IMMIGRANTS MARCH TO CITY HALL TO DEMAND BETTER SERVICES, MORE FUNDING AND PRO-IMMIGRANT POLICIES

(New York City, March 9, 2005) Over 600 immigrants and community leaders from across New York City staged a march and rally today in front of City Hall to protest the lack of action by City officials on key immigrant community concerns. Holding oversized placards signed by hundreds of immigrant New Yorkers, the protesters called on Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council to increase funding for English language classes, end immigration arrests by the NYPD, and improve services for immigrant students in City schools.

Individuals and leaders from the City's Latino, Asian, European, Haitian, African and other communities convened earlier in the day to evaluate Mayor Bloomberg's 4-year record in addressing immigrant community issues and to put forward a set of services, funding and policy demands that they say have been ignored for too long by City leaders. Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) mobilized almost 50 residents and staff to demand the City to hold true its promise to produce and preserve affordable housing in New York City by using Battery Park City Surplus money as it was intended to be used, mandate inclusionary zoning to all proposed re-zonings, and pass Intro 486, the Healthy Homes Act.

Expanding legal services for immigrants was another key demand of leaders from a variety of communities participating in the event. "Immigrants need legitimate, affordable and dependable legal services more than ever. Immigration law has become incredibly complex and attempting to go through certain immigration processes without appropriate legal assistance can lead to deportation and other devastating consequences," said Margaret Chin, Deputy Executive Director of Asian Americans for Equality. "Investing in legal services will help immigrant families stay united, help them comply with complicated immigration laws and regulations and eventually become citizens," Chin said.

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