[Find below notices from two different organizations about this action. Lead organizers Churches United to Save and Heal, New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City and others say Noon. Art for Change says 11:30 a.m. This action is near Broadway and Thomas St., on the west side of the building, despite misinformation circulating. -t.]

Media Advisory

DOZENS MORE TO RISK ARREST FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THIRD AND LARGEST ROUND OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN NY

Participants condemn Obama’s latest move to further militarize the border and fund more deportations

[Note: this is rescheduled from Monday, May 31.]

New York, NY. Local clergy, labor, elected, and community leaders will engage in a third round of civil disobedience in front of 26 Federal Plaza on Tuesday, intended to escalate pressure on President Obama and Congress to enact just and humane immigration reform.

Despite growing calls for solutions to fix the nation’s broken immigration system, President Obama’s latest move—sending 1,200 National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border and calling for $500 million for increased enforcement measures—dangerously expands the enforcement-only direction. Participants will urge the Obama administration to place a moratorium on deportations and intervene to stop Arizona’s SB1070 law.

The civil disobedience action will come at the end of a press conference and will involve dozens of participants linking arms and stepping into the middle of Broadway to stop traffic around the federal building.

The series of civil disobedience actions began on May 17th, when 16 New Yorkers, including several elected officials, were arrested. On May 24th, 37 were arrested in a similar action. The actions are being led by clergy from the city’s Caribbean immigrant community in partnership with immigrant, labor, and elected leaders.

Tuesday’s event will be the latest in a continuing wave of immigration-related civil disobedience taking place across the nation. It follows recent actions in Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, New York, Tucson, Detroit, San Francisco, and Seattle.

WHAT:
Press conference with Q&A followed by civil disobedience action

WHEN:
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 @ 12 noon

WHERE:
26 Federal Plaza (on Broadway)
Lower Manhattan

WHO:
Civil disobedience participants will include:
City Councilmember Daniel Dromm
City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras
City Councilmember Brad Lander
Clergy and faith Leaders
Labor leaders
Community leaders

Sponsored by Churches United to Save and Heal (CUSH), Families for Freedom, New Agenda for Broad Immigration Reform, New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City, New York Communities for Change, New York Immigration Coalition, New York State Immigration Reform Campaign, SEIU 1199, SEIU 32BJ, The Black Institute.

~~
From Art For Change FB page:

Direct Action for Immigration Reform
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
11:30am - 1:30pm
26 Federal Plaza New York, NY
Description
Join Art for Change for an artistic intervention at this Tuesday's rally and civil disobedience act organized by the New York Immigration Coalition.

This Tuesday, June 1st
26 Federal Plaza
11:30 am- 12:30 pm Rally and Press Conference (arrive on time)
12:30 pm- Act of Civil Disobedience
Artists' Contingency will meet across the street from 26 Federal Plaza (next to the Mc'Donalds). If you want your name or collective name to be acknowledged, contact:
Genesis Be at gib203@nyu.edu

Instead of addressing the moral crisis facing our communities, President Obama announced that he is sending 1,200 National Guard troops to the border and that he will give Arizona and other states more than $500 million for border security. The current administration continues to advocate for an enforcement-only approach that separates families, destroys communities and criminalizes human beings.

Though criminalizing immigrants simply ignores a broken system that is need of reform and exacerbates hate and racism in the country, as is evident in Arizona, the public arena, in Washington, state legislatures and the media has been dominated by this narrow-minded and ineffectual approach.

Border militarization, criminalization, racial profiling and deportation of immigrants is not immigration reform! We need dramatic public action to shift the conversation from criminalization to a broadly conceived and realized immigration reform.

New York artists and cultural workers stand together in support of immigrants, undocumented and documented. Join Art for Change for an artistic intervention at this Tuesday's rally and civil disobedience act organized by the New York Immigration Coalition. Stand up for Justice, be a part of history and make your voices heard!

This Tuesday, June 1st
26 Federal Plaza
11:30 am- 12:30 pm Rally and Press Conference (arrive on time)
12:30 pm- Act of Civil Disobedience
Artists' Contingency will meet at a specific location, to sign up contact Genesis Briggs gib203@nyu.edu

Theme: the ugly side of US: wear an ugly mask together with a white T-shirt with one word that illustrates the ugly side of the current immigration discourse: deportation, racism, Arizona, militarization, etc. You can also bring signs or one word posters that if lined up properly, will spell out the theme: "the ugly side of US" Please do not wear masks that fully cover your face, we encourage everyone to either incorporate your mask creatively that does not cover your face. The event organizers are working closely with attorneys to have this action go as smooth as possible and to ensure that rally supporters (which might include non-citizens) are not at risk of being hackled by the police, especially since it is unclear whether we are allowed to rally with masks around our faces.

want to make your own T-shirt and Mask? come to the AFC art - making party: Saturday, May 29th at 11AM, 1699 Lexington Avenue.

**We also encourage you to participate in the civil disobedience action:

More than 50 individuals have already been arrested in the last two weeks in acts of civil disobedience intended to escalate pressure on the Obama administration and Congress to enact a comprehensive immigration reform in 2010.

If you are interested in participating in one of these civil disobedience actions, please email Deycy at Davitia@thenyic.org or call her at 212-627-2227 ext. 231 to discuss the commitments, requirements, and next steps. If you are interested in joining us on Tuesday, June 1st, please email her by Friday, May 28th.

Please note that participants must be US citizens to participate in civil disobedience. If you are not a citizen, you can also support by recruiting responsible friends to join us.

Participants will be required to participate in a training that covers: Why immigration reform? Why civil disobedience now and how do these actions fit into a broader movement? What are the legal implications and considerations for individuals participating? What are my responsibilities to the collective group participating in civil disobedience? If I decide not to participate, what are other ways I can support immigration reform?

This is the statement that we signed and participants at the following two actions will be ask to endorse.

“Being conscientiously of opinion that our current immigration laws betray our core principles of democracy, inclusiveness and justice; that they allow for Arizona’s immoral and unconstitutional SB1070; and that their continued enforcement through detention and deportation separates families and destroys communities; we are compelled to escalate our call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in the face of inaction from our nation’s elected representatives.

“Today we stand in solidarity with the millions who contribute to our communities and economy while being denied full access to them. Our act of civil disobedience is performed with the belief that our laws can—and should—be better, and that our nation’s leaders cannot stand on the sidelines as our society’s core values are betrayed by a broken and immoral immigration system.

“We invite the enforcement of the law upon ourselves in the hope that our arrest today will be the catalyst for principled leadership from the President and Congress and for meaningful Comprehensive Immigration Reform that will put an end to the arrests and other mistreatments faced by our friends, families, congregations, and communities.”