Protesters want immigration reform, not roundups
Tuesday July 1, 4:16 pm ET
By Ben Greene, Associated Press Writer
Dozens of activists protest roundup of immigrants working for Maryland painting contractor

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Activists from immigrants rights groups rallied outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Baltimore on Tuesday to protest illegal immigration raids that they say are both ineffective and harmful to children.

Members of the National Capital Immigrant Coalition, CASA de Maryland and churches rallied a day after 45 people were arrested at the office of Annapolis Painting Services in Annapolis. Officials also raided 15 homes believed to be owned by the local painting company. All arrests were related to administrative immigration violations, ICE said.

Jessica Alvarez, vice president of the immigration coalition, said Tuesday that the rally intended to raise awareness on how the raids scar children emotionally.

"We have to see it from a child welfare angle," she said. "This type of enforcement is terrorizing."

A phone message left for an ICE spokesman in Washington D.C. was not immediately returned Tuesday.

ICE, which said the raid was part of ongoing investigations into workplaces that hire illegal immigrants, had been working on the case for 18 months, according to an agency statement. The arrested workers included foreign nationals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nigeria and Panama.

Liza Zamd, a staff attorney for CASA, said a 4-year-old girl watched as ICE agents handcuffed and forced her father to kneel in their home while they searched for two workers from the painting company who live there. Zamd said the girl's father was a citizen and wasn't charged.

She said another man was arrested Monday, despite concern for his 18-month old child. Zamd said the child was given to a neighbor.

Scott Smith, who owns a general contracting company in Anne Arundel County and attended the rally, agreed that the raids aren't solving the problem. He said he lost 25 percent of business last year because businesses employing illegal immigrants have a competitive advantage from paying lower wages.

Alvarez and the Rev. John Lavin who spoke at the rally said the United States needs a more comprehensive and compassionate immigration system.

Lavin said immigration officials need to consider the humanity of illegal immigrants who often flee countries ravaged by civil war and poverty. He said illegal immigrants should be interviewed to measure their contributions to America such as paying taxes, working and owning a home.

Alvarez said authorities need to stop terrorizing families until immigration reform is accomplished.

"The solution to crack down on businesses is shortsighted and people are shortchanged," Alvarez said.

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