Feminist Peace Network

Family Violence Prevention Fund — Legal Momentum — National Alliance to End Sexual Violence — National Coalition Against Domestic Violence — National Network to End Domestic Violence — National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault

News Release Contact: Lisa Lederer
December 15, 2006 202/371-1999
202/421-5825 (m)

Anti-Violence Advocates Alarmed that Immigration Raids
Violate Human Rights, Tear Apart Families with Children

WASHINGTON, DC - Leading national domestic and sexual violence experts are raising serious concerns about potential violations of human rights in the aftermath of raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on meatpacking plants in six states Tuesday. Advocates for victims of violence are reporting inhumane treatment of those who have been detained, with some parents being separated from newborns and not being allowed to relay information about children with serious medical conditions.

The largest immigration raid in U.S. history resulted in the arrests of close to 1,300 people who work at Swift meatpacking plants in Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas and Utah on December 12. Many are now being held at a National Guard facility near Des Moines, or being bused to similar facilities in Atlanta. In the first days after the raids, advocates for victims of violence, clergy and others who tried to see the detainees were turned away.

Advocates are concerned that the rights of all victims of violence, and all those arrested, be protected. They are reminding authorities that everyone is entitled to humane treatment and due process, and note that some of those arrested may have rights under the Violence Against Women Act. With so many parents being ripped away from their children and subjected to callous treatment during the holiday season, advocates are trying make legal arrangements for parents who may be deported or moved to detention facilities in other parts of the country to allow them to designate someone they trust to care for their children.

There are persistent reports that Latinos who are U.S. citizens were arrested during the raids.
Candlelight vigils in support of immigrants will take place on Sunday, December 17 in the affected states, including Denver and Greeley, Colorado; Omaha and Grand Island, Nebraska; Des Moines, Dubuque, Marshalltown and Sioux City, Iowa; and Austin, Minnesota.

Those who wish to help can:

– Call their Senators and Representative to ask that all detainees be treated humanely and given due process, that parents be allowed contact with their children, and that officials be mindful that some of the detainees may have rights under the Violence Against Women Act. To contact your Members of Congress, call 202/224-3121 and ask to be connected to their offices.

– Support the Iowa Family Support Fund ˆ an emergency fund set up by the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to help those affected by the raids in that state. Please send checks to: Iowa Support Fund, c/o Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 515 28th Street, Suite #104, Des Moines, IA 50312.

– Support Centro Civico Mexicano to help those affected by the raids in Utah. Please send checks to: Centro Civico Mexicano, 155 South 600 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84101. For more information, visit www.centrocivicomexicano.com .

– Attend a candlelight vigil this Sunday, December 17 to protest the raids and to support affected families.

Filed under: Uncategorized, Atrocities