Tag Archives: Borderland Immigration Council

On Monday February 11, El Pasoans –  led by Border Network for Human Rights, Women’s March El Paso, former Congressman Beto O’Rourke – and in partnership with more than 45 other community partners, will take to the streets in the March for Truth.

Organizers share that the main reason for the march is to “stop the wall, stop the lies, and celebrate the El Paso community.”

Borderland residents will begin gathering along San Marcial Street next to Bowie High School at 5:00 p.m.

A brief rally featuring area leaders and community voices will begin at 5:30 p.m.; followed by a march a 6:00 p.m. and culminating in a celebration of community at Chalio Acosta Park on Shelter Place.

Women’s March El Paso is coordinating with a group of more than 60 local musicians including Fixed Idea, Radio La Chusma, Sinbuenos, mariachis and more to bring the Border region to life in South El Paso.

“We will unite to enjoy music, entertainment, and great company with the backdrop of our vibrant, multi-cultural region,” March officials said, “We look forward to showcasing our local talent and creating a family-friendly event that El Paso will be proud to promote to the rest of America.”

Via a news release, officials added:

“El Paso is a strong and safe community because of its people and its values. Border communities are a place of opportunity and hope. Trump’s fixation on a border wall and his distortions of life in El Paso and along the border are unacceptable. Our communities will always stand to include immigrants, oppose racism, and defend the truth. All of us must make a choice about whether we stand up for the truth or allow Trump to degrade our dignity and rights.”

Participating community organizers include: Border Network for Human Rights, Women’s March El Paso, Borderland Immigration Council, El Paso Democratic Party, New Mexico Democratic Party, ACLU Border Rights Center, Usual Suspects, El Paso Central Labor Council, Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee, Mexicanos En Exilio, Southwest Environmental Center, West Fund, Centro De Salud Familiar La Fe, LULAC El Paso, El Paso Equal Voice Network, El Paso Musicians United, HOPE Border Institute, La Mujer Obrera, AYUDA, Comite Justicia Laboral, Familias Unidas del Chamizal, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, ACLU of NM, ACLU of Texas, Big Bend Area Women’s March, Voto Latino, Battleground Texas Engagement Fund, Battleground Texas PAC, Latino Victory Fund, Onward Together, Our Revolution Texas, Deeds Not Words, Progress Texas, Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance, Unidos US, Office of Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, Office of Texas Senator Jose Rodriguez, Office of Texas Representative Mary Gonzalez, Office of Texas Representative Lina Ortega, Office of Texas Representative Cesar Blanco, Office of Texas Representative Joe Moody, Texas Representative-Elect Art Fierro, El Paso City Representative Alexsandra Annello, Former Congressman Beto O’Rourke, Attorney Carlos Spector, Attorney Jessica Miles, Attorney Edwardo Beckett, Father Arturo Bañuelas.

WHEN: MONDAY FEBRUARY 11^TH AT 5:00 P.M.

WHERE: 801 S. SAN MARCIAL STREET to CHALIO ACOSTA PARK

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Below is more information from Beto O’ Rourke: 

Showcasing the Vibrancy of His Hometown, Beto O’Rourke to Participate in Monday Evening March and Will Speak at a Celebration of El Paso’s Culture, History, Diversity and Status As a Binational Community of Immigrants

EL PASO, TEXAS — Beto O’Rourke will join with his city on Monday evening to show the country the reality of the border — a vibrant, safe, binational community that proudly celebrates its culture, history, diversity and status as a city of immigrants. While some try to stoke fear and paranoia, to spread lies and a false narrative about the U.S.-Mexico border and to demand a 2,000 mile wall along it at a time of record safety and security, El Paso will come together for a march and celebration that highlights the truth.

The community will gather at Bowie High School at 5:00 p.m. MT and then march to Chalio Acosta Sports Center where the celebration of El Paso will occur. O’Rourke will speak around 7:00 p.m. MT from Chalio Acosta Sports Center, and the evening’s events are open to the press.

DETAILS
5:00 p.m. MT Gather at Bowie High School, 801 S San Marcial St. in El Paso
6:00 p.m. MT March to Chalio Acosta Sports Center, 4321 Delta Dr. in El Paso
6:30 p.m. MT Celebration of El Paso with music and speakers
7:00 p.m. MT Beto O’Rourke speaks at El Paso celebration

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Below is more information from Rep Veronica Escobar:

On Monday, February 11, at 12:30 p.m. MT, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) and El Paso elected officials will hold a press conference to ask President Donald Trump to correct the record on his misleading State of the Union remarks about El Paso, and to apologize to El Pasoans for misrepresenting their hometown.

This press conference follows Congresswoman Escobar’s letter to President Trump inviting him to tour the community and to hear from local stakeholders to get a full understanding of the border.

WHO
U.S. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar
Texas Representative César J. Blanco
El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego
El Paso County Commissioner Carlos Leon

WHEN
Monday, February 11, at 12:30 p.m. MT

WHERE
Chamizal National Memorial, 1st Amendment Area
Entrance through the Delta Drive Gate

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City Services to be Affected Due to President’s Visit

EL PASO, Texas – Due to the anticipated visit of the President of the United States to the El Paso County Coliseum on Monday, February 11, the following City facilities and services will be affected.

The Parks and Recreation Department

Acosta Sports Center, 4321 Delta Dr., and the Hilos de Plata Senior Center, 4451 Delta Dr., will close at 1 p.m. Both facilities will resume normal operational hours on Tuesday, February 12.

El Paso Zoo

Closed for the day. The zoo will return to normal operations the following day, Tuesday, February 12.

El Paso Municipal Courts

Municipal Courts 1, 2, 4, and 5 cases set after 11 a.m. will be cancelled. All other municipal courts will not be impacted.

El Paso International Airport

Passengers are encouraged to check their flight schedules on the El Paso International Airport website or call their airline for their latest flight information. Click on “Flight Info” tab at www.flyelpaso.com

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Early release planned for some schools on Monday Presidential visit will impact 13 EPISD schools near Coliseum

EL PASO, TEXAS — Several El Paso Independent School District campuses near the site of a planned rally by President Donald Trump will have early release on Monday in anticipation of large crowds and potential traffic issues.
The schools, all of which are near the El Paso County Coliseum, will release students at noon on Monday. Classes at all campuses will resume as normal on Tuesday.
The impacted schools are:
• Aoy, Beall, Burleson, Clardy, Cooley, Douglass, Hart and Zavala elementary schools. The afternoon pre-kindergarten and Head Start sessions will be moved to the morning. . • Guillen and Henderson middle schools. • Bowie, Jefferson and Silva Health Magnet high schools.
All after-school activities for the impacted campuses are cancelled on Monday.
EPISD officials worked with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to determine an appropriate plan of action for the presidential visit. EPISD Police said there are is indication of road closures that may have impacted the operation and release time of schools outside the vicinity of the Coliseum.
The rest of the district’s schools, including Central Office, will operate on a normal schedule on Monday.

On Saturday morning, several organizations including the Border Network for Human Rights, Women’s March El Paso, Las Americas, DMRS, Mexicanos en Exilio, and Borderland Immigration Council, Hope Border Institute marched to raise awareness against the Trump’s administration’s zero-tolerance policy and the practice of separating children from their parents and the criminalization of asylum seekers.

The march began at Cleveland Square and ended at the Paso Del Norte Bridge.

Our very own Alexandra Hinojosa was at the march and brings you her view via this Story in Many Pics.

At a Wednesday morning news conference, Hope Border Institute and the Borderland Immigration Council (BIC) — a newly formed binational coalition consisting of local immigration attorneys and advocacy groups — called today for an end to the apparent systematic denial of discretionary relief by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The use of prolonged detention, family separation and the denial of discretionary relief by ICE has developed into a punitive policy designed to discourage and deter vulnerable immigrants seeking asylum at El Paso ports of entry.

In recent months following the arrival of new leadership at ICE in El Paso, members of the Borderland Immigration Council have witnessed both a dramatic increase in the denial of parole to refugees fleeing to El Paso with credible fear claims as well a significant reduction in the approval of stay of removal requests for immigrants not prioritized for deportation.

Members have also observed accelerated trends in the separation and detention of families seeking asylum; family members fleeing the same violence are routinely split up with one or more members detained, compromising the family’s ability to make asylum claims in court.

One local attorney has seen these abuses exemplified in the case of a young Mexican mother fleeing violence at the hands of a powerful cartel leader in Juarez. Mariana Ibarra has been separated from her infant child and is currently being detained while awaiting an opportunity to make her case for asylum before an El Paso immigration judge.

Mariana and her sister, Laura Ibarra, together with their mother, Cristina Moran, have been repeatedly denied parole even though the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has deemed Mariana to have a viable, credible asylum claim. ICE has disregarded agency humanitarian policies even as Mariana remains separated from her six-month old child. 

Given the lack of success in local efforts to address these concerns with ICE leadership, the Borderland Immigration Council is seeking accountability sessions with the USCIS Asylum Office for Texas in Houston as well as with regional and national ICE leadership.

In addition to a number of local attorneys, the membership of the Borderland Immigration Council includes the Hope Border Institute, Las Americas Immigrant and Advocacy Center, ACLU New Mexico, Programa de Defensa e Incidencia Binacional, Diocesan Migration & Refugee Services, Mexicanos en Exilio, the Detained Migrant Solidarity Committee, Border Network for Human Rights, and representatives of the area’s faith community.