 or email AFIRE at liyab@afirechicago.com.