Santa Rosa rally scorns Supreme Court ICE ruling
Santa Rosa rally scorns Supreme Court ICE ruling
Day laborers and domestic workers held a rally and vigil Thursday night at Santa Rosa's old Courthouse Square as part of a national day of action. They demonstrated against a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows immigration officials to conduct stops without reasonable suspicion.
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - On September 18, a National Day of Action, the Graton Day Labor Center organized day laborers and domestic workers to hold a rally and vigil at Santa Rosa's Old Courthouse Square. The grievances: federal violations of civil rights at the hands of ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Everything you hear, you're gonna hear it in two languages: in English and in Spanish," said the announcer.
At the Santa Rosa rally and vigil early Thursday evening, day laborers, domestic workers and community members expressed their concerns. It’s about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on September 8.
More than a hundred people joined in. "Show up for community. We want to make sure our community is safe and our community includes many people from many places," said Santa Rosa resident and attendee Mesa Sonoma.
The fact that every word spoken here was bilingual, suggest something. It suggests unity and community.
The workers say the ruling, at least for now, allows ICE agents to target and arrest people solely on the basis of their skin color, appearance, dress, speech, or line of work; without warrants or probable cause.
"I have worked in the field, in hotels, nurseries and cleaning houses. Now, with the Supreme Court's decision, I have to survive with the fear that ICE could pick me up just because of how I look, the language that I speak or where I go to look for work," said immigrant worker Anita who spoke in Spanish.
Pastor Benjamin Broadbent of the Community Church of Sebastopol minced no words. "No, no to the racist September 8th decision by the United States Supreme Court that allows racial profiling as part of so-called immigration enforcement," said the Pastor.
They all say they are fighting for the soul of democracy: civil rights and due process of law.
"We have to stop what's happening here. These people work in our community. They're part of our community. This shouldn't be happening to them. They shouldn't be living in fear," said resident and attendee Diana Boulson.
"The level of cruelty that's going on in this nation reminds me of Germany back in the 1930s and it's something I can't morally tolerate very well," said resident and attendee Paolo Breschi.
To one attendee, it all boils down to a single word. "Terrifying. It's absolutely terrifying what's happening to our country right now," she said.
We saw no ICE agents or activity here tonight.
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