Vermonters Take "Not One More Danilo"to ICE Head Quarters: New England Wide Week of Immigrant Rights Groups Unite for "Not One More" Deportation Actions

*******FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*********

Vermont Migrant Justice Contacts: Natalia Fajardo (802-497-7027) and Brendan O'Neill (802-825-1609), Migrant Justice, info@migrantjustice.net, www.migrantjustice.net
Boston Contacts: Lily Huang, Massachusetts Jobs with Justice, 617-599-6785. Conrado Santos, Student Immigrant Movement, 617-767-6935

Vermonters Take "Not One More Danilo"to ICE Head Quarters

New England Wide Week of Immigrant Rights Groups Unite for "Not One More" Deportation Actions

Burlington, VT and Boston, Mass---Immigrant and workers’ rights organizations throughout New England will lead a “Not One More Deportation” Week of Action from June 24- June 28 to call on the Obama Administration to halt the detention and deportation of undocumented workers who would be eligible for the path to citizenship through passage of the proposed immigration reform legislation. Additionally, they are demanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) drop deportation cases and provide relief for undocumented workers who are leaders in the community such as farmworker leader Danilo Lopez from Vermont who has recently drawn letters of support from Leahy, Sanders, and Welch and Governor Shumlin of Vermont. The week of action will also seek relief for victims of the New Bedford Bianco raid of 2006 who have been in legal limbo for 7 years.

The week of action will include prayer, fasting, vigils and community events throughout New England. On Thursday, a hundred immigrants and allies will join in a caravan to break their fast and hold a vigil outside the regional ICE office in Burlington, MA calling for ICE to use Prosecutorial Discretion on a couple high profile deportation cases. “The Administration and ICE have stated repeatedly that their priority is detention and deportation of serious criminals, but according to the 2012 statistics, 45% of those who were deported had no criminal convictions at all,” said Conrado Santos, organizer with the Student Immigrant Movement. “Many more had been convicted only of minor crimes, like driving without a license.”

The schedule of events includes:

Monday, June 24

· Charlotte, VT, UCC Church. 6pm. (403 Church Hill Rd.) Farmworker Leader Danilo Lopez, who is being forced to leave the country by July 5th will speak out about Migrant Justice's campaign "Not One More Danilo" to recruit allies to get on a bus to head to head to the ICE detention Center in Burlington Mass on Thursday for a rally and to deliver their petition to stop Danilo's deportation which has nearly 4000 signatures in less than 2 weeks.

· BOSTON - Press conference with undocumented workers and their family members facing deportation. They will begin our fast and share their stories. Faith leader and union president will fast in solidarity and speak. 15 New Sudbury St. Boston from 11 to noon.

· BOSTON - Arts and music protest at Suffolk Detention Center. A coordinated action with detained immigrants—immigrants inside and friends & families outside share messages of hope. Jules Joseph, a legal permanent resident who was detained at Suffolk and recently won his case to stay in the US, will speak of his experience. Melania Bruno, friend of Livio Arias Torres, 70 year old detained at Suffolk, will share a song. 20 Bradston St. Boston from 5 to 6 pm.

Wednesday, June 26

· BOSTON - Teach-in on How to Stop Deportations with SIM (Student Immigrant Movement). Undocumented students teach family and friends how to stop deportations and win with public action and street theatre. City Hall Plaza, Boston from Noon to 1PM.

· PLYMOUTH - Prayer Vigil at the Plymouth Detention Center with the Unitarian Universalist Brewster Church. Faith leaders & members hold first ever vigil at Plymouth Detention Center to call on President Obama to halt unjust detentions and deportations. 26 Long Pond Road, Plymouth, 2-3PM.

· NEW BEDFORD - Community Forum on Immigrant Workers. Stories and discussion with undocumented workers. Vida Abudante Church, 230 Union St., New Bedford from 5-7PM.

Thursday, June 27 -

· Burlington, VT. 7:30am-8am, 294 N. Winooski Ave. Migrant Justice farmworker leader Danilo Lopez, farmworkers and allies will be available for interviews as Vermonters get on the Bus to take their campaign to the ICE Dentention Center in Burlington, Mass.

· BURLINGTON, Mass. Historic Vigil at Burlington Detention Center. Mass caravan from across Massachusetts and New England to regional ICE office in Burlington. Undocumented worker Danilo Lopez and others will speak out on their own imminent deportations and faith leaders will share prayer.

For information on the national campaign, visit www.notonemoredeportation.com.

For information on Danilo Lopez and Migrant Justice: http://www.migrantjustice.net

For information on the Massachusetts and New England week of action, please see: www.facebook.com/notonemoredeportation-Massachusetts.

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