Los Angeles Immigrant Raid on April Fools Day

The following information is from CHIRLA's email alert system at 4:38 PM. I will add more information if and when it becomes available.

Yesterday, Our City was Raided Again:

On April Fools Day the Heartless Humor of the Department of Homeland Security

Yesterday afternoon, here in Los Angeles, community leaders held a press conference outside of the downtown Federal Bureau Prison in response to a Torrance raid that apprehended roughly twenty-five people this morning that occurred in several locations. The temporary workers were placed via temp agencies from where workers with and without documents were taken into custody.

"We seriously question the purpose and efficacy of these raids," remarked attorney Stacy Tolchin from the National Lawyers Guild. "We certainly hope that everyone will be released on their own cognizance, and in the interim hope that the government respects the detainees' constitutional right to have an attorney present if ICE interviews them. Any victim of this raid who requests to see an attorney will have an opportunity to see one at no cost."

Teary and shaken family members of those apprehended along with former employees of the recently raided Microsolutions company in Van Nuys held up signs that read "WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS".

"We work hard to put food on America's tables and we should be respected", remarked Lucio Cruz brother of a man detained in the raid.

"Federal money is being spent on tearing down schools, building jails, and separating families. Not only is the Federal government refusing to see the correlation between tearing apart families and increased gang life but instead ICE is supporting youths to their deaths." Remarked Alegra Padilla, of Homies Unidos.

"How much did detaining those workers cost the city of Los Angeles today?" Demanded Angelica Salas, of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. "And how long is this shameless waste of resources and brutal attack on hard working businesses and families going to continue?"

CHIRLA is currently working to contact all the families that were affected yesterday and make sure that all detainees know their rights. Please continue to visit www.chirla.org for future updates.