Santa Clara Immigrant Rights Advocates Hold Forum to Inform Public Around Stopping Deportations

On Thursday, July 21, 2011, the Santa Clara County Coalition Against Secure Communities, a group of immigrant and civil rights organizations, held a community forum at a South San Jose church, St. Maria Gorreti Parish, on how immigrants can protect themselves in an era of escalating immigration enforcement. The event was organized to show the public how families and communities can protect themselves from deportations.

“We really wanted people to learn about their rights and what they could do if they got detained by the police or ICE. With local law enforcement and ICE collaborations targeting the immigrant community in Santa Clara County, it was important that people were equipped in the information they needed to protect themselves and their families,” says Zelica Rodriguez from Service, Immigrant Rights and Education Network. (SIREN)

The event started at 6 pm in a soup kitchen at the back of the church. The space easily fit more than a hundred and fifty people comfortably, yet this night it was easily holding fifty people over capacity.

Rodriguez says, “The over 150 people who attended the forum was a clear indicator that people are fearful and opposed to local law enforcement working with ICE.” Rodriguez referring to Santa Clara County’s participation in SCOMM, an national deportation program that relies on partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

The forum informed people on their rights in regards to both local law enforcement and federal agencies. People were speaking about their own experiences as well as hearing others speak about theirs.

The forum presented skits performed by youth interns from the Community Legal Services of East Palo Alto of a typical arrest processes and the key invention points where an immigrant can exercise their rights.

"The most important right you can repeat is, I have the right to remain silent, I have the right to an attorney." Says Gail Noble, community organizer at Silicon Valley De-Bug. Noble has been working on assisting families who's criminal charges have led to immigration consequences.

After illustrating the different steps an individual can take to protect themselves from deportation, the host group stated that if one follows these steps, they have done their best to prepare against deportation orders.

Throughout the evening attendees were giving other people advice, exchanging phone numbers and sharing emotions throughout the room.

A video was then aired – the story of Jeysson Minota. Minota was arrested and put into a detention center to await his deportation for a total of four years. Minota fought the case with the help of Silicon Valley De-Bug’s Albert Cobarrubias Justice Project – a program that assists families going through the criminal justice system and offers trainings to community groups. He has a wife and daughter he would leave behind if he were to get deported, which is the reason why he fought so hard and eventually beat his deportation order.

"Through their perseverance, Jeysson and his family has given us clear proof that deportations can be fought, and be beaten, with community participation." Says Raj Jayadev, a community organizer at Silicon Valley De-Bug.

After the movie, Minota spoke about how he beat the deportation and answered questions from the audience. Minota not only spoke in the event, he also listened to people with similar situations.

As Minota was speaking to the crowd, consultations were being held between members of the community and immigration attorneys. The event ended later than planned, but with the energy of the crowd, it seemed like no one wanted the event to end.