Thread: VA - Crowd gathers to protest immigrant detention center

Crowd gathers to protest immigrant detention center




Published: March 7, 2009

FARMVILLE -- About 150 people have gathered here today to protest plans to build a privately-run detention center for illegal aliens.

Immigration activists and organizations from across the state descended on the town to hear speakers and music before holding a march later today. The protest is expected to end at 5 p.m.

Opponents hope to derail plans for the privately owned, 1,040-bed detention facility, though Town Manager Gerald J. Spates has said efforts to build the facility are on track, with the site cleared and the permits obtained.

"We are here to say no to the construction of this new detention center," said Gaudenzio Fernandez, an immigration activist from Manassas. "We should all come together."

The contract to operate the facility will be between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the town. A subcontractor, ICA-Farmville, will run the $21 million, 125,000-square-foot facility.

Town officials have said the center will provide 200 badly needed jobs and an $8.2 million payroll and generate $716,730 in taxes annually.

Opponents are using the late-November death of Guido Newbrough in the Piedmont Regional Jail's illegal-immigrant detention center against the project. -- Jamie C. Ruff

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/l ... 02/224254/

"We are here to say no to the construction of this new detention center," said Gaudenzio Fernandez, an immigration activist from Manassas. "We should all come together."

Yes, we should all come together: the illegals can congregate in the detention facility, and the legal citizens can congregate making sure they don't escape. That is coming together, IMO.

LOL! Vortex, I can not be angry with you all the time.