Hundreds of immigration reform advocates join May Day march in downtown Fresno

More than 200 people waving flags, chanting in Spanish and advocating for immigration reform joined in a May Day march Sunday afternoon through downtown Fresno.

People carried American, Mexican and United Farm Worker flags as they walked along the sidewalks past the Fresno County Jail and through Courthouse Park.

As musicians played, many who took part in the rally carried signs calling on the federal government to “Make immigration legal,” “Stop deportation” and “Reform now.”

The march was an effort by organizers of the May Day Coalition for immigrants’ rights to demand comprehensive immigration reform for all undocumented people, an end to deportations and for the delivery of additional support and resources.

Many speakers urged the Biden administration to provide the help for undocumented and immigrant communities that have been disproportionately affected the past two years by the COVID pandemic.

“We want to be heard and we are tired of getting false promises,” said Jose Servin, community organizer and member of Services Immigrant Rights and Education Network. “For the past two years we’ve been promised some sorta reform or changes related to immigration.

“We haven’t gotten anything at the federal level,” Servin said, “but we are showing how strong California is. We’ve passed so many protections for the immigrant and undocumented community in the past few years. It shows that things are possible, it just takes all of our voices.”