http://youtu.be/yzviok8JUQc
Organizers from NM Comunidades en Acción y de Fé along with Dreamers, clergy and others gathered in front of the federal courthouse in downtown Las Cruces to defend undocumented immigrants.
NM CAFé, a faith-based community group, joined in protests taking place across the country. CAFé organizer Johana Bencomo said they chose the U.S. District Court at 100 N. Church St. for a reason.
“In Las Cruces we decided that the federal courthouse where they process immigrants and criminalize the American dream was a point of crisis for our community and we wanted to shed light to what happens here because many in our community don’t know,” Bencomo said.
Dozens of protestors arrived to oppose Operation Streamline, a federal program created in 2005 that fast-tracks prosecutions for undocumented immigrants. After they’re arrested, immigrants are bussed to federal courthouses and criminally charged in groups for crossing the border. Those who enter the country illegally are charged with a misdemeanor and re-entry gets them a felony. Bencomo said she’s worried the number of immigrants prosecuted will increase under President Trump.
“We fear that the Trump administration only wants to increase this process and wants to start putting people through this system that have lived in our community for a long time,” Bencomo said.
The Department of Justice reported nearly 60 thousand immigration prosecutions in fiscal year 2017. That’s down nearly 15 percent from the year before according to TRAC Report data from Syracuse University. Protesters like Liz Anichini say undocumented immigrants prosecuted under Operation Streamline are unfairly treated.
“Several people can be forced to go before a judge at a time and it’s just not a legal standard that any American would be proud of or accept for themselves,” Anichini said. “All that they have done is come to this country to try and pursue a better life and we treat them like criminals, we shackle them, and it’s really dehumanizing to treat people this way.”
While they didn’t block the streets, protestors did sit down to block the entrance for vehicles entering the courthouse. But buses transporting immigrants arrived there before the protestors did. Anichini said immigration is an issue close to her heart.
“My father was an immigrant and came to this country and was welcomed,” Anichini said. “I mean I don’t know if he was necessarily welcomed, no immigrant group has really been welcomed, but was able to be given an opportunity and to work hard and to provide for our family and I really feel like we’ve lived the American dream and it really breaks my heart that we’re treating immigrants this way one generation later. It seems like we never learn this lesson.”
Demonstrators advocated for Dreamers in response to Congress failing to meet President Trump’s deadline of March 5th to solve DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. CAFé leader and DACA recipient Carlos Corral said he wants people to know that Dreamers are like anybody else.
“I’m a student, firefighter, server. I do community things that anybody else would and we’re just liked anybody else. You know, we were raised together and we pledge to the same flag,” Corral said.
State officials also attended the protest to speak out. Las Cruces District 33 Rep. Bill McCamley said Dreamers are as American as he is and deserve a path to citizenship.
“Why are we denying folks the chance at coming here, working hard and making a better life for themselves and their kids. We shouldn’t be,” McCamley said. “This is what America is about and it is so damn important for all us to get up and really say what is patriotism, what is the American dream and how can we all live it. Rounding up immigrants and deporting them even though they’re contributing to our society and doing all the right things that they’re supposed to be is not that.”
NM CAFé said it plans to organize more events and hopes to meet with state Congressional leaders including Sens. Heinrich and Udall as well as Congressman Steve Pearce.
