The author is an immigrant rights attorney and is the PSL candidate for State Representative in Illinois, District 40. To learn more about her campaign, click here. To learn more about PSL candidates running in national and local elections, click here.
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Simcox was speaking at DePaul University at the invitation of a right-wing student group. His Minuteman Civil Defense Corps recruits armed racists from around the country to “patrol” U.S. border.
Protesters took over four corners of the street and chanted and rallied for over three hours outside the event.
The energetic crowd included hundreds of young, multinational college students from all over the state of Illinois. A central demand of the demonstration was “Money for jobs and education, not for racist raids and deportation!” The protest also demanded full rights for all immigrants.
More than 200 students staged a coordinate protest action inside the event. Students wore names of immigrants who have died crossing the border on the backs of their shirts. They turned their back on Simcox while he was speaking.
The protest was organized by dozens of progressive student groups and social justice groups, including the DePaul Activist Student Union, the March 10th Movement, Latinos for Latinos and the Chicago chapter of the ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism).
Simcox and the Minutemen reflect the growing anti-immigrant racism encouraged by the policies of the U.S. government. Using military-style raids and mass deportations, Homeland Security is promoting an escalation of attacks against immigrant workers.
Groups that encourage racism and violence against immigrant workers must be opposed whenever they mobilize to promote their anti-worker agenda.
