January 21, 2014: BALTIMORE, MD- Today the Alianza Nacional de Campesinas (“Alianza de Campesinas”; National Farmworker Women’s Alliance, in English) launched an eleven day fast in solidarity with the Fast for Families for immigration reform and citizenship. The fast is scheduled to take place as House Speaker John Boehner and other Republican leaders prepare to release their immigration plan. The anticipated release of these principles marks the first sign of movement since immigration reform stalled last term.

“We are holding this solidarity fast because farmworker women and their families cannot just sit by and hope that Congress will take action to pass an immigration bill that is fair to all men, women and children,” said Mily Trevino-Sauceda, President of Alianza de Campesinas. “We feel very strongly that we must educate people about how farmworker women and their families are suffering every day that our political representatives fail to take action.”

Alianza de Campesinas is comprised of organizational and individual members from around the United States and in Mexico. From January 21st through January 31st, representatives of eleven of Alianza de Campesinas’ member organizations and their allies will observe the water-only fast, referred to as the “Alianza de Campesinas’ Fast in Honor of and in Solidarity with Fast for Families.” They will fast in support of the eleven million undocumented individuals and their families, along with internationally recruited workers who receive visas to work in the United States.

“Farmworker families are being torn apart because of deportations, immigrant women are suffering in silence from violence committed against them, and workers are being cheated and mistreated,” said Elvira Carvajal, fast organizaer and Delegate of Alianza de Campesinas. “We are tired of all of the politicians’ talking. We need action- our communities are depending on it.”