Immigrants, community rally against New Bedford, Mass., arrests

March 17 rally in New Bedford, Mass. WW photo: Liz Green

Approximately 800 immigrants and supporters filled the auditorium of the Greater New Bedford Vocational High School March 17 to denounce the arrests and deportation of more than 350 immigrant workers, mostly women, on March 6.

More than 200 of those arrested here have been sent to a detention facility in Texas and at least five minors have been sent to a facility in Florida. The crowd responded with chants of “Sí se puede” (It can be done) and “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido” (The people united will never be defeated) as speaker after speaker called for an end to the ICE—Immigration and Customs Enforcement—raids and deportations, legalization for all immigrants and an immediate reunification of the families.

Members of families torn apart by the ICE raid spoke of the devastating impact that it has had on them and their children. One young man whose wife is being detained in Texas spoke of the horrible conditions of the facility. He reminded everyone that these raids are happening not just in New Bedford but throughout the U.S.

Juan García of the Comité de Inmigrantes en Acción from Providence, R.I., called for everyone to come out on May 1 to demand “Stop the raids and deportations!”

This March 17 rally was sponsored by a coalition of organizations including Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA), Immigrants Assistance Center, Organization Maya K’iche, the Community Connections Coalition of Greater New Bedford, Community Economic Development Center (CEDC), Catholic Social Services, United Interfaith Action and the Latino Health Institute.

Participants came from cities and towns throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island including Springfield, Boston, Chelsea, New Bedford, Fall River, Providence and Pawtucket.

In another act of solidarity, approximately 140 people responded to a call by the Boston May Day Coalition by demonstrating outside ICE regional headquarters in Boston on March 13 to demand full amnesty and an end to the raids.

Information about making donations to help the families impacted by the raid can be found at www.miracoalition.org.