Immigration Wants You
Author: César Carrasco
Date: June 19th, 1990
Demonstration: INS Protest
People: César Carrasco
Description: In 1990, the International AIDS Conference was announced to take place in San Francisco. The United States had introduced an immigration and entry-ban for HIV+ people in 1987, which prevented HIV/ AIDS activists from abroad from attending the conference. The issue of whether to send ACT UP NY representatives to San Francisco divided the organization.
The Latina/o Caucus firmly opposed any presence at the conference because it felt that it would condone the conference organizer’s decision to hold the event in a place that openly discriminated against HIV+ people. Others felt that it was important to attend in order to collect information on the latest scientific developments in HIV treatment and care. A compromise was reached by sending activists to the conference, as well as staging a protest against the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which was responsible for the inhumane policies. The action took place at 26 Federal Plaza in downtown Manhattan.
Cesar Carrasco remembers "the position of the Latino Caucus was similar to various other committees in ACT UP of boycotting the conference; we, therefore, did not use our slots of 2 members that could attend it. The Spanish Communications Committee used its 2 slots. The Latino Caucus participated actively in the planning, implementation, and participation in the action against the INS - there were a lot of foreign nationals in ACT UP infuriated with the whole thing, who maintained the position of the Latino Caucus of boycotting the conference and just doing an action targeting the INS's fucked up regulation. I produced the one with the Nazi-looking fascist soldier with a syringe, alluding to the horrible demand to have foreigners tested to prove that they were negative, to enter the country (to attend the conference, or for any other reason, for that matter), or to be denied entry into the US."
Collection: César Carrasco