Halloween is over, but a related Mexican celebration —” with a somber message —” is in full swing all week on the New Haven Green. An immigrants rights group in New Haven is using one of Mexico’s biggest holidays to draw attention to a tragedy it hopes to help end.
Unidad Latina en Acción, or Latinos United in Action, have set one side of the stage on the Green with typical commemorations of El Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, when Mexican families honor their departed relatives. It includes food offerings —” molé, rolls, fruit and sugar candy skulls —” as well as candles, paper streamers and photos. On the other side is a memorial to the 4,500 Latin American immigrants who have died in the past decade crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
About a dozen members of the group gathered on the stage Tuesday evening, as Mexican music blared from a boom box and bright lights shone on an eight-foot cross imprinted with the names of the dead, as well as on a straw figure lying next to an empty water jug, signifying the horrible death from heat and thirst that is the fate of many of the border crossers. As enforcement has tightened around the area, immigrants are forced into the most inhospitable terrain, where a greater number are dying. Still, tens of thousands cross the border every year, while a smaller number are caught and sent back south.
Elizabeth Breton was there last night with her toddler, Violeta. She is a Mexican immigrant and recently joined Unidad Latina. “We are really concerned about it, because a lot of people is dying, crossing the desert, swimming on the river, dying because they have nothing to eat, nothing to drink.”
Latinos United in Action would like to see changes in immigration enforcement to prevent many of these deaths. Opponents of illegal immigration say immigrants can save themselves by not attempting to enter the country without documents.
John Lugo is one of the founders of the Unidad Latina, which he says has 200 members, two dozen of whom are active members. The group includes legal and undocumented immigrants as well as a few native-born U.S. citizens.
“We encourage native-born U.S. citizens to join,” Lugo says, “because that would empower the people that don’t have papers and they will see people who are willing to support our cause.”
New Haven is a hotbed of activity in support of immigrants, while statewide a small but vocal group opposes illegal immigration.
The only problem with the exhibit on the Green —” which also includes a wall of news clippings and posters —” is that during the day no one is available to staff it. Unidad Latina members hope passersby will stop and check it out anyway —” or come by in the evening to talk with someone. They also invite the public to a big party Friday evening at the People’s Center on Howe Street to wrap up their week-long celebration. It starts at 37 Howe St. at 7 p.m.