FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE Friday, August 22,
2008 TO: Editor/News
Director
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JACKSON, MS - A series of
preparations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on
the Gulf Coast has local advocates on edge about the
possibility of yet another worksite raid, and yet another
devastating blow to businesses, families and communities in
the name of immigration enforcement.
"The preparations
we are seeing ICE make are alarmingly similar to what occurred
immediately prior to the raid on the Agriprocessors, Inc.
Kosher meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa, a few months ago,
" said Patricia Ice, an immigration attorney and spokesperson
for MIRA. ICE has reportedly booked dozens of rooms in hotels
on the Gulf Coast. They may be checking in as early as
tonight.
Perhaps even more worrisome are the reports
that the federal court in Hattiesburg is being readied for a
response similar to the response to the raid in Postville,
when nearly 400 plant workers were arrested on trumped up
identity theft charges, and slammed through criminal
prosecution and judicial removal (being forced to waive all
their criminal defense and immigration claims) within just
days of the raid.
"What happened in Postville was an
absolute travesty of justice that must never happen again,"
said Ms. Ice. "ICE must assure that any future enforcement
actions are conducted in a humane manner and that detainees
are permitted their constitutional rights to due process and
to legal counsel."
With all the signs pointing to an
impending raid, Ms Ice, other staff and local leaders are
working quickly to identify possible targets, educate workers
and assemble a team of attorneys to offset the burden on
public defenders and provide immigration advice.
The Mississippi Immigrants Rights
Alliance (MIRA) is a membership-based alliance which
guarantees the human rights of immigrants and all workers in
Mississippi. MIRA works to support immigrants in the
exercise of their rights through providing services,
organizing, advocacy and public education.
www.yourmira.org
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For additional stories of abuse and
background information on ICE raids and enforcement
abuses, please contact the National Network for
Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR).
Please see
NNIRR's human rights report, Over-Raided,
Under Siege: U.S. Immigration Laws and Enforcement Destroy the
Rights of Immigrants, where NNIRR documented over 100
stories of immigration law enforcement abuse and some 200 ICE
raids during 2006-2007.
NNIRR's new initiative, Hurricane: the Human Rights
Immigrant Community Action Network, continues tracking
and reporting human rights violations perpetrated against
immigrant and refugee members of our communities, including
over 80 ICE raids to date.
Please call: Arnoldo
Garcia, (510) 465-1984 ext. 305 or (510) 928-0685
Cell. Catherine Tactaquin, (510) 465-1984 ext.
302
Join HURRICANE: The
Human Rights Immigrant Community Action Network -- help
build community power for justice & human rights! Unete al HURACAN: la Red de Accion
de Comunidades Inmigrantes para los Derechos Humanos --
construyendo el poder de las
comunidades por la justicia y los derechos
humanos!
Click here for
Hurricane/Haga click para info sobre el
Huracan: http://www.nnirr.org/resources/docs/NNIRRHurricaneInitiative2.pdf
Click here to get a
copy of Over-Raided, Under Siege, NNIRR's new human rights
report!
http://www.nnirr.org/resources/docs/UnderSiege_web2.pdf
Haga clic aqui para
el resumen ejecutivo del informe
en http://www.nnirr.org/resources/docs/ResumenRedadasDesmedidasOver-RaidedUnderSiege3.pdf
National
Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Red Nacional Pro
Derechos Inmigrantes y Refugiados 310 8th Street Suite 303
Oakland, CA 94607 | Tel (610) 465-1984 | Fax (510)
465-1885 www.nnirr.org
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