Sewell’s sticks

By Abby Sewell 

Immigrants rights activists gather every second Saturday outside the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash., which houses hundred of people awaiting deportation or trial on immigration violation charges.

“The point is to support family members who are coming to visit the people inside,” explained Heather Hallman, a staffer from the Seattle-based advocacy group Hate Free Zone.

But there was an added urgency at yesterday’s vigil, which drew about 60 people from groups like Hate Free Zone, Washington Community Action Network and Portland Sin Fronteras (Portland No Borders). It also drew about 15 Minutemen who held a counter-protest decrying illegal immigration. Despite some shouting on both sides, the event remained peaceful and no arrests were made. The Minutemen were the first to leave.

Both sides were brought to the detention center by a raid that swept up 167 illegal immigrants from the Fresh Del Monte Produce Co. plant Portland, Ore., earlier this week. Of those, 131 were shipped to Tacoma for processing.

Melissa Campos Avelar, who came out to support the detainees, has worked as an interpreter for immigration lawyers in the facility throughout her time in college and law school.

“That place sucks your soul,” she said, recalling the stories she heard from immigrants facing the loss of their jobs, homes and families.

Avelar and attorneys who work in the facility knew there was something brewing when 150 people were suddenly transferred from the Tacoma facility to a detention center in Alabama, with a promise that they would be returned within 30 days.

“They were trying to free up beds,” she said. “We knew there was a big raid coming. We were freaking out, trying to figure out where it was going to be.”

Their answer came on Tuesday, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the plant in Portland.

Avelar said the new detainees are still being processed and attorneys have been unable to see many of them.

“The first thing they do (in the detention center), is to try get the detainees to sign a paper admitting they’re here illegally and saying they want to go home,” she said. “Within 48 hours, they’re gone.”

People facing immigration charges have the right to an attorney, but not to a court-appointed public defender. Groups like Hate Free Zone attempt to link immigrants with attorneys willing to volunteer their time.

A toll free number staffed by volunteers provides family members of detainees with information on their rights and gathers information on the detainees to be passed on to immigration lawyers willing to take their case.

The number is 1-866-439-6631.