Racine---A rally to draw attention to a planned May 1st general strike and the lack of public appearances in the area by House Speaker Paul Ryan was held at the John Bryant Community Center Saturday. It drew about 250 people.
Christine Neumann-Ortiz of Voces de la Frontera said Latino workers and business owners are being encouraged to take the day off from work, joining some national labor unions that have already decided to do so.
Neuman-Ortiz said it will be more than a mass protest. "It shows that we can shut society down and as workers, as small business owners, we generate the wealth in society and we want politicians to listen to us."
Neumann-Ortiz says Latinos and other immigrants will be pushing for an end to deportations that separate families and the scrapping of plans for a more extensive border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.
Representatives of the Food Chain Workers Alliance and Fair Immigration Reform Movement, were among the other speakers.
During the "Town Hall" portion of Saturday's rally, members of the public addressed comments to puppets representing House Speaker Ryan, and President Donald Trump.
Victor Vasquez, who says he's lived in Racine most of the last 30 years, and became a citizen 10 years ago, said: "All I want to do is ask Paul Ryan, what else he want us to do? I want to ask Trump, what else he want us to do? You know, we get up at three o'clock in the morning, milk our cows, we do all kinds of other jobs in this country. We serve and protect our country. We respect the laws. We do anything we can to live the American Dream. And still not enough. We buy American, we drive American, ride American, what's it going to take for us to be considered Americans?"
Vasquez says as an American, he forgot he was an immigrant, until last year, when he says "things became different.''
President Trump contends a more extensive border wall is needed to improve national security.
Ryan's office explained his absence at the event in a statement to WISN TV: "Ryan has spent 18 years making it their number one goal to provide flawless constituent services to the residents of Wisconsin's First Congressional District and that remains a top priority."
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From Wisconsin Public Radio's Chuck Quirmbach.