PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Join the American Civil Liberties Union, AFL-CIO, Stop the Raids! and
many others as we rally to oppose ICE raids and the ‘No-Match’
program!

FRIDAY: Press conference to announce mass mobilization in defense of
the Danbury 11, 12 noon,
Federal Courthouse, 450 Main St., Hartford; Speak-out at Trinity
College at 4 p.m., Cave Patio, Mather Hall

MONDAY: Mass mobilization in solidarity with the Danbury 11 as they
receive a judge's decision on their request for a trial. 8 a.m., Federal
Courthouse, 450 Main St., Hartford.

We have a unique opportunity in Connecticut to challenge the ICE raids
in open court! Don't miss it!
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Unity Statement in Opposition to No-Match Letters and ICE Raids

We, the undersigned, hereby endorse the National Day of Action against
the Bush Administration’s No-Match Program and the raids by
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that has been called for Friday,
October 12th by the National Alliance for Immigrant Rights and the March
10th Coalition.

On that day – Friday, October 12th – we will hold a press
conference at noon in front of the federal building in Hartford to call for a
mass mobilization on the following Monday, October 15th at 8 a.m. in
solidarity with the Danbury 11, as they receive the judge’s decision on
their request for a trial. The protest on Monday, like the press
conference on Friday, will take place in front of the federal building in
Hartford.

Also on October 12th, students at Trinity College will hold a speak-out
from 4-5:30 p.m. at Mather Hall/ Cave Patio, 300 Summit St, Hartford.
The speak-out was called by Stop the Raids! Students of Trinity College
to raise support for the Danbury 11 mobilization.

We join with millions of immigrants and allies across the country in
opposing the No-Match Letter Program, which perpetuates a cycle of
discrimination against both immigrant workers and low wage laborers of all
types and is often used as a weapon to target union-organized factories
and workplaces. The ACLU and AFL-CIO have already filed a lawsuit in
response to a government plan to send out no-match letters to millions of
workers, both documented and undocumented.

The trial of the Danbury 11, in effect, puts ICE on trial. The Danbury
11 is a group of Ecuadorian day laborers unconstitutionally arrested in
an illegal sting done as a collaborative effort between the Danbury
police and ICE. The Eleven were moved around the country (some to as far
away as Texas), denied counsel with a lawyer, or contact with their
families. This sets a truly frightening precedent for all U.S. residents,
and we must send a clear message to ICE that respect for both
constitutional and human rights must be observed.

A trial for the Danbury 11 would pose a series of severe legal
questions for ICE:
• Is it legal for ICE to racially profile individuals and arrest them
without a warrant?
• Is it legal for ICE to transport detainees to prisons in Texas for
a civil offense in Connecticut?
• Are the courts permitted to deny bond or right of appeal or right
to appear in court to a person because he or she is suspected of being
undocumented?
• Is it legal for local or state police to enforce federal
immigration law?

A victory here is a victory for workers everywhere. Please support the
rights of all working people and join us for this important occasion.

Endorsers:
American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut
Connecticut AFL-CIO
Connecticut Center for a New Economy
Kurt Westby, CT District Chairman, Service Employees International
Union, Local 32BJ
Art Perry, Political Director, Service Employees International Union,
Local 32BJ
Laura Smith, President, Local 34, FUE UNITE HERE
Marie C. Lausch, President, United Electrical Radio & Machine Workers
of America, Local 222
John Woodruff, Vice-President, UE Local 222 – CILU/CIPU, Danbury
Maria-Cinta Lowe, former director, Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury
Jorge Cabrera, New England Regional Council of Carpenters
Rev. Paul J. Murdock, Sagrado Corazon Church, Willimantic
Jorge Múgica, March 10th Coalition, Chicago
STOP THE RAIDS! Students of Trinity College
United Caribbean Club, Central Connecticut State University
Jeff Crosby, President, North Shore Labor Council (Mass.)
Fatima Rojas, Unidad Latina en Acción, New Haven
Mark Rutkowski, Progressive Students Alliance, Central Connecticut
State University
Stephanie Luce, Associate Professor, Labor Center, University of
Massachusetts-Amherst
David Amdur, Connecticut Program Coordinator American Friends Service
Committee
Peter Goselin, coordinator, National Lawyers Guild - Connecticut
Chapter
Marela Zacarias, Latinos Contra La Guerra, Hartford
Jean Hislop, Campaign to Stop the ICE Raids, Danbury
Youth for Socialist Action, Central Connecticut State University
Stacey Zimmerman, Lead Political/Community Organizer, SEIU CT State
Council
Monica Bunton, organizer, UNITE-HERE Local 217, Hartford