ICE on the Offensive Again

After a couple of months of low activity ICE is back on its racist agenda, attacking immigrant workers. Headlines in the New York Times in the last couple of weeks read like this: "Immigration Officials Arrest 905 in California Sweep" (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24deport.html?scp=3&sq=immigration&st=nyt ) and "270 Illegal Immigrants Sent to Prison in Federal Push" (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/24/us/24immig.html?scp=25&sq=immigration&st=nyt)
The latter article details the outcome of the largest raid in U.S. history at the Agriprocessors Inc. meatpacking plant in Iowa. Over 389 workers were detained for working with false papers. This raid is unique from others because until now, relatively few immigrants caught in raids have been charged with federal crimes like identity theft or document fraud.

It is important to keep in mind under what political context this new offensive is coming: 1) an election year, which has divided sections of the immigrant's rights movement.
2) ICE has been up until now on the defensive, with the well publicized mistreatment of detained immigrants by the New York Times, Washington Post and CBS News.
3) U.S. economy is heading towards a recession, which means that the Mexican economy shall soon be in a deeper one. (Ruling class also need a scapegoat--immigrant workers)
4) The ruling class in this country is looking for a restructuring of the immigration system in this country, fast.

Fight Back:

The response of immigrant rights activists both in Postville, Iowa and all around California, particularly in the Bay area and San Diego, has been remarkable. Some good coverage can be found at http://socialistworker.org/2008/05/26/san-diego-protest-against-ice. In New York City, the No Raids Committee of Queens along with The Humanist Center, Polo Democratico and other community groups will be marching to demand the right of immigrants to vote in local elections and to show the community that we will not let the Iowa Raids intimidate us. Also, activists in the No Raids Committee are preparing a petition in support of the 270 workers in federal prison, the demands are: to drop the charges of document fraud and to release workers immediately. I will post petition shortly.

Struggle continues:

In spite of the largest ruling class offensive against immigrants in decades activists and family members have been committed to fight for worker's rights. Although this layer of people nationally is small, the dynamics of social movements, i.e. its retreats and victories, will prove to be an invaluable lesson for all of us .