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Chicago, IL. On December 2000, the United Nations declared December 18 International Migrants Day to recognize the significant increase in migration flows and to explicitly integrate migrants in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To celebrate this day, leaders of the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities (NALACC), a network of over 100 community-based, Latino and Caribbean immigrant-led organizations have issued the following press statement.
“International Migrants Day recognizes that migration flows are a global phenomenon and it reminds us that regardless of where we were born, migrants are, above all, human beings fully deserving of being treated with dignity,” stated Angela Sanbrano, NALACC’s Board President. “Sadly, the struggle to achieve full recognition of the humanity of the migrant person continues, as evidenced by epithets such as “illegal” and “criminal alien” which dehumanize immigrants and deny our real contributions to this society,” Ms. Sanbrano continued. “This negative and mistaken view of our community has been the primary reason why real, sensible and humane immigration reform has eluded us to date,” concluded Ms. Sanbrano.
“We are heartened that legislation recently introduced by Congressman Gutierrez represents a departure from the status quo regarding U.S. immigration policy,” stated Oscar Chacon, NALACC’s Executive Director. “We applaud Congressman Gutierrez for his leadership, and we are committed to working with him to make sure the process is not blocked or mired in contentious politics that seek to scapegoat or dehumanize immigrants,” concluded Mr. Chacon.
“In celebration of International Migrants Day, NALACC will launch our SOMOS/WE ARE initiative, which inspires us to take action in reclaiming our humanity and in supporting legislation that truly reflects what we are worth and deserve,” stated Mr. Juvencio Rocha-Peralta, President of AMEXCAN in Greenville, NC and NALACC’s Vice-President. “Our efforts have begun with a letter signed by our member organizations addressed to Senator Charles Schumer of New York asking him to desist in his use of the epithet ‘illegal’ when describing immigrants, because, indeed, no human being is ‘illegal’’, continued Mr. Rocha Peralta. “We hope that Senator Schumer follows the example of Congressman Gutierrez in presenting legislation in the Senate that is premised on what we really are as immigrants: integral members of this society’s economic, political, social and cultural fabric,” concluded Mr. Rocha Peralta.
NALACC member organizations in several cities across the United States, including Boston; New York; Greenville, Tarboro, Wilson and Pitt County, NC; Miami; Chicago; Milwaukee; and Los Angeles and San Francisco, will commemorate International Migrants Day by promoting SOMOS/WE ARE with diverse actions and activities that include press conferences, municipal proclamations, community forums and cultural celebrations.
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