![May 1 March in Fresno](https://fresnoalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/May1-a_web-620x413.jpg)
By Community Alliance Staff
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The CoaliciĆ³n 1 de Mayo is organizing a march and rally on May 1 to celebrate International Workersā Day and to demand an immigration reform.
The CoaliciĆ³n will be joined by several organizations including the Dolores Huerta Foundation and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA).
āSeventeen years ago we marched to demand Congress to stop the bill HR 4433, proposed by [then] Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner [RāWisc.], a radical anti-immigrant bill. We walked from San Antonio Claret Church, in south Fresno, to the City Hall,ā said Leonel Flores during a press conference held on April 10. āIt was the largest march in Fresno. When we arrived at City Hall we were about 10,000 people.ā
A few days later, on May 1, 2006, a rally in front of City Hall attracted more than 15,000 people. Millions of people marched in several U.S. cities demanding to stop HR 4433 and pass immigration reform. While this last demand didnāt materialize, the bill was killed in Congress.
This year, organizers are asking for immigration reform.
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āIt is time to get an immigration reformā[the] last one was in 1988ābut also we are inviting those communities affected by not having legal residence, such as farmworkers, to join us on May 1,ā said Brenda Ordaz, a representative of CHIRLA Madera.
āThese workers have been out of work for several weeks because of the rain and flooding, [and] they donāt receive unemployment or other benefits despite the fact they pay for them.ā
Ordaz also mentioned young people, brought by their parents at an early age to the United States, who donāt qualify for DACA so they donāt have a chance at access to good jobs.
āIt is sad that when these people retire. They donāt even have access to Social Security benefits,ā explained Ordaz.
This year, the May 1 rally will take place at Courthouse Park in Fresno (1100 Tulare Avenue) at 3 p.m. A march will follow.
For more information, contact Leonel Flores at 559-776-6642 or Olga Loza at 559-750-8076.
Photos by Eduardo Stanley
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