STOCKTON, Calif. — Calls for justice and reform rang out in Stockton as the families of migrant farm workers took to the streets.
Dozens of people gathered at City Hall to support migrant workers and demand immigration legalization, justice and action from the Biden administration.
Marchers walked several blocks and made their voices heard on May Day, which is also known as International Workers Day and Immigrant Rights Day. They urged Congress to create a path to citizenship for farm workers.
"It's a march for our human rights and also to demand our various communities more safety because a lot of crime (has been) affecting this community," said Luis Magana, march organizer.
He said the Biden administration hasn't addressed the issue of immigration like they said they would.
"We're demanding no lies," Magana said.
Other demands included increased safety for agricultural workers and putting an end to racism and violence.
"There is 10, 20 years of waiting for immigration reform. Meanwhile, our family is dying in Mexico, and we can't cross the border to see them, so we demand at least a permit to see our family," Magana said.
Ana Zenteno, of of the activists involved in the march, said farm workers need to be treated as humans regardless of their legal status. Nearly 75% of California's farm workers are undocumented, according to the Center for Farmworker Families.
"We really need these people. We need them to have good pay because they take advantage of the farm workers; they take advantage of them because they're illegals and they don't treat them right," Zenteno said. "We need these people because we need food on the table."
Zenteno said they'll keep advocating for change and reform until it finally happens.
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