Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride: Summary of Facts

Rochester is a Host City for the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride, a national
demonstration to call for the legalization of all undocumented immigrants
currently working in the United States.

Rochester is a Host City for the Immigrant Worker Freedom Ride, a href="http://www.iwfr.org/">national demonstration to call for the
legalization of all undocumented immigrants currently working in the
United States.

Inspired by the href="http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/freeride.html">Freedom
Riders of the Civil Rights movement, the Immigrant Worker Freedom
Ride is sponsored by a coalition of labor unions, clergy, immigrant
groups, and students. Buses originated from Boston, Chicago, Houston,
Las Vegas, Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Seattle.

A caravan of three buses carrying 135 immigrant freedom riders from
Chicago stopped for a rally in Brockport today, then attended a dinner
in their honor held at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, where they were
greeted by local supporters, including union members, clergy, students, href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1071.php">Rochester
Mayor Bill Johnson, and href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1069.php">State
Assemblywoman Susan John, chair of the State Assembly's Labor
Committee.

In addition to legalization, the freedom riders are calling for
the reunification of families separated by immigration policies,
equal rights for all workers regardless of immigration status,
and fewer bureaucratic hurdles on the path to citizenship.
They are also demanding the reform, not the expansion, of href="http://rochester.indymedia.org/news/2003/09/1066.php">guest worker
programs.

After breakfast at the Guardian Angels Church in Henrietta, the buses
will head to their next stop in Syracuse, New York, before then journeying
to Washington, D.C. and
eventually to New
York City.

It is in New York City that a massive rally is scheduled, on
Saturday, October 4, where buses from all the cities will meet up.
Some Rochester-area union locals will charter buses for this rally,
and more information can be had by calling 585-263-2650.