¡Nadie es ilegal!

The DC Anti-War Network (DAWN) Weekly Action Group chose on Tuesday night to go to Wheaton, MD, in order to show solidarity with day laborers who often face harrassment from a new branch of the Minuteman Project that has sprung up in Montgomery County.

On the corner of University and Veirs Mills, we had information that the Minutemen often come on Mondays and/of Fridays to harrass day laborers. Acting in solidarity with Casa de Maryland, and at their welcome, we occupied the side of the street opposite the center from 6:30 AM this morning (Friday) until after 8:00 AM with signs that said ¡Nadie es ilegal! (No One is Illegal!) and a couple other pro-immigrant signs. At first, as you can imagine, some people gave us looks as though we might ourselves be minutemen, but after reading our signs, we received many thumbs up.

Some people reported others who some speculated were minutemen scouts based on the fact that cars of caucasian people sat parked looking at us for a time before driving off, but this is speculation. We were thankful that the minutemen didn't arrive. The working group had chosen not to publicize this, which I think was a mistake, since the idea is to keep the minutemen from showing up at all. But, it worked out this time, and we received almost nothing but positive shows of support from commuters driving by and the laborers themselves.

On April 10, immigrants rights groups will be marching, and a feeder march for non-immigrants showing solidarity is being planned for 3PM that day. We hope that you will get involved. Some individuals are planning other actions around that time to show solidarity with immigrants; so stay tuned for them.

And, remember to join us for the homeless service tomorrow at 9AM outside the Canadian Embassy at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, the World Bank direct action scenario meeting at 4PM at the Flemming Center, as well as the Saturday evening action targeting Mayor Williams (and Condoleezza Rice...that could change on the ground, since she won't be home) that begins at 8:30 PM outside the Foggy Bottom metro station.