Thread: San Jose: Immigration march planned for Wed absent Elvira

Immigration march planned for Wednesday
By Javier Erik Olvera

San Jose Mercury News
Article Launched: 09/11/2007 07:41:10 PM PDT


An immigrants rights group will hold a march from East San Jose to City Hall Wednesday to call attention to immigration reform.

The Voluntarios de la Comunidad march was organized as part of a rally in Washington D.C., that immigrant Elvira Arellano was supposed to attend before her deportation last month.

Arellano became an activist and a national symbol for undocumented immigrants with U.S.-born children when she defied her deportation order by seeking shelter in a Chicago church for about a year.

Several activists and non-profits will continue the rally in Washington D.C. Communities across the country will hold similar marches to urge lawmakers to create a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

In San Jose, the march will begin at 4 p.m. at Mi Pueblo Plaza, 1775 Story Road and end at City Hall.

http://www.mercurynews.com/valley/ci_6866158

S.J. crowd marches for immigration overhaul
By Javier Erik Olvera
Mercury News
Article Launched: 09/13/2007 01:33:09 AM PDT

Nearly 50 people marched from San Jose's Mi Pueblo Plaza on Story Road to City Hall on Santa Clara Street on Wednesday to raise awareness about immigration problems.

The Voluntarios de la Comunidad march was organized as part of a rally in Washington, D.C., that immigrant Elvira Arellano was supposed to attend before her deportation last month.

Arellano became an activist and a national symbol for undocumented immigrants with U.S.-born children when she sought shelter in a Chicago church last year with her U.S.-born son and defied her deportation order.

The local march, which included about a dozen children and signs that read, "Help the children," ended with a rally that called on lawmakers to create a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in this country.

Contact Javier Erik Olvera at jolvera@mercurynews.com or (40 920-5704.