“We know that there are people who are undocumented. And what are they doing? They are picking our fruits when it is cold. They care for our children. They clean our offices at night. They use the sweat of their labor for this country.” -Dolores Huerta at yesterday’s kickoff for the week of action

Midday yesterday, over a hundred and fifty immigrant rights activists, families, workers, teachers, students and others convened at the steps of the Federal Building. They came to protest sweeping immigration proposals that would have dire consequences for immigrants in the U.S. Over fifty activists plan to camp in front of the building and hold a hunger strike for a week despite being denied permits by the City of San Francisco There are similar protests and strikes across the country, including 100,000 marchers who took to the streets of Chicago last week.

H.R. 4437, introduced by Rep. James Sensenbrenner [R-WI], seems so absurd that it could be fiction. However the bill has already passed the House of Representatives, currently being reviewed in the Senate, and President Bush has clearly stated his intent to enact a version of this into law. The bill calls for the criminalization of all undocumented persons in the U.S., making “unlawful presence” an aggravated felony. It would also instruct law enforcement to seek out undocumented immigrants and cities, such as San Francisco, that have sanctuary laws, could face the lose of federal funding. The implication for schools, churches, and nonprofit organizations are also sweeping. Anyone assisting an immigrant, for example proving domestic violence advice to a mother or a priest consoling an individual, would be a felon and could have a five year prison sentence. Other provisions include the creation of a border fence, the elimination of the diversity visa lottery system, indefinite detention of some immigrants and expedite removal of others including those seeking asylum, and huge fines for businesses employing undocumented immigrants.

Despite the harsh reality of the legislation, the mode of the protesters was positive as many chanted “el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido.” or “the community united will never be divided.” Hong-An Tran, a policy analyst from SIREN, spoke of the sense of “unity” among the differing immigrant communities against “mean-spirited legislation” and that it was time for “fair, just, and humane” action. Dolores Huerta, icon and hero of the farmer worker struggles stated that every twenty years, in the 60s and 80s, there had been progressive immigration reform and it was time “for a new legalization program.” Others echoed her sentiments and many spoke of their experiences as immigrants or in helping immigrants. Kyung Jin Lee of the Korean Community Center of the East Bay stated: “It breaks my heart to tell a 70 year old woman that she could not legalize her status because the time had passed when her husband died or to explain to a father of two that he could not even drive to work.”

The real question is will San Francisco care? 36.8% of San Franciscans, according to U.S. Census data, are foreign born. San Francisco was also home to the antiwar movement, gay rights movement, and definitely a key place in the civil rights movement. Though there was a large turnout from the ethnic press, the mainstream English-speaking press was not in sight and the city denied a permit to the strikers to even hold camp. These are crucial and trying times for millions of immigrants who already live in fear and terror. Where will San Francisco stand if we are faced with federal funding lose and the mass deportation of segments of our population? Will we stand idly by or will we march 1000,00 strong like a Chicago?

As fifty individuals brave the cold and rain in front of the Federal building on a hunger strike, we should take time to reflect on their actions. Activist Cesar Cruz stated, “We shouldn’t have to fast and it is a privilege not to be able to eat when our people are dying every single day from starvation in the Arizona deserts.” Hunger strikes throughout history, whether with Gandhi, or Irish political prisoners, have served as a way to draw attention to the inhumanity of laws. Fasting itself is also a common practice in Judaism , Islam, and in Christianity as lent is an extension of this tradition. As a Jew, I fast to be humble before G-d and to reflect on my own humanity and my own immigration experience. Speaking to a Muslim friend, Khadija, she fasts during Ramadan to reflect on the meaning of community and to “feel what over people feel.” It is fitting that this year, Cardinal Roger Mahony of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, also asked his congregation to pray for humane immigration reform this lent. These are hard times indeed, and it is time for all of us to reflect in our own ways. If you haven’t yet, please stop by the federal building to show your support for the hunger strike. For more information, please go to the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition website at http://www.immigrantrights.org/ for more information on the week of action.