Voces De La Frontera Planning Statewide Strike, March In Milwaukee

The immigrant advocacy group Voces de la Frontera is planning its second strike to raise awareness about immigration rights. Last year’s strike drew roughly 20,000 people to the state Capitol in Madison. This year’s strike in Milwaukee is a protest against the travel ban signed by President Donald Trump.

Strike organizers are calling for Latinos, immigrants and refugees to keep their kids home from school, not make purchases and not show up for work Monday. The strike, called “A Day Without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees,” is also meant to show immigrants’ importance to the region.

Rafael Sanchez, manager of a Milwaukee tax company, said they are protesting to help protect their customers.

“And the reason that we’re participating as a small business is because a lot of our clientele are Latinos, and we want people to have peace and security,” Sanchez said through a translator. “We want that to continue.”

The strike is also a protest against Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke’s plans to designate deputies as immigration enforcement officers.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, director of Voces de la Frontera, said executive orders enacted by the president can lead to an increase in racial profiling.

“We’re back to an era where driving without a license, where even if you’re innocent of a charge, if you are processed through the county jail, you will be handed over to immigration,” Neumann-Ortiz said.

Neumann-Ortiz said buses will be operating statewide to bring participants from other cities to participate in a march the day of the strike from Voces de la Frontera’s office to the county courthouse downtown.

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to correct a photo caption. The march will happen in Milwaukee.