Thread: CA: Demonstrations Against Immigration Raids Begin

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sectio ... id=5071706

Demonstrations Against Immigration Raids Begin

ICE: 'Just Following The Law'

By Heather Ishimaru
Feb. 26 - KGO - Today marked the beginning of a week-long series of demonstrations against immigration raids. But the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency insists they're just following the letter of the law.

Demonstrations will take place every day this week outside San Francisco's immigration building.

Rev. Brenda Vaca, New Life Ministry: "These raids are unjust, they're inhumane, they're breaking apart families and putting children at risk."

They are protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE raids, seeking undocumented workers.

Renee Saucedo, immigration attorney: "We believe that it's hypocritical for this country to criminalize people when we benefit from their labor, when we benefit from the presence in this country."

ICE says it has increased enforcement since 2003. But the program is targeting fugitives -- people who have had their day in court, been deported, but stayed in the U.S. nonetheless.

The fugitive operation started with 17 teams four years ago -- has grown to 52 nationwide -- and will expand again to 75 teams by the end of the year.

ICE says between October 1 and the end of January, there were 800 arrests nationwide. Of those, 500 people had already been deported but remained.

The demonstrators think the immigration system is broken. They say families often become separated when undocumented parents are deported and their U.S. citizen children are left behind.

Renee Saucedo, immigration attorney: "The laws that are in place right now that enable immigration to conduct these raids, we consider immoral, impractical and not in touch with current reality."

ICE spokesperson Virginia Kice says that "the people who are protesting have a fundamental problem with immigration laws, nothing we can change. We don't enact the laws, we enforce them. If they want them changed they should lobby their elected officials in Congress."

This week, Congress will take up the immigration debate again, hearing testimony from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.

The religious institutes need to keep their nose out of our American laws. How dare these people use God to make it okay to break laws and invade another's territory. Isn't that called coveting and stealing?

What is unjust is certain people thinking they are above the law, and don't have to obey the same laws the rest of us do, especially when you don't even belong here

Are laws against breaking and entering, out of touch, inhumane? Since when did enforcing our laws become a problem? If the people don't want their families separated, take their anchors with them in their willingness to leave them here, shows me I am right, if they don't keep the parents here in the US then they have lost their appeal to their parents, they don't want to take them with them, they were made for one purpose only, the anchor of the parents to our country! Minor children should not be left here in this country they should go with their parents they have dual citizenship, no reason for them to remain here on welfare!