250 march to ICE office to decry SB 1070
Protest marks day the bill took effect 3 years ago
Carrying signs and banners, opponents of Senate Bill 1070 marched in Phoenix on Monday, marking the third anniversary of the day the bill went into effect.
About 250 people, including members of Latino-rights groups and families facing deportation, gathered at Steele Indian School Park and headed toward an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office.
Most of the marchers were part of Puente Arizona, the Latino-rights group that organized the protest.
Sandra Castro, 25, an organizer for Puente Arizona, said they were marching to the office because ICE is in charge of deporting immigrants detained by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and other law-en- forcement agencies.
“We’ve connected the dots. ... It’s not only (Sheriff) Joe Arpaio, it’s not just President (Barack) Obama — it’s ICE,” Castro said. “It is ICE who deports Arpaio’s victims.”
Several of the marchers had family members who had once been detained or are still detained, Castro said.
Reina Hernandez-Morales of Mesa said her son was detained for three months.
“(He’s been in the United States) since he was a little boy,” Hernandez-Morales said, adding that he has a 3-year-old boy and that she is fighting his deportation.
A few members from Remember 1986, an organization against illegal immigration, were there to oppose the rally. Member Barb Heller set up speakers in front of the ICE office building to play “military” music as the protesters marched in.
“(ICE) is doing exactly what they’re trained to do,” Heller said. “With so many Americans out of work, this is the last thing we should be doing, giving them more competition for our jobs.”
Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB1070 into law in 2010. Certain provisions of the law went into effect on July 29 of that year.
Puente Arizona members criticized the raids by Arpaio’s deputies on workplaces that hire undocumented immigrants.
Jennifer Hernandez, a 16year-old student at Carl Hayden Community High School, said her mother was detained for 61⁄
2 months and was recently released.
“We needed to help my mom. We didn’t know where to go, where to turn,” Hernandez said.
“Buffalo” Rick Galeener, a member of Remember 1986, was frank about his opinions on illegal immigration.
“I don’t care who you are,” Rick said. “If you come here illegally, you’re not welcome. Period.”