Thread: Immigrant Rights Coalition holds rally against recent raids

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September 25, 2006


watsonville
Immigrant Rights Coalition holds rally against recent raids
By TOM RAGAN
SENTINEL STAFF WRITER
More than 100 community activists and Santa Cruz County residents waved signs and chanted slogans on Sunday in a rally that demanded more rights for illegal immigrants and fewer rights for the federal government.

The protest comes more than two weeks after federal officials deported more than 100 undocumented workers from Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Hollister in a series of immigration raids called "Return to Sender."

The newly formed Immigration Rights Coalition, made up of various groups across the county, including the Watsonville Brown Berets, held the rally at the City Plaza, and nearby motorists beeped their horns in support on what otherwise was a slow and sunny day.

"No borders, no nation, stop deportation!" yelled Brown Beret member Ramiro Medrano through a megaphone.

"Land of the free?" questioned one sign.

Another said, "No human is illegal."

Coalition members handed out literature advising people in the plaza what to do if officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement — the former INS — come knocking on their doors someday.

"Don't answer it," reads one of the brochures. "It is your right not to answer it. Ask who it is and make sure they have a warrant if they want to come in."

A hotline has also been established by the immigration rights coalition, and if anybody feels that they are being unlawfully harassed by the federal government or intimidated over their legal status, they can call the number at 331-1119.

"It's sad what's been going on in the last few weeks," said Stephanie Keenan of Pajaro, a former elementary school teacher who supports immigrant rights. "We're really not being good hosts when we deport people for no other reason than trying to work and better themselves. What would we do if we didn't have the field workers? I feel ashamed of what's been going on."

In their defense, ICE officials said the immigration raids were carried out on Sept. 7 and 8 as a means of deporting only illegal immigrants who had warrants issued for their arrests, including felony sexual assault.

But the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project said of the total 107 arrested, only 19 warrants had been issued and 90 people were immediately deported without an opportunity to see an immigration judge or receive any kind of legal advice.

Lori Haley, a spokeswoman for ICE, has said in past interviews that ICE officials followed proper procedures, and that it is the job of ICE officers to arrest those who are in the country illegally.

Many have questioned why the raids came at the time that they did, and some activists feel it has something to do with the nationwide protests that unfolded last spring over a hostile House of Representatives bill HR 1147.

The bill sought to deport millions of undocumented workers from the country and make it a felony for them to be here.

"It's almost as if immigration officials are saying, "Oh, yeah, well we can flex our muscles, too," said Doug Keegan, executive director of the Santa Cruz County Immigration Project, in referring to the recent raids.

The initiative began on May 26 and included every field office in the nation from ICE's Office of Investigations and ICE's Office of Detention and Removal Operations, according to a press release issued by the Department of Homeland Security.

Among the roughly 2,179 individuals arrested in the operation, roughly half had criminal records for crimes that ranged from sexual assault of a minor to assault with a deadly weapon, to abduction. Roughly 146 of those arrested had convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. In addition, roughly 367 of the arrested aliens were members or associates of violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha MS-13. Roughly 640 of those arrested were fugitive aliens who had been issued final orders of removal by an Immigration judge but failed to comply.

But the way activist Amelia McDonald sees it, it's just the federal government trying to intimidate people.

"They see that the people are becoming empowered and they saw it when they took to the streets, and now they're trying to put a stop to it by putting fear into them," McDonald said.

"But that's not going to happen. The people are taking control of their lives and speaking out, and that's their right."

Contact Tom Ragan at tragan@santacruzsentinel.com.

The new immigration rights hotline is: 831-331-1119

Among the roughly 2,179 individuals arrested in the operation, roughly half had criminal records for crimes that ranged from sexual assault of a minor to assault with a deadly weapon, to abduction. Roughly 146 of those arrested had convictions for sexual offenses involving minors. In addition, roughly 367 of the arrested aliens were members or associates of violent street gangs, including Mara Salvatrucha MS-13. Roughly 640 of those arrested were fugitive aliens who had been issued final orders of removal by an Immigration judge but failed to comply.

That is all that needs to be said. ICE did a great job by protecting all people from these criminals.