Homestead, FL -- In response to thethreat of Arizona-style racial profiling legislation in Florida, WeCount! isorganizing a series of activities from March 19 - 24, 2011 to show a unitedcommunity front against anti-immigrant laws and educate the community about the legislation being considered in Tallahassee.

The week of events kicks off on Saturday, March 19 with a “Women’s and Children’s March” at 5: 00 pm, leaving from the First Methodist Church, located at 622 North Krome Avenue, Homestead, FL. The March ends atLosner Park, 104 North Krome Avenue, Homestead, FL, with a “Cultural Night” at 6:30 pm.

"We Are Homestead" is part of a statewide campaign by the Florida Immigrant Coalition (FLIC), "We Are Florida" to stop Arizona copycat immigration bills.  FLIC is organizing a demonstration against Arizona-style legislation in Tallahassee on Thursday, March 17.

"These bills would have the same or worse effect as SB 1070 of Arizona," said Jonathan Fried, executive director of WeCount!.  "They would force police to act as immigration agents and increase the profiling of persons because of their race, appearance or accent," he added.  "They would also impose a great economic burden on our local governments with no support from the state."

Other events include:

Tuesday, March 22 at 6:30 pm: “We are One: One Faith, One God, One Cry" -  an Interfaith Service outside the First Methodist Church of Homestead, located at 622 North KromeAvenue, Homestead, FL.

Thursday, March 24 at 7:00 pm: Town Hall Meeting on "Civil Rights and the Threat of Anti-Immigrant Legislation," co-sponsored by the Greater Miami ACLU, at the Everglades Village Community Center, 19308 SW 380th Street, Florida City, FL.  Panelists will include John De Leon, President of the Greater Miami ACLU; Maria Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, and one of the "Trail of Dreams" youth who walked from Miami to Washington, DC, in 2010.

For more information about these events, contact Jonathan Fried at: 305-281-9377 or via email at [email protected]