Protesters against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office briefly blocked the Highway 101 freeway Saturday night, but the demonstration otherwise remained peaceful as it traversed Morgan Hill.
The protest started on Aug. 8 at the ICE Enforcement and Removal sub-office on Vineyard Court. Representatives of various activist organizations attended, including Simply Of Service, Black Lives Matter and Gilroy-based C.A.R.A.S.
Demonstrators gathered with signs stating “Abolish ICE,” “No Kids In Cages,” “Fight Ignorance, Not Immigrants” and other slogans.
One of the organizers, who identified himself only as “Z” of Simply of Service, said the goal of the protest was to raise awareness of the “humanitarian crisis” created by ICE policies and immigration detention policies at the U.S. border with Mexico.
He decried the treatment of children in ICE custody and referred to reports of detained minors being lost in the foster care system, and being abused while being detained in the process of crossing into the U.S.
The group demanded that the $10-billion ICE agency be abolished and replaced with another entity. Z suggested that those funds could be more effective if spent on education and social programs.
“This is their eviction notice—a new entity has to be put into place to replace ICE,” Z said. “They have proven over and over again that they lack a sense of humanity. … It is unacceptable. It’s a humanitarian crisis in terms of what’s happening to these children.”
The demonstration was organized as part of a national day of protest against ICE, according to organizers. Numerous protests against the immigration agency and its policies took place in other cities throughout the day.
From the ICE office in Morgan Hill, demonstrators marched out to Tennant Avenue and to Monterey Road, continuing north on foot until they reached the city’s downtown. The group of about 200 protesters stopped at the Third Street median where Aztec dancers performed and activists spoke into a PA system.
One of the activists noted that she and many other attendees are from out of town, and urged Morgan Hill residents to speak up against the local ICE office.
Morgan Hill police provided traffic control for the group as they marched to the downtown and back toward the ICE office.
Some of the protesters continued toward U.S. 101 after the demonstration downtown. Police reported that as of about 8:30pm Aug. 8, protesters had clogged both the northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway at Tennant Avenue. Authorities stopped vehicle traffic for less than an hour at Cochrane Road and San Martin Avenue.
By 9:15pm the protesters had moved off the freeway and the lanes were open again to vehicles. No injuries or damage were reported during the protest.
The U.S. ICE office on Vineyard Court is an Enforcement and Removal Operations sub-office for the agency, which falls under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The office has been the target of occasional peaceful protests organized by clergy, activists and members of the public since it opened in 2016.
ICE has been broadly criticized for policies under which the agency’s officers detain immigrants at the U.S. border and separate children from their parents.
> Representatives of various activist organizations attended, including Simply Of Service, Black Lives Matter and Gilroy-based C.A.R.A.S.
What, exactly, is an “activist organization”/
Most of these things are just a name on a T-shirt.
Others. like “Black Lives Matter” are obvious fundraising scams, tax scams, or money laundering schemes.
A lot of the money contributed to “Black Lives Matter” seems to end up funding Democratic Party candidates. A political contribution is NOT tax deductible.
get a job and pay your rent
or the highway wont be a place of protest but your place of residence
Blocking people on the Highway probably HURTS YOUR CAUSE, just sayin.
“obvious fundraising scams, tax scams, or money laundering schemes.”
oh? like the Trump Organization?
> oh? like the Trump Organization?
So you agree that “activist organizations” are “obvious fundraising scams, tax scams, or money laundering schemes.”
Mr HOA
you have proof Trump laundered money? You need to call Nancy right away because she just ran an impeachment that had no criminal charges (during the global certain death to all teachers pandemic for the ages and ages). Perhaps if you can Fedex her the evidence she can actually attach crimes to the next time she impeaches Trump in 2021 or 2022. Im sure she’d be grateful.
We need to do what they did in Rockford, IL. The protesters who tried to block the street were immediately arrested and the streets stayed open.
“One of the activists noted that she and many other attendees are from out of town, and urged Morgan Hill residents to speak up against the local ICE office.” If the media is going to quote someone, I believe they have an affirmative obligation to identify the person and provide all other pertinent information. So who Is “Z”? What are his credentials to be making demands? Do taxpayers and citizens who are affected by the pertinent government agencies get a say in it?
And who are the outside agitators stirring the pot and messing up traffic? Where did they come from? With what organization are they affiliated. Who is paying for their trip and other expenses? Are they being paid for their time? Why are they urging locals to become involved? How many locals were there on their own initiative?
How about a report on the real news?
I have always been supportive of equality and access to justice for all. One reason I never really was a fan of former president Obama is he is the Deporter in Chief by excellent and even better than racist Trump at this. He also ignored the Bacha Bazi or rape of boys in Afghanistan and other Muslim countries. However the Bx of those in charge of the Black Lives Matter movement is quite troubling. They are using any cause or reason to be on the spotlight. They just want power for their own benefit. They do not represent the Black community. They are also putting lives at risk. F@cken BLM, do you remember we still have a Corona situation here? I am not talking about the Mexican chela but the virus. BLM YOUR TIME IS UP! Gente no dejen que estos supuestos humanitarios les vean la cara de bueyes. Recuerden, el que por su gusto es buey, del cielo le caen los cuernos! EL CORONAVIRUS SIGUE MATANDO INDISCRIMINADAMENTE!
Motorists stopped on the freeway are captives, and in this country being held captive makes one a victim of a crime, and susceptible to other crimes, up to and including deadly assault. Why is this allowed, excused, ignored? Why aren’t these criminals being aggressively confronted, dispersed via extreme discomfort, and selectively arrested by police? Why are innocent motorists expected to dangerously slam on the brakes and subject their well-being (and that of their passengers) to the whims of an angry mob? The inaction of the authorities, their demonstrated willingness to put the well-being of the lawless ahead of the law-abiding, should cause every motorist to consider DWA — driving while armed.
Phu, the BLM is one extreme and you the other which equals a bunch of crazies!
There would be no “humanitarian crisis “ if parents didn’t drag their kids along to sneak into the US illegally.
There would be no humanitarian crisis if the NRA would’t have the power and freedom to arm the drug lords and MARAS in Latin American countries granting them power over the government and the people. The NRA is a legal American mafia! Parents have two options, dying in the hands of corrupted governments, drug lords, and MARAS or in the hand of Mexican police or ICE. They Obviously choose the Mexican and ICE risks. It is too easy to blame those without a voice or power. If United States wants to stop this mass migration, it needs to work with Latin American Leaders to bring down the power of drug lords, MARAS, and to create work opportunities in those countries. This way people wouldn’t have a reason to come to US.
> If United States wants to stop this mass migration, it needs to work with Latin American Leaders to bring down the power of drug lords, MARAS, and to create work opportunities in those countries. This way people wouldn’t have a reason to come to US.
Fine in theory.
But, what if the “Latin American Leaders” say “EFF OFF! We don’t want no Yankee meddling!” or, “Deposit umpteen million gazillion dollars to my Swiss bank account, and then I MIGHT do some reform”?
What would a white suburban progressive feminist woman do?
I thought Eric Holder and Obama armed the drug lords of South America with their “Fast & Furious” gun running scandal?
Last I checked Democrats & Obama were at Odds with the NRA, so I am confused as to how they were involved in the scandal?
“Phu, the BLM is one extreme and you the other which equals a bunch of crazies!” — FEXXNIST
My “one extreme” believes in a right guaranteed by the Constitution, “the other” believes in mob rule, and your assumption that no harm will come to you from the latter suggests you believe god really does protect fools.
MH police were traveling along with the protesters, doing traffic control for them on city streets where the speed of cars is relatively low. So why did they let the protesters get on 101 in the first place, where the speed of cars is much faster, especially lately? The MH PD should have prevented the protesters from occupying the freeway in the first place, as a matter of safety for the peaceful protesters and the drivers speeding down 101. BUT NO! They let them occupy the freeway. It’s always easier to keep a crowd off a freeway than try to clear it once they are there. It sounds very much like collusion between the protesters and the MH PD.
Good One Phu!