Vol. 81/No. 22      June 5, 2017

 

Calif. protesters demand ‘Don’t deport Hugo Mejia’

 
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — “The family of Hugo Mejia has been part of our community for over 15 years,” said Jessica Marker, an organizer of a rally of several hundred people here May 15 demanding the release of Mejia, who was jailed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents May 3.

Mejia, a 37-year-old father of three, was detained along with co-worker Rodrigo Nuñez when their IDs were checked at the guard post on the way to a construction job on Travis Air Force Base. Military police then called ICE.

ICE officials placed both men in expedited deportation proceedings without a court hearing, because they each have removal orders issued more than a decade ago for illegally crossing the border. Neither has any criminal record.

The staff and teachers at the Venetia Valley School, where one of the Mejia children is a student, joined with the Venetia Valley Family Center and the Congregation Rodef Sholom, a synagogue that is across the street from the school, to organize the rally. Hugo Mejia volunteered to help homeless families at the synagogue and was active in school programs with his family members.

“Don’t Deport Hugo,” “Hugo’s family, our family,” and “No more families torn apart,” were popular signs at the protest.

“We must remember that Hugo’s story is the same as many other fathers, mothers and families in our community,” Mejia’s wife Yadira Munguia told the crowd. “Let’s let this story of Hugo remind us that there are brothers and sisters in our community whose stories have not been heard. When someone is taken from us, it hurts us all. And there is a bigger political story to this — the unjust laws that don’t allow families to be respected

Rabbi Michael Lezak described the long-standing collaboration between the synagogue and school across the street. When there was a bomb threat four months ago at the Brandeis Marin School associated with the synagogue, the Venetia Valley School opened its gym to the hundreds of children who were evacuated.

Congressman Jared Huffman told the rally his office has been flooded with calls and letters supporting the Mejia family.

Jessica Marker, who works with the Venetia Valley Family Center, and other supporters of Mejia delivered a petition with 1,500 signatures to the San Francisco ICE office asking he be released and granted a court hearing to challenge his deportation.  
 
 
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