Also against SB-4.
PHOTO: Manuel Torres
On August 12, over 700 hundred people gathered at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Mission. They marched along the Rio Grande River Texas/Mexico border.
The purpose of the gathering was to protest the continued efforts of the Trump administration to build a wall that will divide two countries and their people. It is a 28-mile wall mainly in Hidalgo County, which will affect not only the community but local farmers who live and work the land along the river. It will also impact the wild life areas that would be in the path of the wall.
The protesters marched from the church to the famous La Lomita Chapel founded by Obalate Missionaries in the 1800s. It was a four-mile walk. Present were representatives of the Native American people Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation, the Sierra Club, North American Butterfly Association, Center for Biological Diversity, UFW, Fuerza del Valle, South Texas Resistance Movement plus others. At the head of the marchers was the local priest, Father Roy Snipes.
After the walk, the marchers gathered at La Lomita Chapel grounds where they listened to several speakers from the different organizations who all spoke about the damage and the wall’s effects.
On Sunday another demonstration continued at the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge on the political, economic and human effects. There was an agreement among all that the wall must not be built and they committed themselves to continue the struggle against the building of the Wall and for the repeal of SB-4.
From local police departments to the state police (DPS) they are implementing the “show me your papers” law – SB-4 – by calling immigration/ICE, although the law didn’t go into effect until Sept. 1. Therefore, the saying here in the valley is that there is no democracy in Texas for everyone is subject to being interrogated by the police and ICE.
While the immigrant community is under attack, the Trump administration has started to file charges against the parents who arranged for their children to be brought to the United States. The charges are endangering the lives of minors. All the parents wanted was for their children to get away from the violence, rape and drugs. But now they are being prosecuted for wanting a better life for their families.
Clearly, we can see that our government does not represent the interests of the poor people. Federal judge Orlando García sent SB-4 to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. Here a panel of three judges unanimously ruled that Texas could enforce the “sanctuary cities” law (SB-4). There will be oral arguments on November 6 over whether SB-4 is unconstitutional.
We are witnessing a growing fascist movement here in Texas. The need for cheap labor is coming to an end. Why? The contradiction is that technology is slowly replacing human labor. The ruling class of this country has no need for us, and that’s why they want us divided by color or race. The only thing that they are afraid of is the unity of the poor people. It’s our only chance for the survival of the human race.
The future is in our hands.
