At a pitstop in Austin, Texas, the Undocubus freedom riders took a break to share stories, love and a little Fandango. But they also kept the focus on the state’s politics. At a rally before the Travis County Sherriff’s Office, activists with Undocubus and the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) demanded an end to the crackdowns on immigrant communities under Secure Communities, the program that enables local police to arrest undocumented people and route them to federal authorities.
Rocío Villalobos via flickr
Now the Undocubus campaigners have gathered in New Orleans to defend Joaquin Navarro Hernandez, who was roped into deportation proceedings by after a run-in with local police that landed him in the hands of the Border Patrol. In solidarity with the Make Justice Real campaign of the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice, they are rallying at a court house on Friday August 10 to call for an end to police abuse and unjust detentions:
At his court hearing tomorrow, Joaquin will continue to fight against the egregious abuse and cover up that led to his arrest and stand up for his own civil rights. Earlier this year, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Barbier ruled in favor of Joaquin, noting that the issues of targeted immigration enforcement and local police involvement in immigration raids are of “substantial public interest in the City of New Orleans, where the plight of the large population of immigrant workers who have assisted in rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Katrina has been a matter of particular concern.” However, despite the opinion of the court, ICE continues to push for Joaquin’s deportation.
While ICE may continue to flout the decree of the court, the folks outside aren’t about to let this one slide.
To follow the Undocubus, visit the No Papers, No Fear campaign site.