It is imperative that we send a message to I.C.E., President Bush and the upcoming Democratic Party Convention that there must be AN IMMEDIATE MORATORIUM ON ALL RAIDS, DEPORTATIONS, INCARCERATIONS AND SEPARATION OF FAMILIES.

On the defensive after congressional hearings that raked I.C.E. over the coals for the cruel, abusive and “Gestapo like” raids in IOWA, I.C.E. responded with a so-called “humanitarian” way to deport half a million people - AND THEIR U.S. CITIZEN FAMILIES!..

“Operation Scheduled Departure” called for nearly half a million people who have had final orders of deportation, who have no criminal records but are classified as fugitives because they have not left the country, to turn themselves in. I.C.E. promised to give them 3 months to “settle their affairs” before they were deported. The agency even offered to provide transportation for their U.S. citizen or legal resident children or spouses to leave with them!

Along with this ridiculous and racist “offer” came the real news !

I.C.E. announced that it has OVER 100 TEAMS of agents working full time to seek out and arrest these 500,000 people who, even according to I.C.E., have done nothing wrong except come to this country, accepted employment from U.S. companies, pay taxes and support their families.

Already we have witnessed I.C.E. agents waiting outside of schools and day care centers to track down parents. I.C.E. has enlisted police in some states to set up road blocks as people come to church on Sunday. I.C.E. agents are coming into our neighborhoods in the dead of night and knocking on our doors, terrorizing our children.

What we have to look forward to in the next six months is a multi-million dollar manhunt aimed at individuals and their families that pose no threat to this nation, are contributing to the economy and have no criminal record or charges against them - all because congressional democrats and republicans were playing politics instead of completing the work of comprehensive immigration reform. Because of their inaction, our entire community, and especially our children, will live in a constant state of fear and hiding and good hardworking families will be destroyed.

THIS MADNESS MUST STOP!

On Friday, August 22nd, we call on all organizations and concerned individuals, but especially LATINAS, to organize protests in front of your local I.C.E. office at 4 p.m. (at your local time) to demand an immediate moratorium on fugitive searches against these 500,000 individuals who have no criminal records.

We call on our people to contact delegates leaving for the Democratic Convention to insure that the Democratic Convention goes on record calling for an immediate moratorium on raids, deportations, incarcerations and separations of families until comprehensive immigration reform is finally agreed on in the next Congress.

Ask your delegates and especially members of the Congressional Hispanic caucus to stand with you on Friday, August 22nd, in front of I.C.E.

We call on Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama to make clear their commitment to our community by joining in this call for an immediate moratorium on the convention floor!

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Familia Latina Unida/SIN FRONTERAS

LATINA Committee for the FIRST Hundred Days

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