Fontana Herald News
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The Inland Empire Rapid Response Network Friday denounced false rumors that Wal-Mart is allowing a large-scale operation of ICE raids in stores around the nation.
The network's hotlines have received a large volume of calls from people worried about the rumors, forwarded by text messages or via the Internet.
Over the last few days, the rumors have spread like wildfire, striking terror in immigrant communities all over the Inland Empire.
But even though the company itself has released a statement reassuring the community that it is not working with ICE, reports of mass Wal-Mart raids continue.
"We are asking people not to forward these text messages," said Jennaya Dunlap, a volunteer with the Rapid Response Network. "Our immigrant communities have already faced enough fear and heartbreak with the intense wave of raids here in the Inland Empire over the past year without this false alarm."
Still, the network urges vigilance, as Border Patrol and ICE actions continue to impact Inland Empire communities.
"If you witness a raid in progress or see immigration and local law enforcement working together, it is important if possible to document it without putting yourself in danger, by taking photos or videos or by talking to other witnesses," said Emilio Amaya, a member of the Rapid Response Network. "You can also report raids and checkpoints by calling one of our information hotlines, (866) 946-9594, or (951) 345-4043."
http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/articles/2010/03/13/news/doc4b9ae4f78b69d524520966.txt
Showing posts with label Fears of Deportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fears of Deportation. Show all posts
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Immigration arrests spark fear in Arcadia
By Chris Hubbuch
Lee Newspapers
February 25, 2010
ARCADIA, Wis. — Hispanic residents remained fearful Wednesday after federal immigration authorities made several arrests earlier this week in Arcadia.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gail Montenegro confirmed that agents were in Arcadia but would not provide details on the ongoing enforcement action except to say they are targeting specific individuals and not conducting random sweeps.
Rumors of raids swept through the Trempealeau County city of 2,402 people that made national news in 2006 after the mayor introduced a proposal to alert federal agents to complaints of undocumented workers and to penalize businesses that employ them.
Arcadia Mayor John Kimmel, reached by phone Wednesday, said he was out of the state and hadn’t heard about the activity. Alderman Kelly Diebold said he, too, was unaware of ICE’s activities.
Police Chief Pat Grzadzielewski was out of the office and could not be reached.
Emma Hanson, a Spanish language interpreter who works for local hospitals, said ICE agents knocked on doors Monday night looking for a list of people and made some arrests Tuesday.
She said people called her to cancel doctor’s appointments and she heard that others skipped work.
“Everybody’s scared,” Hanson said — even those in the country legally.
The Rev. Michael Klos, who celebrates a weekly Spanish Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Parish, said it appeared the people arrested had previous run- ins with the law.
Montenegro declined to say whether any arrests related to immigration status.
Business was slow Wednesday at the San Juan Mini Market on Main Street, where customers can buy Mexican food staples and phone cards, send faxes and wire money.
“People don’t want to go out,” owner Mateo Barrientos said. “The problem is the Latinos have a bad experience with ICE. We don’t like hearing ICE is around. Even I have papers. It makes a lot of people nervous.”
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/article_bad841da-21cb-11df-b9bd-001cc4c03286.html
Lee Newspapers
February 25, 2010
ARCADIA, Wis. — Hispanic residents remained fearful Wednesday after federal immigration authorities made several arrests earlier this week in Arcadia.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gail Montenegro confirmed that agents were in Arcadia but would not provide details on the ongoing enforcement action except to say they are targeting specific individuals and not conducting random sweeps.
Rumors of raids swept through the Trempealeau County city of 2,402 people that made national news in 2006 after the mayor introduced a proposal to alert federal agents to complaints of undocumented workers and to penalize businesses that employ them.
Arcadia Mayor John Kimmel, reached by phone Wednesday, said he was out of the state and hadn’t heard about the activity. Alderman Kelly Diebold said he, too, was unaware of ICE’s activities.
Police Chief Pat Grzadzielewski was out of the office and could not be reached.
Emma Hanson, a Spanish language interpreter who works for local hospitals, said ICE agents knocked on doors Monday night looking for a list of people and made some arrests Tuesday.
She said people called her to cancel doctor’s appointments and she heard that others skipped work.
“Everybody’s scared,” Hanson said — even those in the country legally.
The Rev. Michael Klos, who celebrates a weekly Spanish Mass at the Holy Family Catholic Parish, said it appeared the people arrested had previous run- ins with the law.
Montenegro declined to say whether any arrests related to immigration status.
Business was slow Wednesday at the San Juan Mini Market on Main Street, where customers can buy Mexican food staples and phone cards, send faxes and wire money.
“People don’t want to go out,” owner Mateo Barrientos said. “The problem is the Latinos have a bad experience with ICE. We don’t like hearing ICE is around. Even I have papers. It makes a lot of people nervous.”
http://www.winonadailynews.com/news/local/article_bad841da-21cb-11df-b9bd-001cc4c03286.html
Monday, November 24, 2008
Servitude often difficult to detect, escape
Servitude often difficult to detect, escape
By Robert Salonga
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 11/23/2008
WALNUT CREEK — They are trapped by fear.
Fear of deportation. Fear of violence. Fear of law enforcement. Fear that because of language barriers, no one will be able to help.
It is fear, social advocates say, that keeps domestic servants living in the country illegally in abusive and often unpaid conditions long after the promise of healthy wages and educational opportunities fade away.
The issue drew East Bay attention after news last week that a Walnut Creek woman was charged in federal court with smuggling a Peruvian nanny into the United States and for the past two years forcing her to work in indentured servitude. The charge followed an investigation by immigration agents, who were notified by an immigrant advocacy group that was initially contacted by a friend of the nanny.
The defendant, Mabelle Dann, has been ordered back to court Dec. 3 after appearing briefly last week. Neither she nor the attorneys involved in the case could be reached for a comment.
An attorney representing the nanny for La Raza Centro Legal, the group that helped bring the accusations to light, declined to comment on the case because prosecution is ongoing. But Jill Shenker, an advocate who heads the group's Women's Collective, said the circumstances in which the nanny is suspected to have lived — lacking privacy, contact with the outside world, and promised wages — occur far more frequently than the stories that reach the public.
"They are told lies about what awaits them outside the doors," Shenker said. "They have no knowledge of the surrounding areas. They're told going out on the street is dangerous and that (immigration agents) will pick you up immediately."
In the Walnut Creek case, an immigration agent's affidavit accuses that the nanny was held in virtual captivity in a Walnut Creek apartment with threats of deportation and accusations that she had committed a crime.
Minimal to nonexistent English skills, Shenker said, further limit a victim's ability to report a situation, and media coverage of events like a recent series of Bay Area immigration raids can increase reluctance to turn to law enforcement.
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_11051486
By Robert Salonga
Contra Costa Times
Posted: 11/23/2008
WALNUT CREEK — They are trapped by fear.
Fear of deportation. Fear of violence. Fear of law enforcement. Fear that because of language barriers, no one will be able to help.
It is fear, social advocates say, that keeps domestic servants living in the country illegally in abusive and often unpaid conditions long after the promise of healthy wages and educational opportunities fade away.
The issue drew East Bay attention after news last week that a Walnut Creek woman was charged in federal court with smuggling a Peruvian nanny into the United States and for the past two years forcing her to work in indentured servitude. The charge followed an investigation by immigration agents, who were notified by an immigrant advocacy group that was initially contacted by a friend of the nanny.
The defendant, Mabelle Dann, has been ordered back to court Dec. 3 after appearing briefly last week. Neither she nor the attorneys involved in the case could be reached for a comment.
An attorney representing the nanny for La Raza Centro Legal, the group that helped bring the accusations to light, declined to comment on the case because prosecution is ongoing. But Jill Shenker, an advocate who heads the group's Women's Collective, said the circumstances in which the nanny is suspected to have lived — lacking privacy, contact with the outside world, and promised wages — occur far more frequently than the stories that reach the public.
"They are told lies about what awaits them outside the doors," Shenker said. "They have no knowledge of the surrounding areas. They're told going out on the street is dangerous and that (immigration agents) will pick you up immediately."
In the Walnut Creek case, an immigration agent's affidavit accuses that the nanny was held in virtual captivity in a Walnut Creek apartment with threats of deportation and accusations that she had committed a crime.
Minimal to nonexistent English skills, Shenker said, further limit a victim's ability to report a situation, and media coverage of events like a recent series of Bay Area immigration raids can increase reluctance to turn to law enforcement.
http://www.mercurynews.com/crime/ci_11051486
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