Response to Los Angeles ICE Raids: Day of Love and Friendship

Valentine's Day Vigil
Heard there was a Vigil and Rally in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day to protest the Raids against immigrants (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Raids). I was surprised and inspired by how many people came out--it was 5pm and it was Valentine's Day! It's just one more sign that people are tired of the ICE Raids that dehumanize thousands of people nationally.


There were a number of organizations, clergy members, families, students, and community folks present. An air of solidarity pervaded the atmosphere. Perhaps the Spanish translation for the day is more appropriate, "Dia de Amistad Y Amor", Day of Friendship and Love, because it was an event marked by both.


Here's a list of some of the organizations that were present:
UNITE HERE!
CHIRLA
NILC
National Lawyers Guild
ACLU/SC
NDLON
Frente Contra Las Redadas

2/8/08, Local Press Conference: Clergy Denounce ICE Raids!
On Thursday (February 7, 2008) more than 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided a printer supply manufacturer in Van Nuys (nearly 20 miles Northeast of Downtown LA), and ICE detained 120 employees accused of being in the country illegally. Various organizations held a press conference in front of the Los Angeles Federal Building the very next day.

During the conference, a number of clergy denounced the raids, calling them a form of terror in Los Angeles communities. Living in the Mid-Wilshire area of Los Angeles, Reverend Howard Dotson, a Presbyterian Pastor and key figure that works on family reunification issues in LA, said that ICE raids occur often in the local community. He continued by stating that anyone that supports family values must also be in support of reforming this nation's broken immigration policy and against the ICE raids taking place.

Reverend Dotson continued by stating that Jesus Christ and his family were also immigrants that fled persecution and sought material and physical safety. If Jesus were alive in today's times, he continued, then he is exactly the type of person that would be deemed illegal and would find himself in a similar situation as the immigrants that ICE detains, dehumanizes, and hauls off.


Will the road be repaved with a more humane immigration policy?