Non-profit

Movimiento Cosecha

Website:

www.lahuelga.com

Type:

Illegal Immigration Advocacy Group

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Movimiento Cosecha campaigns for permanent legal status for illegal immigrants in the United States. Since its founding in 2015, Cosecha has expanded to include activists in over 20 states. 1 Cosecha has actively opposed enforcement of immigration laws,2 condemned the end of temporary legal status for some illegal immigrants,3 and supported issuing drivers’ licenses to unauthorized residents. 4

Strategy

Cosecha has a four phase strategy to advance its policy goals. 5 Phase 1 involves training activists that can form chapters of the organization. Phase 2 is creating a “public ultimatum” for elected officials to take a pro-illegal immigration stance. 6 Phase 3 is launched once 50,000 activists have pledged to boycott certain stores and brands Cosecha deems not immigrant-friendly. Phase 4 involves organizing demonstrations involving “picketing workplaces, massive civil disobedience” and would begin once 100,000 pledge to strike and 300,000 pledge to boycott. 7

Anti-ICE Efforts

In Michigan, Movimiento Cosecha Grand Rapids (Cosecha GR) fought for ending a contract between Kent County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 8 Under the contract the sheriff’s department would “detain an individual suspected of an immigration violation for an additional 48 hours” to allow ICE agents to take them into custody. 9 In January 2019, Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young announced that her department would no longer detain individuals merely suspected of an immigration violation, but would continue to detain those that had “an arrest warrant issued by a federal judge or magistrate.” 10 Cosecha GR and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said that the change was not enough and called for the sheriff to end all ICE-related detention. 11

DACA

Cosecha opposed the Trump administration’s decision to rescind Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an Obama administration policy granting legal status to certain illegal immigrants which critics claim exceeded Presidential authority. 12 Before the Trump administration announced the end of the DACA program, Cosecha organized a 70 mile march in Virginia from Charlottesville to Richmond calling for “permanent protection” not only for those eligible for DACA, but all illegal immigrants in the United States. 13

Following the Trump administration rescinding DACA, Cosecha members participated in a protest at the Trump International Hotel in New York City for an 11 minute sit-in representing the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. 14

Drivers’ Licenses

Cosecha formed the Manejando Sin Miedo (Drive Without Fear) campaign to advocate for allowing illegal immigrants to get drivers licenses. 15

Drive Without Fear protested the lack of driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants with a hunger strike in New Jersey. In response, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-Union) and State Senator Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) introduced bills that would allow people illegally living in New Jersey to obtain a driver’s license and legally drive in the state. 16

The campaign is also active in Michigan where illegal immigrants cannot obtain a driver’s license due to a law passed in 2008. In October 2018, Cosecha GR organized a five-day 6 mile walk from Grand Rapid to the state capitol to push for allowing illegal immigrants to get a driver’s license. 17 State Senator Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) introduced legislation previously to allow those illegally in Michigan to get licenses and said in May 2019 she planned on reintroducing such a bill. 18

In Georgia, Cosecha has worked with Dignidad Inmigrante en Athens for events. Dignidad has hosted multiple “Caravana de Carros” where volunteers and illegal immigrants drive together to protest a Georgia law setting tough penalties for driving without a license. 19 One member of the caravan said “What we’re looking for is for the police department to use their discretion to not arrest people for not having a license.” 20 Cosecha and Dignidad also came together to protest at city hall and demanded that Athens-Clark County stop cooperating with ICE. 21

In Massachusetts, Cosecha organized a march promoting drivers licenses for illegal immigrants. Those marching backed a bill called “An Act Relative to Work and Family Mobility” introduced by state legislators Senator Brendan Crighton (D-Lynn), Representative Christine Barber (D-Somerville), and Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield). 22 The bill would allow for individuals living in Massachusetts to get a driver’s license whether or not they were a legal resident of the United States. 23

References

  1. “About Our Movement.” Movimiento Cosecha. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/about.
  2. “El 2018 Fue Año De Intenso Trabajo Para Activistas Pro Inmigrantes.” El Vocero Hispano. December 28, 2018. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://www.elvocerous.com/index.php/usa/119397-el-2018-fue-ano-de-intenso-trabajo-para-activista-pro-inmigrantes.
  3. “Press Release: Undocumented​ ​Youth​ ​and​ ​Community​ ​March​ ​Over​ ​70​ ​Miles​ ​Charlottesville​ ​to​ ​Richmond​ ​Calling​ ​For Permanent​ ​Protection​ ​Dignity​ ​and​ ​Respect.” Movimiento Cosecha. August 28, 2017. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/press-releases/vamarch.
  4. “Our Campaigns.” Manejando Sin Miedo. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://manejandosinmiedo.com/campaigns-1.
  5. “Our Strategy.” Movimiento Cosecha. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/strategy.
  6. “Our Strategy.” Movimiento Cosecha. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/strategy.
  7. “Our Strategy.” Movimiento Cosecha. Accessed June 17, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/strategy.
  8. “El 2018 Fue Año De Intenso Trabajo Para Activistas Pro Inmigrantes.” El Vocero Hispano. December 28, 2018. Accessed June 18, 2019. http://www.elvocerous.com/index.php/usa/119397-el-2018-fue-ano-de-intenso-trabajo-para-activista-pro-inmigrantes.
  9. Kalmbacher, Colin. “Sheriff Ends Cooperation With ICE After Agency Tried to Deport U.S. Marine Born in Michigan.” Law & Crime. January 19, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://lawandcrime.com/immigration/sheriff-ends-cooperation-with-ice-after-agency-tried-to-deport-u-s-marine-born-in-michigan/.
  10. Kalmbacher, Colin. “Sheriff Ends Cooperation With ICE After Agency Tried to Deport U.S. Marine Born in Michigan.” Law & Crime. January 19, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://lawandcrime.com/immigration/sheriff-ends-cooperation-with-ice-after-agency-tried-to-deport-u-s-marine-born-in-michigan/.
  11. Kransz, Michael. “Protesters Repeat Calls to End Kent County’s ICE Contract.” Mlive.com. January 24, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand- rapids/2019/01/protesters-repeat-calls-to-end-kent-countys-ice-contract.html.
  12. Cooke, Charles C. W. “Fight the Power Grab.” National Review. November 18, 2014. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.nationalreview.com/2014/11/fight-power-grab-charles-c-w-cooke/.
  13. “Press Release: Undocumented​ ​Youth​ ​and​ ​Community​ ​March​ ​Over​ ​70​ ​Miles​ ​Charlottesville​ ​to​ ​Richmond​ ​Calling​ ​For Permanent​ ​Protection​ ​Dignity​ ​and​ ​Respect.” Movimiento Cosecha. August 28, 2017. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/press-releases/vamarch.
  14. Movimiento Cosecha. “Press Release: 9 DACA Recipients Arrested at Trump Tower Sit-in.” Movimiento Cosecha. September 05, 2017. Accessed June 21, 2019. https://www.lahuelga.com/press-releases/daca-arrest.
  15. “Our Campaigns.” Manejando Sin Miedo. Accessed June 18, 2019.  https://manejandosinmiedo.com/campaigns-1.
  16. “Presionan Con Huelga De Hambre, Marchas Y Vigilas Para Que Aprueben Las Licencias.” Reporte Hispano. December 3, 2018. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://reportehispano.com/2018/12/huelga-hambre-se-aprueben-las-licencias/.
  17. Polo, Michelle Jokisch. “40 People Make 60 Mile Pilgrimage to Lansing for Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented.” WGVU. October 15, 2018. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://www.wgvunews.org/post/40-people-make-60-mile-pilgrimage-lansing-drivers-licenses-undocumented.
  18. Warikoo, Niraj. “Immigrants Rally in Michigan for Driver’s Licenses.” Detroit Free Press. May 1, 2019. Accessed June 18, 2019. https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/05/01/undocumented-immigrants-ask-michigan-grant-them-drivers-licenses/3635902002/.
  19. Jackson, Erica. “Dignidad Inmigrante Hosts ‘Caravana De Carros’ to Protest Arrests of Unlicensed Drivers.” The Red and Black. January 12, 2019. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.redandblack.com/athensnews/dignidad-inmigrante-hosts-caravana-de-carros-to-protest-arrests-of/article_b225f72c-1621-11e9-859f-f326517df765.html.
  20. Jackson, Erica. “Dignidad Inmigrante Hosts ‘Caravana De Carros’ to Protest Arrests of Unlicensed Drivers.” The Red and Black. January 12, 2019. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.redandblack.com/athensnews/dignidad-inmigrante-hosts-caravana-de-carros-to-protest-arrests-of/article_b225f72c-1621-11e9-859f-f326517df765.html.
  21. Movimiento Cosecha. Twitter Post. January 19, 2018, 1:01 PM. https://twitter.com/CosechaMovement/status/954458764136058880
  22. Moulton, Cyrus. “Immigrants March to City Hall to Rally for Driver’s Licenses.” Telegram.com. March 23, 2019. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.telegram.com/news/20190322/immigrants-march-to-city-hall-to-rally-for-drivers-licenses.
  23. Moulton, Cyrus. “Immigrants March to City Hall to Rally for Driver’s Licenses.” Telegram.com. March 23, 2019. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.telegram.com/news/20190322/immigrants-march-to-city-hall-to-rally-for-drivers-licenses.
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