Immigration Marchers Say Their Message Is Not Getting Through
By Itica Milanes
One day after a series of immigration reform rallies around the Valley, the organizers say their message still isn't getting through to the feds.

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There were fewer supporters and a different cause this year. Immigrants want the raids to stop, but federal agents say they're about to turn up the heat on undocumented workers.
The big push behind Tuesday's immigration rally was for a moratorium on immigrant raids. But now, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents say not only are they increasing their manpower, but also the number of raids around the country and in the Valley.

Virginia Kice, I.C.E., says, "By year's end, we will have 75 fugitive operation's teams in place across the country and each of those teams is expected to make as many as 1,000 arrests a year."

Disturbing news for immigrant activist Leonel Flores. He feels the rally's turnout of 3,500 people was a success, but the message was lost on the federal government. He says, "I think it's a negative answer to our marches yesterday, to tell me that raids and deportations will increase at the end of the year."

Flores believes word of the increase in raids and deportations will create panic among the illegal immigrant community. He says, "Te people will be afraid to do business...to go freely, go walking, stores, school, work, to everywhere."

Flores estimates there are 500,000 immigrants working the Valley fields and 90% of them are undocumented. He says removing a large part of that workforce would have devastating economic effects felt around the country. Flores says, "...not only on the Valley. The Valley provides food for all of the country, so the impact will be nationally or internationally."

An I.C.E. spokesperson told Action News that in the next several months I.C.E will be basing two extra fugitve operation teams in California, one in Sacramento and the other in Fresno, although she wouldn't say exactly when.

Flores says he's now working on a plan to educate the immigrant community about their rights, so they'll have a better idea of what to do should I.C.E. agents come knocking on their door.

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