FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE CONTACT:
Jacinta Gonzalez, 504-655-6610
May 7,
2012
jgonzalez@nowcrj.org
With Court Date Tomorrow, Josue Diaz and ìSouthern 32î Make Last Plea
to Obama Administration: Donít Deport Us for Standing Up To Abuse
Report Card Exposes Lack of Will At Southern Immigration Office to
Implement Obama Policy
Link to call recording:
http://www.makejusticereal.com/sites/default/files/STANDUP%20050712.mp3
Link to Report Card:
www.makesjusticereal.org/report-card
New Orleans, LA ñ Last week, the Southern regional Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) office completed its review of over 3,000
deportation cases pending in the regionís immigration courts. Among
the cases under review were thirty-two leaders from the Congress of
Day Laborers, the ìSouthern 32,î all of whom are facing deportation
because they had the courage to stand up to defend civil, labor and
human rights.
On a press call today, organizers of the Stand Up 2012: Make Justice
Real campaign issued a report card grading the two-week review period,
evaluating how well ICEís Southern regional office has implemented the
agencyís own policy that people ìpursuing legitimate civil rights
complaintsî should not be targeted for deportation. The campaign found
that ICEís Southern regional office earned failing grades of Dís and
Fís in most aspects of implementation, as evidenced by the fact that
ICE is already signaling that none of the ìSouthern 32î will have
their deportation cases closed.
Jennifer Rosenbaum, Legal Director of the New Orleans Workersí Center
for Racial Justice, said on the call, ìStanding up for justice should
not lead to deportation. The failing grades of the Southern regional
field office show that DHS needs to take action now to ensure
protections for civil, labor, and human rights defenders are real in
the South and across the United States.î
Despite the failed review period, tomorrow, May 8th, ICE will have
another chance to demonstrate whether or not they are serious about
implementing this policy. Four members of the Southern 32 will appear
in immigration court tomorrow morning. One of them, Josue Diaz, was
called upon to help in reconstruction efforts after Hurricane Ike and
now faces deportation for standing up to an abusive employer. On
todayís call, he shared the story of how he was arrested and put in
deportation proceedings for merely asking to have the same treatment
as other workers in the cleanup efforts. Diaz said, ìThere are many
people going through what I went throughÖ hundreds of them. Theyíre
afraid. Theyíre afraid that immigration is going to be used against
them when they stand up for themselves. Thatís why Iím fighting and
will continue to fight. Tomorrow I have my court date and weíll see
what ICE decides to do with me. I know that President Obama made a
promise, but ICE is not following through on it. Weíll see tomorrow
what ICE decides to do.î
According to Jacinta Gonzalez, Lead Organizer in the Stand Up 2012:
Make Justice Real campaign, ìTomorrow, Josue and three of this
coworkers will bravely walk into the courtroom where they will defend
not only their cases but those of the entire ëSouthern 32í for
standing up for whatís right. This is ICEís opportunity to show that
they actually respect labor and civil rights and that theyíre ready to
implement the Administrationís prosecutorial discretion policy.
Today, weíre standing up not only for whatís right, but also lawful,
and weíre urging ICE to not deport these hardworking defenders of
justice.î
The Obama Administration has instructed regional immigration offices
to protect labor and civil rights defenders, but the Southern office
continues to ignore their own agencyís policy. As the review period
comes to a close, the Southern regional ICE office is already
signaling it has no intention of releasing any members of the
ìSouthern 32î from deportation proceedings, or allowing them the basic
dignity of earning a living and going on with their lives.
Said Marielena HincapiÈ, Executive Director of the National
Immigration Law Center, ìFor three years, the Obama Administration
has, through its detention and deportation policies, indiscriminately
shattered the lives of over one million people. Despite promising to
inject some common sense in its draconian policies, the cases of the
Southern 32 demonstrate that the Department of Homeland Security is
unwilling to follow its own guidelines for when to exercise
prosecutorial discretion. Under the administration's own criteria,
these individuals should be considered low-level priority and should
not be deported. We demand that the administration practice what it
purports to preach, and allow these civil rights leaders to resume
their lives with their families and in in their communities."
For more information on Stand Up 2012: Make Justice Real, visit
www.MakeJusticeReal.org.
###
The New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice defends the bedrock
constitutional, civil, and labor rights of immigrant workers and their
families on the Gulf Coast. The Center represents workers in federal
court and in government investigations.
The Congress of Day Laborers is a grassroots membership organization
of immigrant workers and their families, many of whom helped rebuild
the city after Hurricane Katrina. Members of the Congress are
grassroots labor leaders and civil rights defenders who are shining a
light on abuse.
If you would rather not receive future communications from The New
Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice, let us know by clicking
here.
The New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice, ., New Orleans,
LA . United States
--
Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups.
For options & help see
http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum
* Visit our other community at
http://www.PoliticalForum.com/
* It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls.
* Read the latest breaking news, and more.
WordPress.com
