Free Press Board member Mark Stansbery opened the session, mentioning it's the Columbus Free Press May Day version of the Second Saturday Salon, focusing on immigrant and worker rights. He noted recent events like May Day protests and anniversaries of Kent State and Jackson State.
Bob Krasen of Healthcare For All Ohioans announced a new initiative by Columbus Community Bill of Rights to contest state pre-emption through a city charter amendment, with signature gathering to begin at Comfest June 27-29.
Mazen Rasoul, immigration attorney, discussed the current challenges facing immigrants in the US, including recent policy changes affecting students, workers, and asylum seekers. He explained that many immigrants who entered the country through legal channels are now facing status revocations and deportation threats. Mazen highlighted issues with the immigration court system, noting that judges and prosecutors are both part of the executive branch, which raises concerns about due process. He also mentioned increased border militarization and privacy invasions at entry points. Mazen emphasized the need for comprehensive immigration reform, which has not been seriously addressed by Congress since the Reagan administration.
Mazen discussed the flow of migrants from various countries, including North Africa and Latin America, through Mexico to the US. He highlighted the role of Nicaragua in this flow, as it waived visa requirements for all countries, attracting migrants from around the world. Mark mentioned a tour related to the Mauritanian issue in Ohio and the issue of capital and labor flow.
Theresa Hice-Fromille, an OSU geography professor, shared her work on immigration issues, particularly focusing on the Haitian community in the Midwest. She mentioned the growing membership of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) on campus, driven by concerns about attacks on professors, curriculum, and tenure. Mark highlighted the overlap between workers' rights campaigns and immigration issues. The group also discusses a recent successful Haitian community event in Springfield and upcoming summer events. They touched on the campaign to repeal Senate Bill 1 in Ohio and the importance of grassroots efforts in this initiative. The team also discussed the expansion of surveillance by Palantir and the potential economic benefits for counties with ICE contracts.
Free Press Board member Tim Chavez raised serious concerns about immigration enforcement tactics, describing masked agents arresting people without identification or due process. He highlights the widespread impact of deportations on families and communities and suggests that a general strike may be necessary to protest these actions. The group agrees on the need to organize, educate, and vote to address these issues, while adhering to principles of nonviolent resistance.
Upcoming Events
Chuck Lynd discussed the upcoming “Plastic People – the Hidden Crisis of Microplastics” movie event at the Grandview Theater on May 18th. Simply Living is showing the award-winning documentary at noon, doors open at 11:30am, at the Grandview Theatre, 1247 Grandview Ave. This is a collaboration with Central Ohio ReUse Coalition, who recently launched a program with coffee shops to reduce single use cups.
Everyone is encouraged to participate in demonstrations against the State budget on June 17 and June 25.
