Immigrant rights march, strike in Asheville

This Monday, on May 1 downtown Asheville will be in for a surprise as organizers estimate as many as 5,000 people could take to the streets in opposition to the "Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act," otherwise known as HR4437. The march, which was organized by the newly formed group We are One America/Somos Una América, will begin at 4pm at the Basilica of St. Lawrence and go to Pack Square where there will be a short rally. The march is in conjunction with a planned national immigrant general strike, in which it is expected that many immigrants will not work, attend school, buy or sell anything in the United States. "A Day Without An Immigrant, The Great American Boycott of 2006" was announced by the March 25th Coalition Against HR4437 in Los Angeles, the group responsible for organizing the one million-strong march there on Mar. 25. We Are One America is also encouraging participants of the local march to join in the national strike. They are distributing worker and student rights leaflets, forms for parents to excuse their children from school, and have made an alliance with the Western North Carolina Worker's Center. People who are fired for participating in the strike may contact the Worker's Center at (828) 432-5080 for legal assistance. HR4437, a bill already passed by the House of Representatives, would transform the crime of being an "illegal immigrant" from a civil violation into a felony. The bill would also give the government more powers to detain immigrants indefinitely, bar immigrants permanently from US citizenship, and make it a federal crime–punishable by up to five years in prison–to aid an undocumented immigrant, which could include providing food, shelter and medical care. HR4437 has to be passed by the Senate and signed by President Bush before it becomes law. Those planning on attending Asheville's May Day march should arrive at the Basilica at 3pm. Because large numbers of people are expected, participants should carpool and bring their own food and water if possible. Organizers are also encouraging people to bring signs and flags and to wear white T-shirts to show their solidarity.