North Carolina, Raleigh- In response to the detention of at least 32 immigrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in recent weeks in ten counties in North Carolina, the community advocacy organization Siembra NC launched two campaigns to help the impacted families.
Fund-raising
The community effort consists of raising $10,000 in two weeks for the immigrant solidarity fund. An emergency fund that serves to help families with legal costs, utility payments, food and general maintenance.
As part of the initiative, businesses in the Triangle and Triad area will be donating part of their profits and will also receive donations from the public.
The list of participating companies will be announced soon, Kelly Morales of Siembra NC said at a press conference held on the morning of February 17 in Raleigh.
This campaign is being carried out together with partner organizations Church World Service and Interactive Resource Center. To donate you must enter www.siembranc.org
Court accompaniment
Of the 32 arrests confirmed by the organization, nine took place in courthouses and probation offices. This is why they also launched the "No One Is Left Alone" program, "No One Goes Alone." This initiative will see trained volunteers accompany immigrants to court and probation appointments.
The goal is to train 30 volunteers in each of Durham, Alamance, Greensboro and Winston Salem counties.
“Volunteers will be trained to accompany immigrants to their court appointments and the probation office,” he explained to Enlace Latino NC, Kelly Morales of Siembra NC. “We have seen an increase in arrests in these places and the role of the volunteers will be to witness that ICE will do the right things and they are not violating their rights.”
Morales mentioned that registrations are open for people with a driver's license who wish to be part of this network. The training will be in English, but if needed, translation into Spanish will be offered.
So far the scheduled training sessions are:
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- Greensboro: February 23, 6:30 pm at Greensboro Unitarian Universalist Church (5603 Hilltop Rd, Jamestown, NC, 27282)
- Winston-Salem: March 2, 7:00 pm Malloy Jordan Library (1110 1110 East 7th Street, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101)
- Durham: March 25, 6:30 pm (Location TBA)
- Alamance: March 28, 4:00 pm (Location to be defined)
In solidarity with the affected families, Javiera Caballero, Jillian Johnson and Charlie Reece, councilors of the city of Durham and Saige Martin, councilor of the city of Raleigh, were also present at the press conference, as well as relatives of the arrested immigrants.
On Friday ICE announced who had arrested 16 people in Raleigh. At least 16 other people were arrested since January 14, in Alamance, Chatham, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph and Wake counties.
Three arrests also took place at courthouses in Montgomery, Johnston and Iredell counties, and one at the probation office in Surry County.
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