Sunday, February 14, 2010

NY Road Trip for Our Future; End Violence Against Hunger Strikers; Raids Protested in Baltimore

1) New York Road Trip for Our Future: http://www.nyimmigrationreform.org/
2) Port Isabel Detention Center Action Alert: End the Violence Now!
http://detentionwatchnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/port-isabel-detention-center-action-alert-end-the-violence-now/
3) Raids Protested in Baltimore: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-md.raid05feb05,0,3834674.story

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1) New York Road Trip for Our Future
http://www.nyimmigrationreform.org/

Join the Road Trip!
Join in the 5-day caravan ride across New York State, February 15-19, 2010. Along the way, exciting actions will take place to welcome the travelers and build a statewide call for immigration reform NOW!

Individuals, families and supporters are invited to drive alongside the caravan in their own cars for any period of the caravan. See the itinerary for the route below and join us at an action in your area!

Feb 15 NYC
Road Trip Kick-off! Join use for a celebration to send off our road trip riders with skits, speakers, and more!
Time: 12pm-Noon
Location: NYIC, 137-139 West 25th St., 12th Floor (between 6th and 7th Ave.) in Manhattan

Feb 15 Carmel, NY
Join the rally at Rep. John Hall's office to demand comprehensive immigration reform!
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 4pm
Location: 40 Gleneida Ave, Carmel

Feb 16 Saratoga Springs, NY
Take a lunch break to demand comprehensive immigration reform at Rep. Murphy's office!
Time: 12pm-Noon
Location: 487 Broadway, Saratoga Springs

Feb 16 Syracuse, NY
Show some 'Cuse pride and have a good time! The Syracuse rally will include speakers and live music!
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 4pm
Location: Federal Plaza, 100 South Clinton St., Syracuse

Feb 17 Sodus, NY
Breakfast Gathering of food, support, and speakers including Sister Luci Romero, head of the Wayne County Migrant Ministry for the Diocese of Rochester; Ken Vandewalle, Vandewalle Fruit Farms and Wayne County Fruit Sales; Pastor Rolfi Elevo, Alton Free Methodist.
Time: 9am
Location: St.John's Episcopal Church, West Main St, Sodus

Feb 17 Pittsford, NY
Rally at Rep. Massa's office to demand comprehensive immigration reform and present him with statement of support!
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 11am
Location: 1 Grove St., Pittsford

Feb 17 Greece, NY
Rally at Rep. Lee's office with local faith leaders to demand his support for comprehensive immigration reform!
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 1:30pm
Location: 1577 West Ridge Road, Greece

Feb 17 Batavia, NY
Taking a stand for our family members and friends being held at the Batavia Detention Center!
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 3pm
Location: First Presbyterian Church, 300 E Main St., Batavia

Feb 18 Buffalo, NY
Details TBA

Feb 18 Ithaca, NY
Dinner reception for our road trip riders at the Women's Community Building. Dinner reception guests and speakers will include city and county representatives.
Invite your friends on facebook
Time: 6 30pm
Location: 100 West Seneca St., Ithaca

Feb 19 Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY
Immigrant communities will gather to welcome the road trip riders as they end their journey.
Time: 12 45pm
Location: Arab Muslim American Federation, 6807 5th Ave, Brooklyn

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2) Port Isabel Detention Center Action Alert: End the Violence Now!

Detention Watch Network (2/12/10)
http://detentionwatchnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/port-isabel-detention-center-action-alert-end-the-violence-now/

Action Alert: Friday, Feb. 12, 2010

U.S. Government Violence targets hunger Strike at the Port Isabel Detention Center (PIDC): Punishment for All who defend human rights/civil liberties

For More Info. Contact: 956.207.2571

Support the Families: Call Congressman Solomon Ortiz and Regional Field Office Director Michael J. Pitts and tell them to investigate and put an end to the violence and intimidation by ICE against Hunger Strikers and other detainees who have been involved in advocating for their civil liberties and human rights through peaceful and passive resistance.

Call: Congressman Solomon Ortiz
Washington, DC office: tel.202-225-7742, fx. 202-226-1134
Rio Grande Valley: 956-541-1242, FX. 956-544-6915

Tell Congressman Ortiz he must keep his promise immigrant families to help resolve this injustice. His area in South Texas will be counting the immigrant detainees in the Census and will be receiving monies thanks to their mandatory detention. This makes them his constituents. Violence ensued after his visit to the Port Isabel Detention Center (PIDC) Mon. Feb. 8, 2010 and families report that ICE officers destroyed letters addressed to the Congressman written by detainees that evening. Violence escalated after Vishwanath Ramlakhan a Hunger Striker at the PIDC, publically made a plea for Phyllis Coven, Acting Director of the Office of Detention Policy and Planning, and Regional Field Office Director, Michael J. Pitts to investigate abuse and denial of due process rights at the facility. Will Congressman Ortiz ignore the pleas of immigrant families who are being abused and fear for their lives at the hands of ICE within the Port Isabel Detention Center?

CALL: Regional Field Office Director Michael J. Pitts
San Antonio Regional Office: tel. 210-231-4505, fx.

Tell Michael J. Pitts to issue immediate orders to end the violence and repression against all who participated in civil disobedience to defend their rights. Over 150 detainees were on hunger strike in protest of inadequate conditions, violation of their rights, and to protest the unjust mandatory detention system. At least 30 detainees are still on Hunger Strike and being intimidated and fearing for their safety. You have the power to stop the violence and you have the power to oversee it. Stop the Violence now!

For background and further info:
http://detentionwatchnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/02/12/port-isabel-detention-center-action-alert-end-the-violence-now/

See also:

Prisoners Launch Hunger Strike at Texas Immigration Jail
Democracy Now! (2/12/10)
http://www.democracynow.org/2010/2/10/headlines/prisoners_launch_hunger_strike_at_texas_immigration_jail

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3) Raids Protested in Baltimore

Baltimore Sun: Protest quickly staged after raid leads to 7 being detained
Casa de Maryland says Hondurans are in custody
Baltimore Sun (2/5/10)

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials detained seven people from Honduras after a raid Thursday in Anne Arundel County, prompting a demonstration outside the Baltimore Federal Building. [...]

Read full article: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/anne-arundel/bal-md.raid05feb05,0,3834674.story


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Mother Joins Detainees on Hunger Strike at Port Isabel

Southwest Workers' Union
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Indefinite Hunger Strike at the Port Isabel Detention Center in Los Fresnos, TX:
“Fast For Our Families” in Front of the Port Isabel Detention Center

Press Conference Feb. 08, 2010 @ 1PM in front of Congressman Ortiz Office Building
(1805 Ruben Torres, B-27 Brownsville, TX)

February 08, 2010
CONTACT: Anayanse Garza, 956.207.2571, SWU RGV

Zoila Molina goes on Hunger Strike with son Ronald Molina, who is being detained at Port Isabel Detention Center, to stop the separation of her family.

Los Fresnos, TX- On Monday, February 8, 2010 Zoila Molina will be fasting in solidarity with her son Ronald Molina, who is being detained at Port Isabel Detention Center. Zoila Molina will hold a press conference in front of Congressman Solomon Ortiz's office at noon today, February 8, announcing her decision to fast with her son.

Zoila and Ronald will be on fasting to protest the inhumane conditions of immigration detention and the unjust immigration system. They are requesting that Ronald be released from Port Isabel Detention Center and allowed to go back home to Florida to be with his family and ailing mother.

At 11 a.m. Zoila will meet with Congressman Ortiz to address the abuse her son has suffered since his detention at PIDC, particularly the retaliation he has suffered as a Hunger Striker, and to request a meeting with Acting Director of ICE’s Office of Detention Policy and Planning Phyllis Coven, who will be touring the Willacy Detention Facility Monday, February 8.

This will be the second Hunger Strike Ronald will have participated in; Ronald, with over 60 other detainees, participated in the mass Hunger Strike in Solidarity with the March Against Arpaio in Arizona, in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s struggle, and in support of the Fast For Our Families, Jean Montrevil and the People of Haiti, last month. As a result of his decision to Hunger Strike, Ronald, along with the other Hunger Strikers, suffered from much abuse and retaliation, including intimidation, isolation/segregation, and denial of phone calls/contact with family members, friends and organizations, thereby cutting them off from all support. Among the strikers and supporters are Haitians who are not certain what their fate at the hands of ICE will be since they have not yet been released from detention.

In spite of retaliation of Hunger Strikers and their families by ATSI Guards and ICE, the Hunger Strike continues indefinitely at PIDC, with Roland Molina being one of many detainees who continue to cry out for a world where Justice and Human Rights for everyone, including immigrants, is possible.

THE REASONS LISTED FOR THE HUNGER STRIKE WERE:
~ Solidarity with the People of Haiti in their time of greatest need
~ Solidarity with Comprehensive Immigration Reform
~ Solidarity with the Fast For Our Families in Miami, Florida and Jean Montrevil and his family in New York
~ Solidarity with the March against Sherriff Arpaio and against his abuse of authority and militarization of the US-Mexico border
~ Respect Human Rights

THEY CALL FOR:
1. Suspend the detention and deportation of immigrants with U.S. citizen children, spouses, and immigrant students until there is resolution on the passage of comprehensive immigration reform;
2. Work permits for immigrants with U.S. citizen children and spouses whose detention and deportation have been suspended until there is resolution in Congress on the passage of immigration reform;
3. Creation of an honest, transparent process by which the best interests of communities, families, and children are weighed before detaining and deporting any individual;
4. The right to Due Process;
5. End the abuse of Human Rights in detention (lack of medical access, indefinite detention, inadequate food, physical and verbal abuse);
6. End the unjust deportation;
7. End raids on immigrant communities.

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More coverage of the hunger strike at Port Isabel:

Hungering for Justice at the Port Isabel Immigration Detention Facility
Texas Observer, 2/10/10
http://www.texasobserver.org/lalinea/hungering-for-justice-at-the-port-isabel-immigration-detention-facility

Hunger Strike at Immigration Detention Center Still Going Strong at Two Weeks
Restore Fairness website, 2/4/10
http://restorefairness.org/tag/port-isabel-detention-facility/

Immigrants in Texas detention center begin hunger strike
Free Speech Radio News, 2/1/10
http://fsrn.org/audio/immigrants-texas-detention-center-begin-hunger-strike/6141