Pro-DREAMer organization Cosecha is planning a sit-in at Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton’s office Wednesday, July 26.
Cosecha, literally translated as “harvest” is a radical, “non-violent movement fighting for permanent protection, dignity, and respect for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. We believe that through direct action and economic non-cooperation, we can make a change” so they claim.
Wednesday morning, AG Paxton’s office will be flooded with Cosecha activists from states near and far for what they’re calling “escalated action”. Escalated action which is supposed to promote dignity (they use this word in every single statement). And nothing is more dignified than a veritable adult temper tantrum.
Cosecha has intentionally targeted Texas, claiming it’s a battleground state for immigration rights. In a release for their upcoming sit-in, they explain:
Texas has become the battleground state in the struggle for immigrant rights in the Trump era. It leads the country on mass deportations and recently passed the most anti-immigrant statewide law. It was Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who spearheaded the call for the repeal of DACA. Undocumented youth in Texas and across the country are confronting attacks on the immigrant community head on.“With DACA under threat, we know that some will put their hope in DC politicians. But we also know that we won DACA not because of any politician, but because our community took fearless action. We marched, we walked-out, we stopped deportations and shut down detention centers. We took risks and put our bodies on the line to tell the people of this country that we were ‘Undocumented, Unafraid, and Unapologetic,’” said Maria Fernanda Cabello, a spokesperson for Movimiento Cosecha. “This moment calls for us to be brave again; to create a moral crisis that will change the narrative on immigration in this country.”Immigrant youth have always known DACA was temporary, which is why we need permanent protection, dignity and respect for all. This moment is bigger than any piece of legislation. DACA is under attack while our parents, who were never even given the temporary protection DACA provides, are denied dignity and respect in a country that has never recognized them. It is time for the immigrant community to show this country that it depends on us. We will not stop fighting until we have won permanent protection, dignity and respect for our parents, our communities, and all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Last week, Sen. Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Durbin (D-IL) introduced a new Dream Act which would protect immigrant children brought to the U.S. as children without documentation. But that’s not good enough for Cosecha who are pressing for protection of the parents of Dreamers because of dignity and things.
In this current political climate, we find it hard to believe that a Dream Act bill would have any hope of passing, unless tied to dangerous enforcement measures that would hurt our parents, our families, and our communities.With DACA under threat, we know that hundreds of thousands of young people and parents will put their hope in this bill. But we also know that we won DACA not because of any politician, but because our community took action. We marched, we walked-out, we stopped deportations and shut down detention centers. We took risks and put our bodies on the line to tell the people of this country that we were “Undocumented, Unafraid, and Unapologetic.” Today, as the Dream Act bill is reintroduced in DC, we choose to once again put faith in our community.This moment is bigger than any piece of legislation. DACA is under attack while our parents, who were never even given the temporary protection DACA provides, are denied dignity and respect in a country that has never recognized them. We are done letting politicians decide who deserves permanent protection and who does not. We are done negotiating away our families, and promoting a narrative that excludes our parents. We are called once again to take bold action that will change the conversation on immigration in the United States. It is time for the immigrant community to show this country that it depends on us. We will not stop fighting until we have won permanent protection, dignity and respect for our parents, our communities, and all 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Cosecha continues to demand “dignity” (which is something that must be earned, not simply given) but fails to recognize the dignity of the laws in the country which their constituency has chosen to live. Talk about a self-awareness fail.
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