Big Brother is Watching… Jobs with Justice?

By , on October 14th, 2010

Philly JwJ Demands Jobs

Security Threat? This Philadelphia JwJ rally was the subject of a Homeland Security bulletin.

The Pennsylvania Department of Homeland Security is paying a private American-Israeli firm, the Institute of Terrorism Research and Response (ITRR) to monitor the activities of groups like Jobs with Justice, MoveON.org, the Ruckus Society, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, the Brandywine Peace Coalition, Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, Rainforest Action Network, immigration activists opposing Arizona’s SB1070, and many more.

Bill Quigley and Rachel Meeropol reported the story last week in Counterpunch:

For almost a year, ITTR provided bi-weekly intelligence briefings to Pennsylvania Homeland Security which focused in equal part on “jihadist” communications and trainings throughout the world, and also social justice organizing and protests across the country.

Pennsylvania Homeland Security, in turn, distributed this information to 800 federal, local and state law enforcement agencies, along with “relevant stakeholders” like local businesses.  Information provided included the political views and movement building strategies of hundreds of law-abiding groups and individuals…

…The extent of the “monitoring” here is far from clear. Much of

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October 14th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , | Category: Everything Else | Comments are closed

Dozens Block Traffic Protesting Inaction on Immigration Reform

By , on January 29th, 2010

Mass deportations and workplace raids continue to terrorize communities across the United States.  Racist immigration policies further divide families and communities and force millions of people to live under the constant threat that any interaction with police—however minor—could lead to detention and even deportation.

On January 26th, hundreds rallied outside the Department of Homeland Security and dozens blocked streets to bring attention to the need for immigration reform NOW.  The protest was organized by CASA de Maryland and brought activists from DC Jobs with Justice, Nakasec, National Day Labor Organizing Network, and more.

Mackenzie Baris of DC JwJ explained, “this broken immigration system not only hurts the individuals and families who are caught in raids, but also hurts all workers and the economy as a whole by allowing employers to exploit the differences in immigration status to take advantage of workers and deny their rights.”

Tuesday’s action also drew attention to The Trail of DREAMs.  Drawing inspiration from the civil rights movement, four students are walking from Florida to DC to bring public attention to a failed

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January 29th, 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Everything Else | Comments are closed