CARAVAN TO THE BORDER

We the undersigned groups and individuals call on community, union, student and worker groups to hold “Welcoming Committees” at the U.S. border.  Let’s bring food, water and aid.  Let’s bring our bodies to welcome and show support for the thousands of refugees who are risking their lives to escape violence and poverty.

HOLD LOCAL ACTIONS

If you cannot get to the border, hold emergency actions in your city, town, workplace or school as the migrant and refugee caravan nears or reaches the U.S. border.  Shut down ICE offices, rally at detention centers, and schedule rush hour marches.

BUILD SOLIDARITY

We as workers, students and youth have more in common with the migrants who are fleeing conditions that have been manufactured by international capitalists and the Pentagon, than with these same bosses who refuse to pay workers a living wage or fight against enacting universal health care or workers’ rights.

As women, LGBTQ, queer and trans activists, we extend our hand to our refugee sisters, brothers and siblings to build solidarity.

It is critical that we guarantee our opposition to every form of racism both at home experienced by Black and Brown people in every major city and corner of this country — along with fighting to say no to the racist policies that target Muslims, African, Caribbean and Latinx migrants.  We say No Walls against Mexico or Palestine.

It’s important to remember that the refugees who embarked on this grueling march are doing so because of U.S. imperialist policies that have left a legacy of violence, oppression and crushing poverty forcing people to flee their homes and risk everything.

TO THE GI TROOPS

To those rank and file GI’s being sent to the border, we call on you not to go.  If you are already there, then conduct work slow downs, get sick, but most of all follow your conscience — don’t shoot or brutalize defenseless unarmed children, women and men.

The cost of this troop deployment is estimated to be $220 million: this is badly needed money that could be spent on schools, jobs and veteran services that have been slashed.

PUSH BACK TRUMP REACTION

It’s urgent that we do everything possible to push back the Trump reaction which has ushered in a violent neo-right-wing current that threatens everyone.  We cannot wait until the elections; we must mobilize now!

We call on all groups to cooperate and work together to make this happen.  We urge those who are able to also join SOA  School of the America Watch at the border (You can contact them at: http://www.SOAW.org)

To sign on to this CALL respond on Facebook or email: WelcomeMigrantCaravan@gmail.com

Si se puede, Yes we can!

Initial signers:

Peoples Power Assembly, Baltimore

LA Workers Assembly

International Action Center West Coast

American Indian Movement SoCal

Youth Against War & Racism

Reverend CD Witherspoon, President Emeritus Southern Christian Leadership Conference Greater Baltimore

Solidarity with Novorossiya & Anti-Fascists in Ukraine

Humanity First

California for Progress

Prisoners Solidarity Committee

Brenda Gutierrez, founder #MeToo March International

Puerto Rican Alliance

Union of Progressive Iranians

Harvard Blvd Block Club – South Central Los Angeles

Harriet Tubman Center for Social Justice

Baltimore Bus Riders Union

Leslie Salgado, Chair Friends of Latin America

Popular Resistance

Theresa Reuter, Artist

Reverend David Olsen

Baltimore Women United

Lizz Toledo, LGBTQ Latinx activist