Interview with Nathan, arrested at Long Beach Port shutdown

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2011/12/250452.php

by Rockero Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 at 11:00 AM 
rockero420@yahoo.com

December 15, 2011
LONG BEACH - On December 12, 2011, Occupy Los Angeles, Occupy Long Beach, Occupy Riverside, and many other people closed a terminal at the port of Long Beach. Only two people were arrested, and one of them, Nathaniel Sierdsma, speaks about his experiences.

TRANSCRIPT

ROCKERO: Today is Thursday, December 15th, 2011, and we are in San Bernardino. Can you tell me your name?

NS: Nathaniel Sierdsma.

ROCKERO: How old are you?

NS: I'm 18.

ROCKERO: What do you do--or, are you working now? Or what's...

NS: Not right now. I'm out of work.

ROCKERO: OK. What is your involvement with the Occupy movement?

NS: I've recently been helping a lot with the San Bernardino and San Bernardino Valley movement. I kinda helped get those up and running. And Ontario, I was also down there helping. For the latest action, I went down and helped Riverside.

ROCKERO: You're talking about Monday, right?

NS: Yeah.

ROCKERO: So what happened on Monday?

NS: Well, Monday, we--a big group went out there. I'd say at least a thousand people.

ROCKERO: Down to Long Beach, right?

NS: Yeah, there in Long Beach ports. And we were trying to shut down the ports. There was maybe twice as many cops out there. They just surrounded us.

ROCKERO: Uh-huh.

NS: And in the long run, I guess, they got me surrounded. I ended up getting arrested down there.

ROCKERO: Oh, OK. In the video footage and in the photos, it looks like they treat you pretty rough. Were you hurt?

NS: I was a little sore. It was really over a lot faster than--than looking at it. I could see, looking back on it, it was quite brutal.

ROCKERO: So how did the police treat you when they took you in?

NS: Oh, they spent the whole time just cracking jokes about the Occupy movement. It's kinda sad to see the way they were about it.

ROCKERO: They were hating on you?

NS: Yeah.

ROCKERO: How did the other prisoners treat you?

NS: They all saw me on the news! And they just kinda gave me props for that, I guess.

ROCKERO: They're all down with the class war, huh?

NS: Yeah.

ROCKERO: So did that experience affect how you think about the police?

NS: At least in Long Beach.

ROCKERO: Are they part of the 99%?

NS: They choose not to be.

ROCKERO: So, yesterday you were in court--we went to go get you. Can you tell us what happened yesterday?

NS: Well, the public defender told me basically I had to stay there if I didn't plead--or if I didn't plead guilty and take what they gave me, so I plead guilty. They dropped one of the charges and they gave me staying at the scene of a riot, which gives me thirty days CalTrans work and three years' summary probation.

ROCKERO: You have to pay any fines or anything?

NS: Yeah, I think I have some court fines, and I have to pay some money to actually do the CalTrans work.

ROCKERO: How are you gonna deal with that?

NS: I don't know. I'll have to figure something out.

ROCKERO: Do you think they're trying to keep you out of the movement?

NS: Yeah, they're trying to intimidate us. They're terrorists by nature. That's all they do, they try to get you to give up on what you believe in.

ROCKERO: Are you gonna stop occupying?

NS: No, absolutely not. I'll be out here until this movement gets something accomplished or they permanently take me out of the picture.

ROCKERO: Where would you like to see the Occupy movement going?

NS: Eventually, I want us to see--have enough power, and enough voter power present to actually get our own political system running. Maybe we could make it a political party so we could have our own candidates that we sponsor. And a big part of it is we wanna encourage voter registration, and it's kinda hard to pick Republican /Democrat when they're all paid off.

ROCKERO: Mm-hmmm. A lot of folks have really personal experiences that drive them to wanna make a better world, to make a change. Why do you, personally, occupy?

NS: Well, for the longest time, I been kinda doing my own research, and I've learned a lot through the years about how bad our situation is and why we're here. And, just, I've always had a personal conviction to try and stand against that.

ROCKERO: I notice you--you rock them cammies. Can you tell me about that?

NS: Yeah, this is actually my brother's BDU. I was wearing it for him when I went down.

ROCKERO: So your brother's in the service?

NS: He was.

ROCKERO: Did he--discharged, or...?

NS: No he just ran his service term.

ROCKERO: OK, so he's out and he's safe and at home and everything?

NS: Yeah.

ROCKERO: OK, cool. Is there anything else that you would wanna add?

NS: Um, occupy everything!

ROCKERO: All right, great, thanks for talking to us.

NS: All right. Thank you.

youtu.be/oS4Kmak8aKw

Christmas Police Shootings in the Inland Empire

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/12/243682.php

Christmas Police Shootings in the Inland Empire

by Rockero Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010 at 10:57 PM
rockero420@yahoo.com

The San Bernardino community promised a comprehensive review of an officer-involved shooting that left 24-year-old Ephraim Williams dead of a gunshot wound to the back.

Williams responded to the sight of a suspicious-looking police car near the 1300 block of North F Street. Fearing for his safety, he fled on foot.

The officer pursued him, firing several rounds at the young man and striking him.

Although police claimed that they were called to the scene to respond to an armed man, no weapon has been recovered.

The crime is being investigated by the police department's homicide department and by independent community groups.

Police brutality and lack of accountability continues to plague residents, particularly young men of color, of the Inland Empire as much as our comrades in Los Angeles, where earlier this year the LAPD shot and killed Manuel Jamines and a jury assigned Oscar Grant's assassin Johannes Mehserle a minimal sentence.

Just last week, a sheriff's deputy in Hesperia shot and killed 18-year-old Ray Blajos, who suffered from mental illness.¹

__________________

1. Cruz, Mike. "Deputy shoots, kills suspect," San Bernardio Sun December 20, 2010. http://www.sbsun.com/ci_16908208

International Migrants' Day Posada for Human Rights

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/12/243517.php

by Rockero Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 at 1:58 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Saturday, December 18, 2010

SAN BERNARDINO, California - A small but dedicated group of labor, immigrant rights, and religious activists gathered on International Migrant's Day to promote the human rights of migrants through the Mexican Christmas tradition of the posada. Beginning at San Bernardino's day labor corner, the processioners gathered under storm clouds just as the sun set to pray, lament the non-passage of the DREAM Act, and sing, before proceeding to St. John's Episcopal Church for tamales, champurrado, and a piñata.

At the corner of Lincoln and 21st, where laborers gather daily to seek employment, often without any guarantee of safety or even fair payment, about 35 people held lit candles beneath a wet sky. Representatives of the Rapid Response Network, the San Bernardino Catholic Diocese, La Obra de San Martín, St. Patrick's in Moreno Valley, Warehouse Workers United, Congregations United for Change, Our Lady of Hope in San Bernardino, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, St. John's Episcopal, and the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center were among those present.

In homage to the journey of the migrant family considered holy by members of Christian traditions, who ventured from inn to inn in search of posada, or shelter, the activists asked through their ceremony, "Is there no room for me at the workplace? Is there no room for me at your school? Is there no room for the migrant in our society?"

After an initial round of villancicos and introductions, religious leaders shared reflections.

Father David Starr, pastor of St. John's, prayed. "Gracious and Loving God, we just give you thanks for this rain that waters the ground. We give you thanks that it nourishes us with your love. We thank you that we're all here this evening, that we're all together to march for justice: Justice for our laborers, for those that do the work with their backs. We ask you dear God to bless this march, bless it and give us the strength to go out into the world and preach your peace and justice."

Petra Alexánder then shared a word about hope. "Muchas veces podemos nosotros identificar gente que tiene esperanza desde el brillo de sus ojos, desde la sonrisa, desde la franqueza con que nos ofrece una mano. La palabra 'esperanza' tiene mucho que ver con el futuro. Tiene que ver con aquella capacidad de poder mirar que después de todo túnel oscuro, hay algod e luz. Por eso la palabra esperanza se conecta con ese símbolo, de ir iluminados, ¿verdad? Porque cuando nosotros tenemos una luz, por pequeña que sea, esa chispita es capaz de disipar la oscuridad más profunda. Por eso, trabajar por la inmigración, es sobre todo, asegurar nuestra esperanza viva. Así como él que va a atravesar un camino oscuro necesita proteger su luz para que no se la apague el viento, para que no se le muera, y si se le apaga su luz, puede perderse, también, nosotros que creemos que el trabajo por la inmigración debe seguir adelante, estamos invitados como dijo el apóstol San Pedro, a esperar contra toda esperanza, a mantener nuestra esperanza en tacta. Y yo creo que ese es el desafío hoy, sabiendo estas tristes noticias de que el DREAM Act no ha pasado. Éste es el desafío de sentir la fealdad de tante gente que le da la espalda a la causa de los inmigrantes. Ésto es lo más importante cuando sentimos que en el ambiente, toda la gente está en contra y tenemos la sensación de caminar contracorriente. Por eso creo yo que, pues, nos ayuda este símbolo, de este día de invierno, de esta lluvia, precisamente a desafiar nuestra esperanza. Todo lo que nosotros enfrentamos hace crecer la esperanza, los obstáculos fortalecen nuestra esperanza, y yo quisiera que esta noche pidiérmos de una manera bien intensa que los trabajadores de día con día citan aquí, con la esperanza que llegue alguien que los levante con la esperanza de llevarse un salario, con la esperanza de que sus hijos tengan mejor vida. Todas esas esperanzas nacen de que tenemos la conciencia de que somos seres humanos, que somos personas con valor. Cuando ya nosotros nos sentimos devaluados, perdemos también la esperanza, entonces vamos hoy a unir nuestra esperanza a la certeza de la dignidad de los hijos de Dios, a la certeza de que hay una gran dignidad en cada persona, cruce las fronteras que cruce, tenga las pobrezas, las carencias que tenga, lo más importante, el diamante que tenemos cada uno adentro, es su dignidad de hijo de dios. Pot esta esperanza yo les invito a todos a iniciar hoy esta posada, y a iniciar también otro estadio de seguir luchando por la misma causa."

Moisés Escalante added, "Cayó de que hoy es 18 de diciembre. Y el 18 de diciembre del año 2000, es el Día Internacional de los Migrantes. Es muy interesante que en la Declaración de los Derechos Humanos de la Naciones Unidas, las Naciones Unidas hacen un llamado al los gobiernos, y las entidades públicas, para que se proteja los derechos de los inmigrantes. Entonces significa que cuando el gobierno de este país no hace lo que el Día Internacional de los Migrantes, no hace nada por proteger los derechos humanos de los inmigrantes, estamos nosotros para seguir luchando para que sus derechos humanos, en este país también derechos civiles, se respeten y nos vean por lo que somos: personas con dignidad, personas que venimos a aportar a esta sociedad, personas que pagamos impuestos."

A planned stop at the high school was forgone due to the weather, but the celebration continued at St. John's, where the wayfarers were finally granted admission. Another round of songs, prayers, and pleas for the rights of migrants and workers were shared. Volunteers served donated champurrado and tamales, and the children took turns swinging at a piñata. When it was ruptured, like many of our dreams had been that morning when we learned about the fate of the DREAM Act, sweets exploded onto the floor. Genuine change in the world will come about only through the efforts of the social movements, and only through our continued struggle will we be able to leave a sweeter future for our children.

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Day labor corner

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Day labor corner

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speakers

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Pidiendo posada en St. John's

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Bringing in the crèche

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Christmas tree

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¡Reforma Sí! ¡Migra No! Inland Empire stands with Arizona

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/05/237979.php

¡Reforma Sí! ¡Migra No! Inland Empire stands with Arizona
by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Saturday, May 1, 2010

SAN BERNARDINO - Large crowds of people from throughout the Inland Empire gathered in San Bernardino to march for the human rights of immigrants and to denounce the racist Arizona law SB 1070. La Plaza Park on San Bernardino's east side was the point of convergence, and music and announcements welcomed the arrivees until about 11, when the ranks began making their way down the sidewalk and across the 215 bridge toward city hall, where a rally was held with music and speeches. Peaceful resistance was the spirit of the day, and careful attention to hydration and mutual respect among attendees was the hallmark of the day's beauty.

My morning carpool received an unexpected phone call from Dolores Huerta, then en route to Tucson, who wished us a good march. An activist riding alongside her explained that he wouldn't be in San Bernardino due to his participation in Arizona mobilizations. He urged the Inland Empire to keep Arizona in mind and to intensify the struggle through civil disobedience and strategic fasting, if possible. Even though I don't agree with all of her politics, it was an inspiring way to start what a comrade and I later joked is the "high holy day" for activists.

Arizona was close to everyone's heart throughout the day, and although not really reflected in the chants, the concern was expressed in many of the signs and speeches. As the carpools arrived, they were welcomed by the people from the neighborhood, some of whom, upon learning of the cause, expressed outrage and compassion for the people of Arizona. A large contingent from SEIU made itself visible by wearing purple shirts, and the Warehouse Workers did the same with their blue, and LiUNA with orange. The day laborers and their organizations had a strong presence, as did the faith communities and the students. I think I saw students from every local university and community college. But there were are also a lot of young families with children. There were also numerous candidates.

The program began with a ceremonia by Danza Azteca de Aztlán, which was followed by prayers from different denominations. Then the security guidelines were set and we were energized by jumping to the chant "Él que no brinca es migra."

Then we unrolled our banners and started down the sidewalk. Trained, orange-vested volunteers walked beside us at intervals of about 25 feet. The chants were the normal "Sí se puede," "El pueblo unido," and "¿Qué queremos?" As we ascended the bridge over the 215 freeway, the mountains came into view, providing a majestic backdrop. About then someone pointed out that the police were photographing us from within their cars. Someone asked if they were taking pictures, and rather than answering, the officer just waved, even after the question was repeated--a gesture amounting to little more than a taunt.

As we passed St. Bernardine's, the elderly people came out onto their balconies to watch us pass by. When we turned on D, I finally saw some opposition. (There had been rumors about some Minutemen hanging in the area but I had not actually seen any). An angry man drove by making a rude gesture at all of us, even though there were children present. But the Minutemen have shown repeatedly with their behavior and their ignorant and vicious letters to the editor, that they and other haters have nothing to offer society. In the end, it will be us, the workers, the people of conscience, students, and families that take responsibility for creating the word we want and need, and we won't have to depend on the upper class who exploit us for our own survival. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

As marchers filed into the Civic Center, Son Real delighted us with their renditions of classics such as "The Picket Sign." The danzantes performed again, preceded by an opening prayer, and then speakers from immigrant rights, labor, and student organizations gave their talks. Next the politicians were allowed to talk, Joe Baca in particular seizing the moment for political purposes. Baca has cultivated the image of a defender of the migrant, but his recent pro-immigrant projects, including the PROUD Act to grant citizenship to high school graduates and his co-sponsorship of the Gutierrez bill, have gone nowhere.

At it's largest point, the rally probably attracted more than a thousand people, all very concerned about Arizona and moved to act by the need for an just immigration reform. As we left, we heard reports of Luis Gutierrez getting arrested in an act of civil disobedience at the White House. If a member of the US congress, a club that tends to attract the most politically tepid, risk-fearing, power-hungry, type of egomaniac, can get arrested for civil disobedience over this fascist law, then what can you or I do?

Just before publishing this article I got word that Arizona is planning big activities for May 29, so we may just get our chance to find out. Until then, we should keep up the boycott and most importantly, the resistance in our own communities.

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Faith communities

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Danza Azteca de Aztlán

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Ceremonia

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Departing

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

This is one unit that was photographing us.

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

St. Bernardine's

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Civic center

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Danzantes

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Boycott AZ!

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Speeches. There were two anti-choice people there with big signs, one of which you can see in the background.

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Families

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

USA fights all right...

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

altoarizona.com

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
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Jornalero de Pomona

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Councilmember Virginia Márquez

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

The resistance is everywhere!!!

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by Rockero Sunday, May. 02, 2010 at 3:22 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Foro>Noche de Poesía con Poeta Chapín Simón Pedroza

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2010/03/235997.php

Foro>Noche de Poesía con Poeta Chapín Simón Pedroza
by Rockero Friday, Mar. 12, 2010 at 3:12 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Sábado, 7 marzo 2010
SAN BERNARDINO - En una casa particular del Inland Empire, se festejó una noche de poesía que contó con la participación del poeta destacado guatemalteco Simón Pedroza, al igual que poetas y músicos locales. El evento fue patrocinado por la Red de Respuesta Inmediata, un organismo que acude a las necesidades de migrantes detenidxs y sus parientes, y el Comité en Solidaridad con el Pueblo de Atenco y sirvió de recaudación de fondos.

Noche de Poesía..." width="540" border="0" height="720">

Pedroza, uno de los iniciadores del moviento bizarro de la literatura guatemalteca, está de visita en la república norteamericana y tiene programada una serie eventos en el sur de California.

Presentó brevemente en el café anarquista en el centro de Los Ángeles el día después de llegar, pero este convivio fue su primera recitación completa en el país.

Alrededor de 30 personas, residentes de la región, luchadores sociales, varios compas chapines, estudiantes, y miembros de los Trabajadores de Bodega, la Alianza Solidaridad Obrera, y los Boinas Cafés asistieron al evento.

Después de servirse tacos y tostadas de pollo o de soyrizo con papa, la gente se sentó a mirar un avance del documental Asalto al Sueño al comérselos.

Después, declamó el poeta Emilio los poemas propios "El puño de la mujer," "Soñar y llorar," y "Los jodidos," los últimos con acompañamiento musical.

Luego estalló el verso fosforecente de la poetisa Jessica con varios temas de su repertorio.

Próximamente habló Roberto, quien discursó sobre la amistad y de su deseo de fundar un teatro comunitario de producción de obras en español.

Después, Miguel cantó una canción dedicada al movimiento zapatista de 1994, y otra al Padre Olivares, un luchador social salvadoreño que tomó santuario en la Placita de Los Ángeles.

El poeta Simón Pedroza tomó el escenario para declamar unos versos de algunos de sus poetas preferidos.

Pasó para en frente un activista para compartir un poema dedicado a Victoria Arellano, una mujer trasgénero asesinada por agencias anti-migrantes en 2007, y le siguió Giezi, un poeta estudiante en la Universidad Politécnica de Pomona.

Son Real cantó varias canciones, y terminó el poeta Pedroza con presentar unas selecciones de su obra multimedia.

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by Rockero Friday, Mar. 12, 2010 at 3:12 AM
rockero420@yahoo.com

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by Rockero Friday, Mar. 12, 2010 at 3:12 AM
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Halt the 287(g) program! ¡Alto al programa 287(g)!

http://la.indymedia.org/news/2009/09/230103.php

Halt the 287(g) program! ¡Alto al programa 287(g)!
by Rockero Wednesday, Sep. 02, 2009 at 1:05 PM
rockero420@yahoo.com

Friday, August 28, 2009
SAN BERNARDINO, California--Immigrant rights advocates and their allies held a press conference today to demand that local law enforcement agencies terminate or not renew their agreements with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), referred to as 287(g) agreements after a 1996 amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Viernes, el 28 de agosto, 2009
SAN BERNARDINO, California-- En una rueda de prensa, un grupo de activistas pro-inmigrantes, en conjunto con sus aliados, exigieron que las agencias locales de orden público pusieran fin o que no renovaran sus acuerdos con la agencia migratoria ICE. Tales acuerdos son denominados acuerdos 287(g) por la numeración de una enmienda a el Acta de Inmigración y Nacionalidad de 1996.

The conference was held in front of the county building, which houses many county offices and is the site of board of supervisors meetings, and was followed by the delivery of a letter enumerating the group's demands to the board of supervisors. The local action was part of a coordinated effort to act against 287(g) agreements nationwide.

Members of the Inland Empire Justice for Immigrants Network, as well as representatives of the Rapid Response Network, the San Bernardino Community Service Center, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, ACORN, and the Laborer's Union (LiUNA) held a large banner before the entrance.

"We're here today to announce a letter signed by over 500 organizations throughout the country to president Obama denouncing the expansion of the 287(g) agreements last month," explained Suzanne Foster, executive director of the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center. "We're here as local residents to ask that our decisionmakers here in the county of San Bernardino not re-sign their 287(g) contract with the Department of Homeland Security. This program is nationally condemned because of its well-documented civil rights abuses and mismanagement. We ask that the county of San Bernardino not re-enter into this agreement until these abuses have been investigated and until the program can be adequately supervised and monitored," she continued.

Reverend David Kalke of the Central City Lutheran Mission spoke next, emphasizing his concern that the 287(g) agreements resulted in racial profiling of Latinos and that the deportations resulted in separation of families.

The following speaker, a representative of the Rapid Response Network, introduced Rocío Martínez, a US citizen who has been affected by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's department's 287(g) agreement. "I'm another one of those people who has been affected by these injustices. My husband was detained simply because of his Latino appearance. For not having a license, he was deported at the hands of the sheriff. So, it's been about a month since he was deported and it has affected me deeply, emotionally, because I no longer have my companion with me." Her voice began to crack. "I would really like to see an end to all this, because I'm not the last person to have this happen to them. Many others are also exposed to the injustice. As a citizen I ask that my vote, which I gave to Obama--I would ask that he put an end to this and enact immigration reform."

Emilio Amaya, the executive director of the San Bernardino Community Services Center spoke next, raising the issue of the community's relationship with law enforcement. "This type of agreement undermines the trust of our community in our local police departments and our local sheriff's office. We believe we need a department that focuses on the issues of the community, and not on trying to stop and deport people. The MOU [memorandum of understanding] basically makes our sheriff's office a de facto immigration authority and our community doesn't want that. We don't want victims of crime to be hesitant and to not call our police department or sheriff's office just because they fear deportation proceedings."

After a word of thanks, Pastor Jaime Kim of CLUE ended with a statement of concern. "We as people of faith believe that all people have the right to justice and equality."

A small delegation then entered the building to deliver copies of the letter to each of the five supervisors and announced its intention to promptly deliver the same letter to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

As of August 2008, ICE admitted to having 63 with local law enforcement agencies nationwide,¹ although that number is certain to have grown since then. Of those 63, all four of the agreements are with Southern California sheriff's departments, including those of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange counties.



1 "Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act." U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. August 18, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2009. http://www.ice.gov/partners/287g/Section287_g.htm







La conferencia se realizó ante el edificio del condado, lugar donde se ubican una variedad de despachos del condado al igual que ser el local de las juntas de la mesa de supervisores del condado de San Bernardino, y fue seguida de la entrega de una carta detallando la petición del grupo. Esta acción local formó parte de un esfuerzo coordinado en contra de los acuerdos 287(g) a nivel nacional.

Miembros de la red Justicia para Inmigrantes del Inland Empire, en coordinación con representantes de la Línea de Respuesta Rápida, el Centro de Servicios Comunitarios de San Bernardino, Clero y Laicado Unidos para Justicia Económica (CLUE), el Centro de Oportunidad Económica de Pomona, ACORN, y el Sindicato de Obreros (LiUNA) sostuvieron una pancarta grande afuera de la entrada al edificio.

"Estamos aquí para denunciar el programa 287(g) en el condado de San Bernardino, que es un programa entre el departamento de inmigración y los sheriffs del condado de San Bernardino," explicó Suzanne Foster, directora ejecutiva del Centro de Oportunidad Económica de Pomona. "Estamos entregando una carta a cada supervisor del condado de San Bernardino pidiendo que no firmen el nuevo acuerdo con el departamento de Homeland Security [Seguridad Interna] y que terminen el programa 287(g) en este condado. Este programa está condenado por los abusos de derechos civiles y el mal manejo que se ha documentado. Pedimos que el condado de San Bernardino no renueva este acuerdo hasta que estos abusos se investiguen y hasta que el programa puede ser supervisado y monitoreado adecuadamente," continuó.

El siguiente orador fue el Reverendo David Kalke de la Misión Luterana de Central City, quien expresó su preocupación que los acuerdos 287(g) resultan en el perfilamiento racial de la gente latina y que las deportaciones consecuentes separan las familias.

Después, una representante de la Línea de Respuesta Rápida presentó a Rocío Martínez, una ciudadana estadounidense que se vio afectada por el acuerdo 287(g) del departamento del alguacil del condado de San Bernardino. "Soy una más de las personas que han sido afectadas por estas injusticias. Mi esposo fue detenido únicamente por su aspecto latino, y por no tener licencia, a manos del sheriff fue deportado. Entonces, hace un mes que fue deportado. A mí me ha afectado mucho emocionalmente, puesto que no tengo a mi compañero conmigo." Su voz comenzó a sonar quebrantada. "Yo, por mi parte, quisiera que todo esto parara, pues porque no soy la última a la que le ha pasado todo esto. Hay más personas que están expuestas a la injusticia. Yo sí, como ciudadana al menos, yo sí pido que mi voto, que fue dado para Obama, yo pido que pare todo esto. Que haya una reforma migratoria para esto que no siga pasando."

Emilio Amaya, director ejecutivo del Centro de Servicios Comunitarios de San Bernardino habló con respecto a la relación de la comunidad con las agencias de orden público. "La otra preocupación, aparte del hecho no sólo del perfil racial es la manera en que este tipo de acuerdo atenta en contra de la política de policía comunitaria que necesitamos. Evita y termina la confianza que nuestra comunidad pueda tener en los departamentos de policía. Entonces es importante que los supervisores de este condado tomen esto en consideración porque no queremos que nuestra gente tenga miedo de su policía local. No queremos que nuestra gente le tema llamar a la oficina del alguacil cuando son víctimas de un delito."

Después de un agradecimiento, la pastora Jaime Kim de CLUE terminó con una declaración de inquietud. "Nosotros como personas de fe creemos que toda persona tiene el derecho a la justicia y la igualdad."

Luego una delegación pequeña entró al edificio a entregar copias de la carta y anunció su inteción de entregar la misma carta a la mesa de supervisores del condado de Riverside.

A partir de agosto del 2008, ICE constaba que tenía acuerdos con 63 agencias locales,¹ aunque esta cifra seguramente habrá aumentado desde entonces. Cuatro de esos 63 acuerdos son entre ICE y departamentos de alguacil del sur de California, incluyendo los de los condados de Los Ángeles, Orange, Riverside, y San Bernardino.



1 "Delegation of Immigration Authority Section 287(g) Immigration and Nationality Act." U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. August 18, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2009. http://www.ice.gov/partners/287g/Section287_g.htm

287(g) Press Conference
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Master of ceremonies from the Pomona Day Labor Center

287(g) Press Conference
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Reverend from the Lutheran Mission

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Representative of the Rapid Response Network

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Sra. Rocío

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Director of the San Bernardino Community Services Center

287(g) Press Conference
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Jaime Kim and Moisés Escalante of CLUE