Cleveland, OH — From Univision to NBC Nightly News to the Salem News, the consequences of the massive, military-style immigration raids that the federal government carried out at Corso’s Flower and Garden Center and Fresh Mark plants are on full display. Rather than applauding these actions, the backlash among Ohioans has been intense.
This past Saturday, concerned Ohioans held a rally outside of the Seneca County Jail in Tiffin, an immigration detention facility. Yesterday, a “candlelight vigil for the children” took place in Chagrin Falls, and 250 people attended a pro-immigrant rally in Wooster. Ohioans are also taking part in the Occupy ICE Detroit action lead by Michigan partners from June 23-30 outside of the Detroit ICE Field Office at 333 Mt Elliott Street.
Ivory and Birch Boutique in Boardman is selling “Be Kind” t-shirts to benefit children impacted by the Fresh Mark raid in Salem. Los Ninos de Corso’s, a group of teens organizing donations and other needs for families impacted by the recent raids, is also selling t-shirts to raise money for these families.
Today, June 25, First First Unitarian Universalist Church of Youngstown is holding an Interfaith Vigil Supporting Undocumented Immigrants. This will include sign-making, letter-writing, and vigil preparations at 6pm at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1105 Elm Street, and then peaceful vigil across from CoreCivic Northeast Ohio Correctional Center, 2257 Hubbard Road, at 9pm.
Events outside of the ICE Office in Cleveland are scheduled for Tuesday, June 26 at 6pm and Thursday, June 28 at 2pm. The address is 925 Keynote Circle, Brooklyn Heights.
These events are all leading up to a major national day of action on June 30, 2018. A contingent of Ohioans are traveling to Washington, DC to attend the national “Families Belong Together” rally. Local events will take place in nearly a dozen towns across Ohio: at 10am in Cleveland; Columbus; Delaware; 11am in Bowling Green; Cincinnati; Dayton; Oxford; and Toledo; noon in Oberlin and Portsmouth; and 1pm in Norwalk.
Check the national website for updates and information on events happening in neighboring states.
Said Lynn Tramonte, Director of America’s Voice Ohio: “The immigration raids in Ohio, along with the Trump Administration’s family separation policy, have sparked unprecedented levels of activism and volunteerism from Ohioans across the state. Recent Quinnipiac polling shows that, on immigration, Ohio voters are far more pragmatic and solutions-oriented than current Republican Party policies. It’s clear that Ohioans see the humanity and dignity of immigrants who work hard to support their families. Now we need more politicians and leaders to join the movement and use every lever at their disposal to crush the GOP’s anti-family, anti-worker attacks.”
America’s Voice Ohio – Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform @tramontela @mhildreth @AmericasVoice
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