Secret Immigration Raids in the D.C. Subway
El Pregonero, News Report, Story by Andrea Acosta, Translated by Peter Micek, Posted: Apr 15, 2007
Traducción al español
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Around 3:15 P.M., Monday, March 5, María (not her real name) finished work cleaning houses in Alexandria, Virg., and began her commute home to Washington, D.C. She bought a ticket at the King Street Metro station and started down the steps to the train when two officials calmly and slyly approached her and asked for her “papers.”
“They were dressed in blue and their jackets had words on the back,” according to the Mexican immigrant. “They asked whether they could talk with me for a minute and if I spoke English. When I said ‘no,’ they found a Puerto Rican agent and she asked for my documents,” says Maria, visibly shaken by the experience.
Several workmen, also Latino, started to buy subway tickets, she recounts, but when they saw the agents, they ran out onto the street and were able to get away.
María and another young man they had just caught were quietly taken to an administrative office in the Metro station where seven more detainees were being held.
Although they were treated well, she says, some were in such nervous shock that their whole bodies trembled.
“Since I didn’t have documents, they asked how long I’d been in the United States and where I was from. The information I gave them did not match what the computer said, so they detained me for three hours,” says the woman, whose immigration papers are currently being processed.
No such luck for Juan, a Guatemalan immigrant who was detained around the same time the same Monday in the Rosslyn Metro station in Arlington, Virg.
After finishing his day’s work, Juan started home in Washington with a group of fellow construction workers. He was buying his ticket from the machine when some agents tapped him on the back, took him aside and asked him questions before moving him out of the station.
They put him in a white van with black tinted windows parked on the street, where ten other detainees were waiting.
Juan’s coworkers panicked and ran away and were able to alert his family. At the time this article was written, Juan was being held in Richmond, Virginia and was to be deported in several days. Juan’s wife, like María, sought help from a community organization in Columbia Heights. She did not want to give a declaration, preferring that her husband remain anonymous. Juan’s wife (who is from Mexico) and her four children, ages 12 to 19, are terrorized by what occurred.
None of the members of Juan’s divided family have immigration papers. This situation has altered their lives, as it has María’s, who calls the raids a “campaign directed at Hispanics.”
“They were looking for Latinos,” she says. “They only stopped us, coming from our jobs. They know we do not speak English, which is how they try to attack us.”
Although she was treated well during her detention, she feels discrimination and racism against her community.
“We leave the house and don’t know whether we are going to return. Everything affects us psychologically,” she says. “Since I came to this country, I have always felt like a rat holed up inside my house all the time, as if I had just arrived, and it’s sad when you can’t do anything, even drive.” The “American Dream,” she says, is for “some, but not all.”
Local police departments have said they do not detain people to ask their immigration status. Most local police agencies agree they have no interest in enforcing immigration laws. They do, however, report to immigration authorities when they make traffic stops or arrests and their computer files indicate when an individual has a deportation order.
When consulted about the raids in the Metro, various local police said they had no information on these activities or jurisdiction over the Metro stations, which are run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency (WMATA).
Joanne Ferreira, WMATA spokesperson says there were no detentions during the raids in the two Metro stations. “We reviewed this and there were no arrests in those stations. We do not have information about arrests in that area,” she says.
ICE spokesperson Michael Keegan was contacted and promised to investigate, but has not made an official statement about the Metro incidents.
For his part, immigration attorney Luis Salgado recommends that immigrants take precautions for the possibility of a raid. “Carry the telephone number of a lawyer to call in case of arrest,” he advises. “Speak with family members, neighbors and friends to have a plan in case of arrest, especially what you are going to do with your children and who will pay bail.”
For those who are detained, Salgado recommends that they “do not say anything, and ask for an attorney.” If immigration authorities knock on your door in the middle of the night, this expert’s advice is not to open the door. “Call 911 so that the police will protect you and decide whether immigration officials have a warrant to enter the residence.”
Immigrants whose papers are in process (even if they don’t have a work permit) can be put into removal proceedings, but if their case is advanced it is possible to stop deportation. “That’s why I recommend carrying a photocopy of the latest document that proves the immigration process is on course,” Salgado says.
For activists like Gabriela D. Lemus, executive director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, these raids don’t do anything to improve our immigration laws. “What they cause is fear in our communities and the segregation of families,” she told the news agency EFE last month.
Diverse civil rights coalitions asked President George W. Bush again last month for a moratorium on the raids, an end to deportation of the undocumented and greater political action in favor of prompt immigration reform.
Traducción al español
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User Comments
Nora Velasquez on May 06, 2007 at 08:51:08 said:
The law and Justice are not the same.
What Hitler did was legal and owning slaves was legal. WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
what is Just and not what is legal.
randy parker on May 04, 2007 at 09:14:15 said:
for all those who justify illegal aliens--
how many of you live next to a house full of them living as cheaply as humanly possible, only to watch them send there money back home. And it's not mentioned much, but they have children at an alarming rate--at my cost. over and over and over.
Luke on May 01, 2007 at 20:12:55 said:
These jackbooted thugs(ICE) should think twice before showing up at people's homes. Years ago, another federal agency(ATF) thought they could do this in Waco, TX and didn't do so well.
Metro should be made a "third rail" for law enforcement-someplace they don't touch. Seems to me that going into the Metro with the express intent of arresting people who are not in Metro to commit crimes risks creating a danger to every person in pepper spray or gunshot range.
What if these agents accidently encounter an armed and wanted gang member who decides to open fire? I don't want to be riding Metro, minding my own business and suddenly have to take cover because some goon from ICE or another police agency decides to start something in what had been a peaceful situation.
As a general rule, going into a crowd to serve a warrant or otherwise bother one person is like a high speed chase through a neighorhood full of children. Does it take a deadly tragedy before we learn to rein them in?
Debashis Nag on May 01, 2007 at 10:34:02 said:
The letter that came with my wife's green card clearly states that she was to carry her green card at all times.
If you are here on a work, travel or student visa, the paperwork is also clear on that same point.
If you want the benefits of this country, follow the rules. How can we expect you to respect our tax codes, our laws, if you are already here illegally.
gregsmith on Apr 26, 2007 at 16:01:02 said:
ITS EASY IF YOU COST ME MONEY IM NOT FRIENDLY... SO IF YOUR JEWISH OR GERMEN OR PINK OR MEXICAN DOES IT MATTER PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE NO FREE RIDES HERE...AND MEXICANS HAS COST US BILLONS AND I HAD ENOUGH PAY UP OR SHUT UP BETTER YET GET OUT
JDL on Apr 24, 2007 at 08:36:45 said:
As a foreign person doing a master in international law here in DC, and after seeing the comments in this block, I can understand the animosity about this topic. In both sides of the argument I can observe a “black & white approach” and, as a lawyer I can appreciate the point of views about violations of the law and living by example. Unfortunately, people most understand that even though this issue seems to be have a simple answer, the reality is far from simple, here are some ideas you should consider while analyzing this big international problem:
1- Immigration violations are not equal to criminal violations; those should be treated as civil violations. The US Supreme had sustained this view several times in the past. The way immigrants are treated after detention shows far apart from civil law violators.
2- This country is illegal addicted. On this point you most think about the prices of the products you love, imagine if we did not have this cheap labor, you would not be able to have such a cheap price in those products, and to just give a picture about this, think that everything you touch, immigrants touch first, so here we can appreciate that arguments can be made against and in favor.
3- As somebody mentioned before, what we have here is pyramid where illegal aliens exist at the bottom, if we just legalize them and move them up, it would be just about time to get a whole new group of illegals to fill the space in the bottom, because the need would still exist.
4- Many US international policies in the past had created bases for people to move out of their countries. Just think about CIA involvement in civil wars in Central America, or impossible economical assistance that created nothing else but more poverty and debts for third world countries, or international trade agreements that helps nobody but big companies (NAFTA).
What I see now in any immigration proposal is “too little and too late” to look for solutions after all these happened. If real solutions to this immigration problem are to be addressed, enforcement and closing the US with walls all around is not the solution, and shows far from reality. A real solution must be comprehensive to not only dealt with the situation we have inside the USA, but also, doing it in conjunction with international policies that effectively address and alleviate economies and necessities of neighbor countries, so common people at least think twice before moving somewhere else to provide hope for the future of their families.
I am more than welcome to any constructive discussion about the points announced in this little excerpt.
Concerned Tax Payer on Apr 19, 2007 at 11:54:24 said:
The Reason we have so many ILLEGAL aliens (hence CRIMINALS) is because of Crooked Greed Businesses, Corrupt Politicians, and LAZY police. Why is it the police never want to enfornce immigration law. Their job is to enforce the LAW, local, state or federal. It does not matter, the only time it matters is in which court the criminial is tried in. Unfortunately we have 20 million criminals in this country and no one in charge wants to do anything about it. What is the common law abiding worker to do when the politicians and police do not follow the law... It is truely a sad time for America...
Edie on Apr 17, 2007 at 13:26:36 said:
One of the reasons we don't have reform is because we have a group of American Businessmen that insist on using cheap foreign labor. This same labor is being used to keep American worker wages down. They are a tool in this evil and corrupt scheme. And the only way to stop this is to stop illegal immigration. And no amnesty. Why? Because just because illegal immigrants are suddenly made legal does not mean that they nor their American counterpart will be in a position to demand higher wages. Why? Because the business community will keep insisting it needs more cheap labor. Haven't any of you noticed that the majority of the jobs that are being created are low wage jobs. And God Bless the people that work low wage jobs, but the amount that they pay in taxes does not begin to cover by half the expenses they impose with covering the cost of educating their children, subsidized health care, etc. One of the best things we can do as a country is to start automating these low wage jobs. Low wage jobs are a tax deficit to this country. No more amnesty. It's time to let the American workers regain the strength in demanding higher wages. To say that illegal immigrants are keeping our food prices down among other things is ignoring the fact that they are being subsized with middle class tax payer money. The amount they pay does not cover their expenses by half. So if we are going to have our tax dollars being used, I would rather it be used to pay higher wages to legal immigrants and Americans. At least the law will be followed.
legalatina on Apr 17, 2007 at 06:13:41 said:
This woman who's in our country illegally, has taken advantage of our free public education for her kids, medical care, etc. feels its unfair to feel like a "rat in the hole"? Give me a break. Take some responsiblity for your predicament, lady. YOU chose to come here illegally, sorry the welcome mat is no longer there. Perhaps you should grow up and set a good example for your children. Go back home voluntarily and if you want to come back, do it legally. Period.
ProudToBeHispanic on Apr 16, 2007 at 18:19:28 said:
Don't you all get it... illegal aliens are part of your economy... Period. There is nothing you can do, no matter how much you complain, whine, scream, hate, or can't stand it... illegals are an essential part of this country political system, because they are being use as the scapegoat when the American people should be worrying about more important issues, such as bringing those soldiers from Iraq... you are worrying about Jose making 5.50 and hour washing dishes in your favorite 5 star restaurant. Illegal immigration is not new... wake up you all... it was here long time ago and it is not going to stop. Be realistic... this country needs illegals, I would love to see you all paying 300% more for vegetables, or paying extra for all those extra services right now all those "non wanted" illegals are doing... look all around you.. at the gas station, fast food industry, and many other services... they are all here, and do you think they leaving just because you are whinning? I don't think so... Deal with it.
S.Sackett on Apr 16, 2007 at 06:12:58 said:
Gabriela Lemus said "these raids don’t do anything to improve our immigration laws.
Of Course Not. What they are doing is ENFORCING Our Immigration Laws.
I am sick of all these "boo hoo" pity the poor illegal "whiners".
And I am sick of the MSM being so PC and referring to them as "immigrants" or "migrants". They are neither. They are criminals sneaking into our country by our wide open back doors and deserve to be caught and punished.
Keep American Alive on Apr 16, 2007 at 05:36:16 said:
If someone breaks into your home, steals your car, robs you they have done something illegal. If someone sneaks across the border they have done something illegal. It doesn\'t matter how many times you want to change what the are called the are illegal aliens and need to be deported. Also in this country when parents go somewhere we take our children. I am so tired of hearing how familys are being seperated. Please take them with you, stay together and try to fix what is wrong where you came from. Don\'t pollute our country trying to turn it into yours.
Jack Franke on Apr 15, 2007 at 15:29:41 said:
Illegal is illegal is illegal. All dictionaries that I have seen have a simple definition of "illegal. The one most commonly used is " against the law". Why do liberals seek to find ways of not recognizing this simple word and definition. I have an I Q of about 135. I am under the impression that laws are inacted to maintain an ordered and civilized society, which I believe is a good plan. Am I missing something? I fail to understand why liberals prefer chaos!!
American citizen on Apr 15, 2007 at 07:06:53 said:
Great. This is what is supposed to happen to illegal aliens no matter what country they are a citizen of.
I will repeat randy p, just in case it's not understood.
They are breaking the laws and should be punished plain and simple. This is a Nation of laws learn to follow them....
Están rompiendo los leyes y deben ser castigados.
Ésta es una nación de leyes. Obedecer por favor
Fred Green on Apr 15, 2007 at 06:04:47 said:
You disrespected your fellow countrymen from Mexico (and other nations) who took the time to go through the proper prodcedures and emigrate to the United States in a legal fashion. The US government allows many immigrants to come here legally each year. It may take a long time to go through these bureaucratic channels, but people do it successfully every day. Going through any procedure with the government takes forever and requires massive paperwork. I know you've had it tough, but, you must realize there could be consequences for breaking the law. You play with fire, you might get burned.
randy p on Apr 13, 2007 at 21:35:53 said:
They are breaking the laws and should be punished plain and simple. This is a Nation of laws learn to follow them....
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