Some voices from today's UFCW-organized meeting on ICE's abuses of power:
Mike Graves, worker at a plant raided by ICE on December 12 and lifelong U.S. citizen and resident:
When I tried to report to the cafeteria during the raid, ICE agents accused me of trying to run away. They held me in handcuffs. I'm a U.S. Citizen, born in Iowa. My parents live in Mississippi. My government treated me like a criminal and I didn’t do anything wrong. I knew our rights were being violated. What they're doing in these raids is illegal.
Gabriela Flora, organizer of the American Friends Service Committee's Project Voice:
Workers were held by armed agents, herded together and systematically stripped of their rights. They were denied access to bathrooms and legal counsel. Citizens and legal residents were denied the opportunity to retrieve documents to establish their legal status. Many workers were unable to look after children and elderly family members under their care, because they were not allowed to make a phone call. The breakdown of our 4th Amendment rights represents a failure of the first order on the part of our government.
Joe Hansen, International President of the UFCW:
Work is not a crime. Workers are not criminals. We do not leave our constitutional rights at the plant gate.
UPDATE (August 17, 2007): More testimony from the event...
Melina Martinez, Worthington, MN:
At the time of the raids, I was seven months pregnant. While I was detained, I was not allowed to go to the bathroom. They told me only after questioning would I be allowed to go. I waited four hours. They never asked me if I was a citizen or not. I am a U.S. citizen; I have been for more than a year and I’m proud to be.
Sergio Rodriguez, Greeley, CO:
Agents accused me of trying to run away even though when they stormed in, I was in a short hallway with no where to run to. They called me an SOB until they realized I spoke English. One of them said: "This SOB was hiding and lucky he didn’t get killed." My hands were tied so tight they hurt, but the guards wouldn’t loosen them.
Deb Campbell, Marshalltown, IA:
The agents were rude, obnoxious and arrogant. The raids were conducted for political objectives. So many people suffered, yet so little was accomplished.
Lidia Cruz, Worthington, MN:
I am a permanent resident but did not have my residency card on me the day of the raids. I was detained for five hours with no food or water. They took me to change my clothes and they made me do it in front of them. Even though there was only one exit, they still went in with me. They made me change with the stall door open.
Ulma, Worthington, MN:
After repeated attempts to tell them her rights were being violated, I said, "You can call my union representative. He will bring a lawyer." Then they let me go.
