Ecuadorian Center President Franklin Pena and groups and organizations that make up the Danbury Alliance describe plans to take action against ICE ACCESS. Danbury Alliance press conference. 02.21.08, photo by ctblogger.
There is a movement going on in Danbury unlike anything I've ever seen before. Forget the immigration rallies in 05, and 06...this is entirely different, much larger in scale, and more driven in it's purpose. From the hundreds of people that came out to speak out against ICE ACCESS, to the thousands who protested outside City Hall earlier this month, a new movement has been sparked and from it, hopefully a new beginning.
Leaders of different immigrants organizations as well as clergy members, business owners, and like-minded people who are sick of Danbury's current condition are coming together to fight back against the anti-immigrant tone that has gripped this city.
Last Thursday, a press conference was held to announce the alliance and outline outline what was being done in terms of dealing with ICE ACCESS.
Press release:
Organizations Join Forces to Combat ICE Access
A coalition of local business, religious, and civic organizations is uniting to combat the fear and apprehension in the immigrant community following the City of Danbury's vote to approve the ICE Access program on February 6, 2008.
"We are not going to step back and let innocent people suffer because of their country of origin. We are going to step up and actively support the hard-working immigrants in our community", stated Franklin Pena, President of the Ecuadorian Civic Center.
• We will build bridges to civic and religious organizations who value diversity and justice.
• We will patronize immigrant-owned businesses and other Danbury businesses that support our city's hard-working immigrants.
• We will boycott businesses with financial ties to Council members who supported ICE Access.
• We will work with community groups to hold "Know Your Rights" training for the immigrant community
• We will create a legal team to assist people who are detained
• We will establish a hotline to answer questions and direct people to community organizations that can help them
• We will establish teams to go door to door with information on how to prepare for future enforcement actions with an "immigrant safety plan".
• We will develop hand-outs in English, Spanish and Portuguese for a City Watch program asking people to monitor and report on police activity in their neighborhoods
• We will establish an emergency aid network that can provide transportation to hearings, care for children whose parents are detained or deported, and financial assistance with posting bonds.
• We will register 1000 new voters before the next Mayoral election
We will push back against the fear and apprehension created by the Common Council's approval of the ICE Access program. We will fight for fairness and respect for the immigrant community.
04.25.22 (RADIO): WSHU Latino group call on Connecticut lawmakers to open a Danbury charter school
06.03.22 (OP-ED): KUSHNER: "Career Academy ‘a great deal for Danbury"
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
