A2 News
silverchips
February 5, 2016
Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids begin in Maryland Recent surge of Central American undocumented immigrants targeted car Izara. “On the contrary, we Latinos have the mentality of becoming successful in the United States. We are not all criminals.” CASA is focused on informing According to the Washington the Latino immigrant community Post, the Obama administration members on what they should had been considering the impledo if they are apprehended. “We mentation of the plan for months have been holding a series of and were fueled to execute it due rallies and marches with the imto the recent surge of illegal immigrant community, with the unmigration caused by the increase documented community to show of violence and poverty in Central them that they have rights and America. The Secretary of the Dethey should stand up and fight partment of Homeland Security, back,” Quinonez explained. AcJeh Johnson, has long stated that cording to many of their employimmigrants not granted asylum ees, one of CASA’s main goals is will have to face deportation. to educate and empower the LaCASA held several demonstratino community. tions to protest the raids, including a vigil in front of the Supreme Court on the night of Jan. 8. At the vigil, protesters chanted “yes we can” and “here we are, we aren’t leaving, if they kick us out we are coming back.” Executive director of CASA, Gustavo Torres, wants to send a message through the vigil and CASA’s other protests. “We are trying to send the president a message that he is committing a big mistake, deporting Central American families, in particular El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala, because they are not immigrants, they are refugees,” he said. CASA has also been organizing and supporting marches and proCOURTESY OF DONALD DE ALWIS tests that advocate for FRIDAY NIGHT VIGIL Shortly after the ICE raids began, community members the president to grant came together for prayer and music on Jan. 8 in an event supported by CASA. undocumented Central American immigrants The Montgomery County ever, in a story done by National temporary work permits. “TPS Board of Education is attempting Public Radio, a Prince George’s ‘Temporary Protected Status’ is a to educate people that the raids County principal said that the temporary state that is given to are only targeting undocumented school has seen the attendance people when there is a crisis in immigrants who arrived in the of about 120 students who came their countries of origin,” Torres United States after May 1, 2014. to the school in the last year drop explained.“That is the reason why “The thing is that people need to from 92 percent in 2015 to about we are we are mobilizing.” CASA is educating the imbe clear about is that this is not 50 percent in 2016. The threat of raids are also migrant community on what to just a wholesale effort to deport immigrants. This is a very specific causing many undocumented do if ICE officials do show up at category that they are apprehend- immigrants to stay at home. Acing,” Jill Ortman-Fouse, a member cording to Esther Yu Hsi Lee of of the Montgomery County Board the news blog Think Progress, Latino-heavy areas such as Wheaton of Education, said. Ortman-Fouse stresses to fam- have been experiencing less foot ilies that MCPS is not involved traffic, negatively affecting local businesses. in the depor“Mercedes tations. “We Rodriguez has are doing our owned a popubest to let our lar Mexicanfamilies know El Salvadoran that there restaurant in have not been Wheaton for 18 any raids in years,” wrote the county Lee. “Usually, and that we close to 300 paare not in a trons come in position to on a daily batalk to anysis — but now, body about she’s only seeany student’s ing an average immigration of 20 people a status,” Ort— Oscar Izara day.” man-Fouse Freshman said. “We Diana Nieto want all of our students to feel safe and wel- describes that she heard about ICE invading Latino communities come in our schools.” Larry Bowers, Interim Super- in an effort to find undocumented intendent of Montgomery County immigrants.“In supermarkets like Public Schools, echoed this senti- the Mega Mart they told everyment in his January 14, 2016 mem- one that immigration was waiting orandum to staff. “School staff outside the premises,” Nieto said. should avoid asking students or “[ICE] also put roadblocks on the their family about their immigra- streets and went to apartments to tion status because such actions knock on doors.” The raids have induced fear in may discourage participation in the Latino community as well as education,” Bowers said. WUSA9 reported that Mont- an overall feeling that these efgomery County officials have forts to deport them are unfair. spoken out against the raids with “I think it is unjust because the a warning to the Obama admin- people in power like congressistration. “Local police will not man and presidential candidates cooperate with new immigration like Donald Trump think we are raids to deport women and chil- all delinquents,” said junior Os- SLATE AND U.S IMMIGRATION AND CUSTON ENFORCEMENT
from ICE page A1
dren who fled violence in Central America,” reporter Bruce Leshan wrote. Asprilla said that ICE has never entered schools to arrest students in any state because it is seen as a violation of the constitution. “Students who are undocumented and are going to school in Maryland and in other states, they are safe,” Asprilla said. According to Ortman-Fouse, MCPS employees cannot legally ask students about their immigration statuses. Ortman-Fouse also said that MCPS has not seen any differences in attendance numbers compared to this time last year. How-
COURTESY OF CASA DE MARYLAND
RALLYING CALL Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, speaks about the ICE raids and deportations at a rally on Dec. 30. their house. “Number one is if the border patrol comes to their door, please don’t open. Border patrol is not allowed to open if you say no. If they have a deportation order or court order they should place it under the door,”Torres said. According to sophomore Ruth, she has already been taught what to do if ICE officials show up. “Don’t open it, ask for a warrant signed by a judge,” she said. Asprilla said he believes that President Obama has authorized the raids in an effort to pass the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival/Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DACA/ DAPA) case through the Supreme Court. Asprilla said he thinks that Obama is allowing the raids because he wants the Supreme Court to believe he is hard on immigration. Then the DAPA/DACA executive actions which benefit certain undocumented immigrants by granting them deferred action status, would be allowed through the court. “It’s crazy, it’s immoral and its politically unsound, what he is doing, and it looks bad for him, for Hillary Clinton and any other Democrats
running for office,” Asprilla said. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Martin O’Malley have all expressed disapproval with the raids. According to the Huffington Post, Clinton has called on Obama to stop the raids arguing that they evoke “unnecessary fear and disruption.” Multiple news sources wrote that Virginia’s Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart has advised undocumented immigrants in his county to leave and go to Montgomery County. “If Montgomery County wants illegal aliens who are committing crimes, we’ll be happy to encourage them to move there,” Stewart said in the Washington Post, January 11, 2016. Ortman-Fouse was shocked to hear that Stewart and Prince William County had taken such a stance. She made it clear that MCPS holds a different opinion. “Our staff is committed to the success of every student and will welcome every family into our schools no matter their background,” Ortman-Fouse said.
“We Latinos have the mentality of becoming successful in the United States. We are not all criminals.”
REVA KREEGER