| It is such a heartwarming story – the elderly immigrant who spends years and decades working and caring for others, saving money here and there, sending it home a little at a time to help loved ones in Mexico.
But what if you were the elderly immigrant who is now facing retirement with no way to support yourself? No savings, no pension, no Social Security. How will you survive? You spent your whole working life in el Norte, living to help others – who will now help you to live? That’s not heartwarming – it’s frightening. In California and Arizona on Monday– specifically Santa Ana, San Jose, San Bernardino, Los Angeles and Phoenix – elderly immigrants took to the streets to demand a small amount of justice and security for themselves. In the “Caminata con Bastones,” (Walking Canes) March for Justice and Security, elderly Mexican immigrants in those cities marched to their Mexican Consulates to demand access to retirement benefits through Pensión Bienestar, Mexico’s national social-security program. They each brought a letter to the Mexican Government explaining their plight. They are among millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States who are growing old, struggling with no safety net. “We are not asking for a handout or a gift, just repayment of what we have earned,” said Marta Salazar, an immigrant from Morelos who has lived in California for nearly 25 years, working double shifts and sending remittances to her family. “I have had to send money year after year, day after day, for my children, for their well-being, to build them a little house, so they can eat. Now I need to think about myself.” |
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The Caminata con Bastones was part of NDLON’s Macehualli campaign for elder immigrants. It’s just one part of our larger struggle on many fronts to defend the rights and futures of day laborers, immigrants and low-wage workers. We are right in the thick of the legal battle to keep the Trump Administration from savagely revoking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from hundreds of thousands of immigrants who urgently need it. We are continuing our work at the Pasadena Community Job Center to accompany people affected by the wildfires. We’ve totaled up an estimated 70,000 hours of volunteer service in relief and recovery – and we’re still there, training workers in safety around cleanup and collecting and distributing relief supplies to survivors. You may ask – how can I help? Here’s how! Send money. We still need help for supplies for survivors of the L.A. fires. Please consider donating to our Fire Relief Fund. Stay informed. Many videos, photos, interviews and stories are available through NDLON’s social media platforms. Follow NDLON on Facebook, Instagram and Bluesky. To learn more about the TPS lawsuit, follow the National TPS Alliance on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You can also follow the TPS Youth Committee on Facebook or Instagram. Know your rights and educate others. Go to conocetusderechos.org or knowyourrightsundertrump.org to learn more and share this vital information. Volunteer. If you are in the Los Angeles area, visit the Pasadena Community Job Center, a hub for workers’ rights and empowerment and the beating heart of the immigrant community since this disaster. Or best of all, come work with us! If you have fund-raising skills and experience that you want to put to use in these urgent times, NDLON is hiring. |
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