[act-ma] 3/17 Rally to Support Detainees, Deportees and their Families (New Bedford)

[Charlie Welch]

 Posted for the April 10 Committee (see bottom)

*Where's My Mom?  Where's My Dad?*  

A child was held by her mother at a news conference in New Bedford the 
day after her father was among 327 employees of Michael Bianco Inc. who 
were detained by immigration officials.

 

A child was held by her mother at a news conference in New Bedford , MA  
the day after her father was among  the over 300  employees of Michael 
Bianco Inc. who were detained by immigration officials. (Peter 
Periera/The New Bedford Standard Times via Associated Press)  

 


  Call to Action!


    Rally to Support Detainees, Deportees, and their Families 


  Saturday, March 17  @ 2:30 PM  


    53 North Sixth Street (Corner of Sixth and Elm), New Bedford, MA 

On Tuesday, more than 500 armed homeland security officers descended 
upon Michael Blanco Inc in New Bedford, MA. Over 350 employees, *mostly 
mothers with young children*, were swept up in the raid, *shackled 
together in groups of three by their wrists and ankles* and marched to 
buses bound for Fort Devens, 100 miles away.

Community activists in New Bedford have scrambled to locate the children 
and their parents. One baby who was breast-feeding had to be 
hospitalized for dehydration because her mother remained in detention, 
authorities said.  One mother was located in Texas after her 7-year-old 
child called a state hot line set up to help reunite the families.

This is not a new story, but the story keeps getting more 
horrific.    In recent months raids have hit nearly every state in the 
country.  According to ICE's own numbers *over 500 people are deported 
from this country everyday* *!*   Each one of these deportations has a 
very human element that is about families and children.  It's time that 
we pressure the President to "Stop the Raids" and lead on passing a Fair 
and Humane Immigration Reform Bill.  Everyday we wait hundreds of more 
families are torn apart, children abandoned, and communities disrupted. 

In New Bedford, families will be holding a huge rally at the federal 
building here calling for the release of all detainees, a congressional 
hearing on the raids, and immediate passage of humane and fair 
immigration reform. 

*What you can do:* 

*- Come to New Bedford, MA and join us on Saturday, March 17th at 2:30 pm.* 

*- Organize a march or rally at a federal building in your city or town 
for Saturday, March 17.*

*- Call your Congressperson and ask them to "Release the Families and 
Stop the deportations!"*

*- Donate to the relief effort for the affected families of New Bedford.*

So please join the families in New Bedford and all the other cities and 
towns that have had ICE raids tear at the fabric of their communities by 
moving to action on *Saturday, March 17*.  It's time for us to say 
*"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!"*  Stay tuned to www.miracoalition.org 
<http://www.miracoalition.org/> to learn more.   For more information 
contact (508) 979-4684 or (508) 996-8113.  

 


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