Rally at ICE Office - August 10, 2007

Video Description

This e-mail was sent on August 8th, 2007:

Brothers and Sisters,

ICE arrests locally have reached a new low today. Two farm workers, both of whom were injured in an explosion about two years ago, were picked up by ICE as the workers were on their way to a doctor's appointment. We are extremely concerned about the medical and psychological consequences of these arrests (the explosion itself was traumatizing enough), and we are also appalled at the racism involved when people are "driving while Latino."

Please join us for noon rally on Friday, August 10 . We will gather at 11:45 a.m. at the back of the Sanctuary of Plymouth Church, 232 E. Onondaga Street, Syracuse, NY, then march over to the ICE headquarters on South Warren Street. Please bring with you a prayer, a personal or organizational statement of concern, and some coins taped in soda cans (we plan to make some noise!). The rally will go from noon until 12:30.

Because so many of our hard-working immigrant brothers and sisters live in constant fear, it is vital that those of us who are able show our solidarity in the face of immigration policies that separate families, that harm our fragile economy, and that treat human beings disrespectfully.

We particularly hope that clergy of all faith traditions will show their moral leadership, attend this gathering, and help congregations better understand the deeper issues - the economic desperation, wrenching family survival issues, and life-threatening circumstances that drive people at great risk across the border.

Our rally calls for * an end to these arrests,
* an end to ludicrously high bails set for people arrested for civil matters,
* an halt to the profiteering of so-called labor recruiters used by many large corporations,
* an end to the separation of families, especially when the "best interests" of children are impaired
* an end to the racism and ethnic bias
* an end to abuse of detainees while they are incarcerated (denial of food, intimidation, isolation, failure to communicate basic rights, failure to provide proper medical care)

until U.S. immigration policy is fair, expeditious, humane, and just.

Solidarity in perpetuity,

Pat Rector, Coordinator