Audio Clip
Immigrant Rights March Starts Along US-Mexico Border
SAN DIEGO -- A march to remember migrants who died along the U.S.-Mexico border gets underway Feb. 2 in San Diego.
Immigrant rights activists plan to caravan to several destinations within the next 10 days. The event starts at Cesar Chavez Park in the Barrio Logan neighborhood.
From there, they'll caravan to a cemetery in the Imperial Valley where unidentified migrants, who have died crossing the border, have been laid to rest.
They also plan to meet with the family of famed labor leader Cesar Chavez during a visit to Yuma, Arizona. This year marks the 50th anniversary since Chavez founded the United Farm Workers.
Enrique Morones is with the group Border Angels. The organization, which sets out water in the desert for migrants crossing the border, has been organizing the event for seven years.
Photo courtesy Border Angels.
The poster for the 7th annual Marcha Migrante (Immigrant Rights March) which starts Feb. 2 in San Diego.
"The Marcha Migrantes have been very important," Morones said. "The first one, we went to 40 cities in 27 days, and that was to help spark the national marches."
This year, the march will focus on the legacy of Cesar Chavez.
"We will be promoting Cesar's 10 principles," Morones said.
The schedule also includes a trip to Sacramento, where activist plan to meet with lawmakers to discuss farm workers rights and immigration reform.
Organizers expect more than 100 people to participate. The march is scheduled to end Feb. 11 with a ceremony at Friendship Park along the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego.