Issue date: 3/13/07 Section: Metro

Media Credit: Sara Molinaro Protestors organized outside of Providence's Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in response to last week's raid on a factory in New Bedford, Mass.

A "raid-free zone in Providence" was the stated goal of 30 protestors who gathered in front of Providence's Immigration and Customs Enforcement office yesterday. The protest - which lasted about an hour and a half - was organized in response to a raid last week on a New Bedford, Mass., leather manufacturing factory, resulting in more than 300 workers being detained to confirm their immigration status.

Most of the protestors were students, though some community activists and concerned families were present. Rep. David Segal, D-Dist. 2, was also in attendance.

The protestors gathered in a circle directly in front of the doors of the ICE office and chanted and sang in English and Spanish. Many also held signs with messages such as "Stop the Raids!," "No Human is Illegal," "ICE Raids are Terrorism" and "Mobilize Union Power to Stop the ICE Gestapo."

Many community organizations endorsed the protest, including Jobs with Justice, English for Action, the Olneyville Neighborhood Association and the International Socialist Organization. Several student groups also came out to support the protest, including members of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Atzlan, the Latin-American Students Organization and the Student Labor Alliance.

Several leaders addressed the crowd through a megaphone, calling for amnesty for illegal immigrants and for Providence to be a "raid-free zone."

SLA member Will Emmons '09 called the group's endorsement of the protest "tactical and moral." Emmons said pro-labor groups such as SLA "can't support any worker without supporting all workers."

Segal told The Herald he attended the protest because he believes "we shouldn't be deporting immigrants who are mothers of small children." Segal said the protest will raise public awareness about the issue but may not have any legal ramifications.

"The people who perpetrated the raid are not terribly accountable to anyone," he said. "One has to do something."

Continued...

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