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Stop the War on Immigrants! |
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Thursday, 27 March 2008 |
Friends and Allies,
Due to the tragic death of our friend, Pima County Public Defender Robert Hooker, we have decided to postpone the press conference that was scheduled for tomorrow, April 3rd. Mr. Hooker was scheduled join us in this call for justice, and we are deeply saddened by this very sudden loss.
We will announce the new date for the press conference as soon as it is confirmed.
Thank you for your understanding-- we apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.
In Solidarity,
Coalición de Derechos Humanos For Immediate Release
March 27, 2008
Contact: Derechos Humanos: 520.770.1373
PRESS CONFERENCE:
STOP THE WAR ON IMMIGRANTS!
Communities urge an end to Operation Streamline and the
criminal prosecution of immigrants in the federal court
APRIL 3, 2008 at 11 AM
EVO DE CONCINI U. S. DISTRICT COURT
W. BROADWAY, TUCSON, ARIZONA
Tucson- Community groups will gather at the steps of the federal courthouse in Tucson, Arizona, to call for a halt of the Border Patrol Tucson Sector’s version of Operation Streamline, “Arizona Prosecution Denial Initiative,” (APDI). After more than a decade of an ever-growing prosecution of immigrants for illegal entry and re-entry, and after several months of meetings with the court and the U. S. Attorney’s Office, on January 14, 2008, the Border Patrol announced the launch of APDI, a project aimed at criminally prosecuting an even larger number of immigrants.
Under an “expedited” procedure, which undermines the principles that are the foundation of the U.S. criminal justice system, immigrants are now “processed” through a criminal prosecution and sentenced all within one day, with court proceedings taking approximately one minute per person. Though the program began with 40 immigrants per day, it has been increased to 60 per day with a goal of reaching 100 per day within the next few weeks. As a result, hundreds of immigrants have endured unacceptable conditions while in detention, from lack of sleep, proper bedding, adequate food, water, and medical care, and who emerge with a criminal conviction that will preclude them from future ability to return to the U.S., even though many have their families here. Many are receiving sentences ranging from time-served to 180 days in the for-profit prison, Correction Corporation of America (CCA).
The plan to transfer proceedings onto Davis Monthan Air Force Base, where the Border Patrol has its headquarters and detention center, has now been called off, citing lack of adequate facilities and technology, to possibly be re-visited in the future. Derechos Humanos applauds the refusal to proceed with this dangerous move, and urge that it not be pursued in the future.
“Operation Streamline is simply an irresponsible, brutal, and extremely expensive response to the issues surrounding immigration. We ask the public to take note of the total lack of any deterrent value, which they cite as the justification, and especially of the enormous price tag paid with our tax dollars, while our families suffer from lack of medical services, schools, jobs, and other needed services” states Isabel Garcia of Coalición de Derechos Humanos. “We cannot continue to allow these private corporations to be the winners in this ‘war-on-immigrants’ being waged in our communities,” ### |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 April 2008 )
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Operation Streamline Call to Action! |
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Friday, 14 March 2008 |
For Immediate Release
March 14, 2008
Contact: Derechos Humanos: 520.770.1373
OPERATION STREAMLINE ACTION ALERT:
“IMMIGRANTS SHOULD NOT BE TRIED BEHIND MILITARY WALLS”
Tucson- La Coalición de Derechos Humanos call for immediate action to stop the Unites States District Court from transferring the prosecution of migrants under the Arizona Denial Prosecution Initiative, (ADPI) the Tucson Border Patrol Sector’s version of “Operation Streamline,” from the federal courthouse to the detention center located on the Davis Monthan Air Force Base. APDI is an irresponsible, brutal and costly response to the issue of migration, and to now propose to do this behind military walls is contrary to the spirit of public review and accountability. Since the mid-1990’s, the U. S government has dramatically increased the prosecution of immigrants apprehended in the Tucson Sector for the federal misdemeanor “illegal entry,” the felony “illegal re-entry,” and a few other immigration-related offenses. (Note: this coincided with the implementation of the “prevention through deterrence” policies, i.e. militarization, that has caused the funneling of migrants through Arizona). During this time and prior to APDI, only 1% of those migrants apprehended in this sector were criminally prosecuted, but the result has been an ever-growing court system and prison bureaucracy. According to David Gonzales, the U. S. Marshal for the State of Arizona, taxpayers have been paying between $9 to $11 million dollars PER MONTH just for the incarceration of these immigrants. The recipient of this money is the private prison corporation Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), which has a checkered past for abuse and corruption. This does not include the costs for the court itself, the judges and their staff, the prosecutors, defense attorneys, marshals, clerks, etc., which has been estimated to be another $10 million per month.
In 2005, a policy of “zero-tolerance” was introduced in the Del Rio, Texas Sector of the Border Patrol, resulting in the prosecution and imprisonment of EVERY immigrant detained in that sector in an expedited fashion, that is, from initial appearance through sentencing in a matter of minutes. It seems suspiciously convenient that this policy was first instituted in an area where a large private prison had been built, which provided the space necessary for the launching of this test project.
As had been predicted by Derechos Humanos for several years, on January 14, 2008, the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol launched the APDI, criminally prosecuting and sentencing more than 40 migrants per day, with individuals receiving criminal convictions and sentences ranging from time-served up to 180 days in CCA. Since then, hundreds of migrants have been “processed” through the U. S. District Court, at a cost that has yet to be determined. An Assistant Federal Public Defender has estimated that the costs for just the defense attorneys for forty people will be a minimum of $10,000 per day, approximately $2.5 million per year.
The Border Patrol’s stated goal is to prosecute and sentence 100 migrants per day, which would represent approximately 10% of those arrested rather than the 1% previous rate. As expected, the costs have soared, a fact conceded by U. S. Marshal Gonzales. Because the court cannot accommodate 100 people per day, the BP Detention Center, located inside the Davis Monthan Air Force Base, is being proposed as the site for this “new” federal criminal court.
“It is a very dangerous precedent to permit the criminal justice system to diminish meaningful rights and the court environment for those facing convictions and prison terms. It is equally frightening to limit accessibility to the public to observe and monitor our courts” says Isabel Garcia of Derechos Humanos. “Presently, accessibility is already limited to small areas for the public, and the move would dramatically diminish our ability to witness the most-unknown aspect of the ‘Border Security’/militarization measures—the criminalization of migrants in federal courts.”
Derechos Humanos calls for all allies to call or write to U. S. District Court Judge John Roll, U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and U. S. Representative Raúl Grijalva to halt the proposal to operate its APDI behind the military walls.
“We cannot allow yet another layer of our rights to be diminished by this action” continued Garcia. “We must stand together to ensure that our government be accountable to our communities, and the human and civil rights of all individuals who go through our court system be respected.”
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CALL TO ACTION!
Contact U.S. District Judge John Roll, U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and U.S. Representative Raúl Grijalva with the following demands: - Demand that the Arizona Denial Prosecution Initiative, (ADPI), NOT be moved behind military walls
- Demand an end to the irresponsible policies and strategies that undermine accountability and serve only the interests of CCA, Wackenhut, and other private corporations who are privatizing the militarization of our society
- Demand an end to the criminalization and prosecutions of hard-working men and women who are the targets and survivors of our irresponsible border and economic strategies
U.S. District Judge John Roll:
Tucson, Arizona: 520.205.4520
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords:
Washington, D.C. office: 202.225.2542
Tucson, Arizona office: 520. 881.3588
Cochise County, AZ office: 520. 459.3115
U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva:
Washington, D.C. office: 202.225.2435
Tucson, Arizona office: 520.622.6788
Yuma, Arizona office: 928.343.7933 |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 14 March 2008 )
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Monday, 10 March 2008 |
Friday, March 7, 2008
Tucson-- The historic trial of Border Patrol Agent Nicholas Corbett for the murder of Francisco Javier Dominguez Rivera resulted in a long jury deliberation and eventually a hung jury. The retrial has been tentatively been set for April 22, 2008.
“The family of Francisco Javier, as well as the community, deserve for Corbett to be retried," stated Zélida Hernández of Derechos Humanos after hearing the results in open court today. “It is a sad day when such compelling evidence can be discarded by one or more members of this jury. You wonder how our community can ever find justice.”
Derechos Humanos calls for everyone to contact Cochise County Attorney Ed Rheinheimer to ask him him to retry the defendant. We ask that you call his office at: 520.432.8700 to congratulate them on their commitment to justice in this case and to urge them not to permit Corbett to get away with murder.
Derechos Humanos and other community members have monitored the trial in this case, to be witness to the reality of not only the consequences of our border and immigration policies, but to the fairness of the criminal justice system when it involves Mexicanos.
“We cannot permit our borderlands in 2008 to be the South of the post-slavery period, where beatings and killings of African-Americans were committed with impunity,” Hernández concluded.
No justice, no peace.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 10 March 2008 )
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First day of trial for US BP Agent Corbett charged with murder of Francisco Javier Dominguez |
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Wednesday, 27 February 2008 |
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Derechos Humanos Co-chair Isabel Garcia was in the courtroom today and wrote the following report to share: FIRST DAY OF TRIAL FOR U. S. BORDER PATROL AGENT NICHOLAS CORBETT CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF FRANCISCO JAVIER DOMINGUEZ
2.27.08
Prosecutor Grant Woods began his Opening Statement in the state prosecution of Agent Corbett for the murder of 22-year-old Francisco Javier Dominguez with a famous quotation that he said would be tested in this criminal case. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, endowed with certain inalienable rights,” would be challenged by this case, as he told the jury “let’s see if it’s true.”
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 27 February 2008 )
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Read more...
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Urgent State Legislative Action! |
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Wednesday, 06 February 2008 |
Urgent State Legislative Action!
You've heard about the bill to mark birth certificates of immigrant children and deny citizenship to children born to non-citizens? Well, they are up for a committee vote this week! FIVE absurd bills will be considered this Thursday, February 7th at 9:00am by the Arizona Senate's Public Safety and Human Services Committee. Please contact the committee members TODAY to let them know that you DO NOT SUPPORT these bills and urge them to VOTE AGAINST THEM. Your email or call makes a difference! The anti-immigrant, Minutemen types bombard elected officials with phone calls, emails, and faxes. Don't let their fear-mongering and immigrant scapegoating by the only voice they hear. Create your own letter or cut & paste the following: Dear Legislators, As a longtime resident of Arizona who lives near the U.S./Mexico border I want you to know that I strongly oppose the passage of the following bills: S1072 Illegals; AHCCS; Proof of Citizenship S1009 Immigration Status; Benefits; DHS SCM1003 Illegal aliens; children; noncitizenship status SCR1012 Secure and verifiable identification SCR1016 Birth certificates; illegal aliens; children I am opposed for the following reasons: These bills discredit the state legislature. This set of bills is a shameful display of misguided leadership, poor allocation of limited state resources and a reflection of the utter loss of humanity that has infused the immigration debate in Arizona. Public service employees aren't and shouldn't be immigration officers. SCR1012, S1009 and S1072 would place the burden of verifying someone?s citizenship status in the hands of public service employees and hold them liable for any errors. Public service employees should be able to do their jobs, not the jobs of immigration officers. Uphold the U.S. Constitution. The state legislature should focus on bills that will actually benefit the state of Arizona, not waste the time of state attorneys. SCR1016 and SCM1003 disregard years of constitutional analysis upholding the 14th amendment and birthright to citizenship. Prioritize Immigrant Integration, Not Interrogation. The bills not only turn hospital employees into immigration officers, but they also create a permanent underclass in our society. Instead of leading the nation by promoting dehumanizing bills, Arizona should prioritize bills that integrates immigrant families into society so that they, and the state as a whole, can be more productive. Please do what you can to prohibit the passage of these bills. Thank you, Your name, Tucson Paste the following email addresses and send today. Senate Members of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee: Linda Gray (R-LD10), Chairman (602) 926-3376
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Jack Harper (R-LD4), Vice Chairman (602) 926-4178
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Chuck Gray (R-LD19) (602) 926-5288
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John Huppenthal (R-LD20) (602) 926-5261
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Leah Landrum Taylor (D-LD16) (602) 926-3830
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\ Rebecca Rios (D-LD23) (602) 926-3830
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Victor Soltero (D-LD29) (602) 926-5342
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 06 February 2008 )
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All Out! Protest racist Sheriff Arpiao this Friday! |
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Wednesday, 23 January 2008 |
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Deport Arpaio! La Migra Out of our Communities! Friday, January 25, 2008
11:00am
Sheraton Tucson Hotel & Suites 5151 E. Grant Rd.,
Tucson, Arizona
The notorious racist Sheriff of Maricopa County, Joe Arpaio, will be speaking at the Pima County Republican Women's Club lunch meeting this Friday Jan 25th 11:00am at the Sheraton Hotel 5151 E Grant Road.
Be there to denounce this racist and let him know that he is not welcome in our community. Forward this message and spread the word. We need to mobilize as many people as possible to make it clear that we will not tolerate racism or any attempts to divide our community. Click to read the Derechos Humanos open letter to the Pima County Republican Women's Club |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 January 2008 )
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