By Fran Roznowski –
Chelsea Uniting Against the War
Members of Chelsea Uniting Against the War joined an estimated 400 people at the JFK Building in Boston on January 20, Martin Luther King Day and the Presidential Inauguration to protest incoming President Trump’s pledge for massive deportations.
The youth majority march to the State House with chants rang through the streets, “Donald Trump, let’s be clear, immigrants are welcome here.” and “The people united will never be defeated” in English and Spanish.
Speaker Peggy Wong demanded that money from the large budget of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (and responsible for immigrant raids and deportations) go instead to supporting schools and health care.
Another speaker, a native from Brazil, living in East Boston raised the question, “What would East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts and the United States do without immigrant labor?” He added, “Are immigrants responsible for the federal minimum wage of $7.25?” The crowd shouted back “NO!” “Are immigrants responsible for more than 15% of all children in the U.S. living in poverty?”, again a resounding “NO!” from the demonstrators.
The size of the large rally, in spite of the frigid and windy weather, was an indicator to immigrants who may be targeted by the new president that there is support for them in the Boston area. Here in Chelsea, we also have La Colaborativa which already held two trainings on Rights of Immigrants/Los Derechos de Los Imigrantes on 1/16/25.
For more information about Chelsea Uniting Against the War/Chelsea Uniéndose en Contra La Guerra contact Joel Romero – 617-688-1197 (English and Español) or Facebook – Chelsea Uniting Against the War.