Voces - De La Frontera

On May 1st, 2009, The Fair Immigration Reform Movement (FIRM), a national network of over 300 organizations, is leading a Nationwide Immigration and Labor Rights March in hundreds of cities across the nation. These marches are to ensure that the Obama administration enacts immigration reform this year.

Among the cities marching on May 1st are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Austin, Boston, Milwaukee, and many others. For a complete schedule of May 1 immigration actions around the country, go to www.anewdayforimmigration.org. The unified message is support for the Obama Administration in moving humane immigrant reform this year, an affirmation of the importance of immigrants to the US economy, and challenging the failure of enforcement only policies under Bush that have created so much suffering and violations of civil, labor, and human rights.

According to Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera, and member of the national FIRM steering committee, "Nationally May 1st is significant because it marks the closing of the first 100 days of the Obama Administration. Latinos supported Obama in record numbers, and the immigrant rights movement has been encouraged by indications that humane immigration reform will be addressed this year. A pro-worker immigration reform bill will benefit both native and foreign workers who are more vulnerable in this weak economy to abuse by bad employers. It also recognizes the enormous contribution immigrant workers and small business owners make to our economy and to our nation."

Since May 1st, 2006, Voces de la Frontera, a Low Wage & Immigrant Worker Center has been recognized as a national leader in the fight for immigration reform. Voces de la Frontera has organized the largest marches in Wisconsin's history, with over 70,000 people marching in 2006 and 2007. Last year, through Voces' work, Wisconsin's was the largest immigrant rights march in the country. Voces de la Frontera is a membership based organization and publishes the monthly newspaper, Voces de la Frontera. This year's Milwaukee march will begin at noon in front of Voces de la Frontera's office located at 1027 So. 5th St., Milwaukee, WI. March demands include: Humane Legalization, the End of ICE Raids, Access to Higher Education for Immigrants, Driver's Licenses, Employee Free Choice Act, Good Jobs and Paid Sick Days.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz is the executive director of Voces de la Frontera. She also hosts a weekly TV spot for Azteca America called "Buenos Días Milwaukee." Ortiz is on the national board of directors of FIRM and is a recognized national leader in the immigration reform movement. She has been interviewed on CNN, NPR, and elsewhere.

To schedule an interview with Neumann-Ortiz, contact Frankie Sabath at frankiesabath@yahoo.com and 414-460-4896.