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Massive ICE sweep terrorizes Arizona |
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Saturday, 17 April 2010 |
News Release
Friday, April 16, 2010
Massive ICE sweep terrorizes Arizona communities
following state passage of anti-immigrant profiling law
Contact:
* Catherine Tactaquin, 510.465.1884 end_of_the_skype_highlightingext. 302,
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, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, (NNIRR)
* Isabel García 520.891.6169end_of_the_skype_highlighting,
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and Kat Rodriguez, 520.770.1373end_of_the_skype_highlighting,
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, Coalición de Derechos Humanos (CDH)
* Christian Ramirez, 619.885.1289,
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, Project Voice- American Friends Service Committee (PV-AFSC)
(Oakland, CA) More than 800 federal, state and local agents descended April 15 on four Arizona communities - Nogales, Rio Rico, Tucson and Phoenix -- in one of the largest dragnet immigration enforcement operations conducted by the Obama Administration. Isabel Garcia of the Tucson-based Coalición de Derechos Humanossaid, "Instead of bringing in the Department of Justice to investigate the immigration abuses and uphold our rights, the Obama Administration sics the ICE police on our communities."
The sweep, described by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as "targeting human smuggling networks," sent shockwaves across the Grand Canyon State, paralyzing residents with fear and panic.
ICE's massive raid bolstered the anti-immigrant climate that rules the state. It came on the heels of the passage of SB1070 in the Arizona legislature; the bill requires local law enforcement officers who have a "reasonable suspicion" that someone is in the state without documents to determine that person's immigration status. Arizona police will be able to subject any person to an immigration status check, even without that person having possibly violated any laws. The bill also allows citizens to sue a city, town, or county if they believe a law enforcement agency is failing to enforce this law. The governor of Arizona is expected to sign the drastic measure that would exacerbate racial profiling.
Arizona lawmakers, county and local police and other public officials and vigilante hate groups have been subjecting migrants and communities of color to a state of siege and terror for several years as a result of extreme measures aimed at curtailing migration. Human rights groups have countered these attacks and have demanded federal investigations over civil rights violations. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 17 April 2010 )
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Community Demands Answers from Obama Administration |
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Thursday, 15 April 2010 |
For Immediate Release
April 15, 2010
Contact: Derechos Humanos: 520.770.1373 | | |
Press conference and Protest
Community Demands Answers from Obama Administration
Thursday, April 15, 2010
2:30pm
Tucson Federal Building
Arizona-- In an unprecedented fashion, today more than 800 ICE agents descended on our communities across the state, spreading fear and panic. Working together with U.S. Marshals, Sheriff and other local law enforcement, they terrorized families and businesses alike.
"The scene this morning on the south-side of Tucson was one of massive show of force, with dozens of agents, police vehicles, and weapons, assaulting our community in a fashion never seen before in Tucson, Arizona. This action clearly demonstrates what we have predicted, that we would all be living in a police state here in Arizona. How can the Obama administration permit these actions while espousing a commitment to 'change'?" stated Kat Rodriguez of Derechos Humanos.
"We demand an immediate response from the President and Secretary Janet Napolitano, as this community is already scrambling from the Jim Crow-type laws coming from the extremists in the Arizona legislature." she continued.
In NYC for a series of presentations about the border and immigration, Derechos Humanos Co-Chair Isabel Garcia faced off against Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce on CNN this morning, calling on the country to begin to properly frame the issue of migration as an issue of economic and political policies, not as an issue of law enforcement or security. "We have permitted Arizona to be the engine for the creation of laws and politicians that will impact every person living in this country," stated Garcia, "with copy-cat legislation appearing across the states."
"It is time that we stand firm with the border communities in demanding real reform, not the principles outlined by Senators Schumer and Graham," stated Rafael Samanez of Vamos Unidos in New York City. "We can see how Arizona in particular has been used as the 'canary in the mines' in order to diminish all of our rights," he continued, "as we can now see these policies impacting all of us across the country."
There will be a protest to follow today's press conference, with a diverse group representing the Tucson community and our demands for answers from the Obama Administration as well as immediate halt to the criminalization of immigrant and migrant communities across the country.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 April 2010 )
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AZ Recovered Remains Reach 85, a 60% Increase From Last Year |
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Monday, 15 March 2010 |
For Immediate Release
March 15, 2010
Contact: Kat Rodriguez: 520.770.1373 | | |
Arizona Recovered Remains Reach 85, a 60% Increase From Last Year Arizona- The number of human remains recovered on the Arizona-Sonora border since October 1, 2009 has reached 85, reports the Tucson-based Coalición de Derechos Humanos. The data is comprised of medical examiner reports from Pima, Yuma, and Cochise counties, and is an attempt to reflect more accurately the human cost of failed U.S. border and immigration policies. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 15 March 2010 )
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Open Letter on Immigration Reform |
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Sunday, 14 March 2010 |
(See below for the text of the open letter)
For Immediate Release
Grassroots Immigrant Justice Network Announces Open Letter on Immigration Reform; Calls for Dialogue on Root Causes of Migration and an End to Brutal Enforcement Tactics
Telephone Press Conference
12:00 noon EST on Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Dial-in Number: (712) 775-7300
Access Code: 289229#
Contact: Lisa Luinenburg (651) 636-3769
Speakers include:
David Silva Villalobos, President of the Executive Board, Peoples Legal Defense Committee of California INC.
Isabel Garcia, Co-Chair, Coalición de Derechos Humanos
Carlos Arango, Executive Director, Casa Aztlan
David Bacon, Labor and Immigration Journalist
Daniela Ortiz-Bahamonde, Stop the Raids, Students of Trinity College
Juan Jose Bocanegra, Seattle, WA
Nativo Lopez, National Director, Hermandad Mexicana Latinoamericana; National President, Mexican American Political Association
On Wednesday, March 17th, 2010, the Grassroots Immigrant Justice Network will hold a national telephone press conference to call for a free and open debate on "comprehensive immigration reform" and for an end to brutal immigration enforcement tactics. Long-time immigrant rights leaders from organizations around the country will lay out a new framework for comprehensive immigration reform, based on the demands of the grassroots immigrant rights movement. Immigrant rights leaders will also demand a moratorium on raids, E-verify firings, detentions and deportations, and the increasing militarization of the border while the aspects of a real reform are discussed.
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2010 Corazón de Justicia Recipients |
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Tuesday, 09 February 2010 |
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2010
Contact: Kat Rodriguez: 520.770.1373 | | |
| Seventh Annual
Corazón de JusticiaAward Recipients
Friday, February 19, 2010
6:30pm
Most Holy Trinity- Guadalupe Hall
1300 N. Greasewood,
Tucson, AZ
On Friday, February 19, 2010 at 6:30pm the Coalición de Derechos Humanos will hold the Seventh Annual Corazón de Justicia Awards: Celebration and Recognition. On this powerful evening, volunteers and organizers will be honored who have been selected by their peers and have shown to possess a "heart of justice."
The following individuals have been selected,
and will be honored in the indicated areas by the these local organizations:
This year, the Corazón de Justicia Awards will have the privilege of Roberto Lovato of the Basta Dobbs Campaign as our keynote speaker. A New York-based writer with New America Media, Roberto is also a frequent contributor to The Nation Magazine. He's also written for the Los Angeles Times, Salon, Der Spiegel, Utne Magazine, La Opinion, and other national and international media outlets. He has also appeared as a source and commentator on English and Spanish language network news shows on Univision, CNN, PBS and other programs and made a recent appearance on Bill Moyers Journal.
Please join us on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 6:30pm at Most Holy Trinity Guadalupe Hall as we honor the strength and courage of these inspiring community members in the struggle for justice and human rights in our community.
Please RSVP to: 520.770.1373
All proceeds will go to benefit Coalición de Derechos Humanos.
Make checks payable to the Arizona Border Rights Foundation,
a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 February 2010 )
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Four Months into the Fiscal Year, the Count of Arizona Recovered Remains is 61 |
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Sunday, 07 February 2010 |
For Immediate Release
February 8, 2010
Contact: Kat Rodriguez: 520.770.1373 | | |
Four Months into the Fiscal Year, the Count of Arizona Recovered Remains is 61
Arizona- The number of human remains recovered on the Arizona-Sonora border since October 1, 2009 has reached 61, reports Coalición de Derechos Humanos. The data is comprised of medical examiner reports from Pima, Yuma, and Cochise counties, and is an attempt to reflect more accurately the human cost of failed U.S. border and immigration policies. This count includes forty (40) males, four (4) females, and seventeen (17) individuals of unknown gender. Approximately forty-seven (47) of the recovered individuals remain unknown, which is approximately 77% of the total recovered thus far this fiscal year.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 February 2010 )
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