Maria Elena Durazo, exec director of LA cty Fed of Labor, again is complicit in a vicious attack on the immigrant & workers’ rights movement. Durazo is key figure in the heinous irresponsibility (at best) of the sponsors of immigrant rights champion Elvira Arellano’s fateful visit to Los Angeles.
Arellano’s L.A. trip was coordinated by the New Sanctuary Movement, a project of CLUE (Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice) http://www.newsanctuarymovement.org/invitation.htm, which is itself a project of LAANE (Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy) http://www.laane.org/victories.html, which in turn is a creation of the L.A. County Federation of Labor, which Durazo took over with Mayor Villaraigosa’s cooperation following the suspicious 2005 death of previous county fed chief and husband to Durazo, Miguel Contreras, 11 days before Villaraigosa’s mayoral victory. Contreras had opposed Villaraigosa, endorsing incumbent James Hahn http://www.laweekly.com/general/features/the-final-hours-of-miguel-contreras/14873/, while Durazo is recognized as Villaraigosa’s “closest advisor” http://www.calcoast.org/news/localgovernment0070423.html. As county fed exec, Durazo heads 845,000 union members, establishing her as the most powerful non-govt & non-corporate figure in L.A. & probably California. Durazo is also local 11 president of UNITE-HERE, one of the unions to split the AFL-CIO.
It is both inexplicable & unforgivable that Arellano’s local sponsor groups, directed by Durazo, should allow her, as the fugitive national figurehead of the immigration resistance movement, to be placed in such a vulnerable situation that Homeland Security/ICE agents could seize her with no public awareness or defense (she was in a truck w/ Illinois plates, traversing an itinerary that was publicized to media though a secret to many activists.). Did Durazo recklessly gamble that Bush’s ICE would turn a blind eye to this open affront to their mandate? Or else Arellano was handed over like Jesus by Judas in what we can only speculate to be a political maneuver to generate attention & sympathy that wd then be directed toward congressional “reform”. Either way the liability lands on Durazo.

We are forced to attribute sinister motives to Durazo because first, she still openly maintains that the LAPD is not responsible for its unprovoked assault on the Macarthur Park Mayday immigration & workers’ rights rally, which Durazo directed through another county fed project, MIWON. Durazo immediately stated the unsubstantiated fabrication on her county labor federation website’s front page that “…we understand that a group of individuals, not associated with the rally, instigated an altercation with police…” We await Durazo’s explanation for & retraction of this false accusation, and now also her apology for enabling Arellano’s capture & the abortion of her vital trip to Washington D.C.

Full Amnesty Now! Labor Unity & Democracy!

There is a factual error in there. MIWON is a coalition of several groups and is not a project of the LA County Federation of Labor. In contrast, LAANE is more involved with the Fed and the unions, as one can see from the composition of the LAANE board.

Durazo gave an interview in the corporate media where she blamed anarchists for "provoking" the police. Needless to say, that never happenned.

She has also never retracted her statement. Why?

She looks out for herself and her friends.

Also there where no Anarchists provoking anything besides thoughts on May Day, yet she issues this press release?

http://www.launionaflcio.org/pdf/press/070501_May_Day_Press_Release.pdf

1. Re: Elvira Arellano A respectful question : I was not present so I cannot judge.But I ask myself:" Why wasn't Elvira immediately surrounded bya non-violent cordon of protection, including the pastor andother clergy,blocking the arrest? "This is the true meaning ofSanctuary and "Accompamiento".Please let us not make it soeasy next time.( If it was a different scenario, pleasecorrect me. ) With deep gratitude for your good work andwishing you God's blessings. Peace, Father Paul Mayer
PORTSIDE@LISTS.PORTSIDE.ORG