Thread: VA: Immigrant groups protest raids

http://www.manassasjm.com/servlet/Satel ... 4423&path=

Immigrant groups protest raids

By JACLYN PITTS
jpitts@potomacnews.com
Saturday, January 20, 2007

Local immigrants' rights groups say they have been working for at least three years to build a working relationship between the immigrant community and police.

But after this week, that relationship has been destroyed due to recent illegal immigration raids, said Nancy Lyall, legal coordinator for the Woodbridge Workers Committee.

Lyall and other representatives of the committee and Mexicans Without Borders, another local immigrants' rights group, gathered Friday at Ricos Tacos Moyas restaurant in Woodbridge to denounce what they called illegal immigration raids at Quantico Marine Corps base and a Woodbridge apartment complex.

Federal authorities arrested 18 people on immigration-related charges early Thursday morning after an investigation into a construction company that allegedly arranged for illegal immigrants to work on Quantico Marine Corps base. The company was run from an apartment at the Chesapeake Apartments complex in Woodbridge, according to federal court documents.

"These acts are creating terror in the immigration community ... and we want to say we are strongly opposed to allowing local police to participate in [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement]," Juarez said.

Both county police and Manassas City police have publicly opposed training their officers for federal immigration law enforcement.

Salvador Roldan Mendez of the Woodbridge Workers Committee emphasized that many members of the immigrant community are afraid to come forward to police, even if they are victims of crime, for fear of being investigated for immigration status.

"We are only good workers and looking out for the good of our families, and we need the support of police to be protected," Mendez said.

Lyall mentioned the recent decision by the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board to endorse ICE training for jail officers, which she thinks will also continue to induce fear throughout the Hispanic community.

The ICE program is designed to identify illegal immigrants who have been involved in serious or violent crimes such as human smuggling, organized crime, criminal gang activity, money laundering, narcotics or smuggling.

The jail board voted unanimously Wednesday to approve a memorandum of understanding with ICE.

Lyall said she fears people will be picked up off the streets for no criminal reason and will be forced to produce identification or be taken into custody.

"I feel this is contrary to public safety and will severely jeopardize public safety," Lyall said.

No criminal reason? You became one as soon as you crossed our border. Now be gone and don't come back.

Lyall said she fears people will be picked up off the streets for no criminal reason and will be forced to produce identification or be taken into custody.

I hope Lyall's the first person they pick up off the street since what she's doing I consider criminal.