Vol. 71/No. 26 July 2, 2007
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Connecticut rally demands halt to ‘la migra’ raids |
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Militant/Dan Fein
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NEW HAVEN, Connecticut, June 16—“I am here to fight to put an end to these raids and attacks on immigrants. The way to end them is to give all of us papers that allow us to live and work in this country in peace,” said María Pérez, who marched here today with three of her four children to demand an end to immigration raids in this city.
The action of about 800 included students and community, church, and political activists. Contingents of trade unionists from Yale University, UNITE HERE from Boston and New York, and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1199, also marched (see above) for two miles in the pouring rain through the largely Latino community of Fair Haven to City Hall, where a rally was held. Protesters demanded freedom for the 34 immigrant workers arrested June 6 and June 11 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. At least four immigrants grabbed by ICE were out on bond as of June 14; two others were expected to post bond that night. Most, however, are being held in federal custody in Boston and Greenfield, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Cumberland County, Maine. Sponsors of the action included the Junta for Progressive Action, Unidad Latina en Acción, Association of Hispanic Evangelical Ministers of New Haven, UNITE HERE, SEIU Local 1199, SEIU 32BJ, Amistad Catholic Worker, and CT Center for a New Economy. —OLGA RODRIGUEZ Related articles: Protesters condemn ‘la migra’ raid in Oregon Day laborers in N.Y. town win hiring hall in Black church Three Iowa Swift workers get jail terms, face deportation Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home |