LULAC Sends Rescue Teams To Mississippi To Aid Victims of ICE Raids

Nation’s Oldest & Largest Hispanic Civil Rights Organization to Host Know Your Rights Legal Workshops for Families and Children Left Behind

Jackson, Mississippi – Today, members of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) traveled to Mississippi to aid the families who were separated from their children after this week’s coordinated raids at several of the state’s food-processing plants. This has been called the largest worksite immigration enforcement raid in a single state in U.S. history, resulting in the arrest of 680 people according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On the first day of school for several districts in Mississippi, children were left without parents to pick them up from school, forced to turn to local organizations and aid from others to secure a safe place to sleep and access to food. The immigration work site raids were carried out with the hope of striking fear into communities that are already living in terror.

LULAC National President Domingo Garcia issued a statement condemning the raids and characterizing them as state terrorism.

Thus far, LULAC has completed 80 rescue missions, providing relief, legal guidance and other critical services for families devastated by these racially and politically motivated raids. LULAC will not stop until families are safe and aware of their rights. Julie Contreras, LULAC National Immigration Committee Chair, and Hilda Ramirez-Duarte, LULAC member and community advocate, are part of the rescue team which will be hosting legal workshops to empower immigrants and assist the families and children of those impacted.

The following members are available on the ground for interviews:

• Julie Contreras, LULAC National Immigration Committee Chair
• Hilda Ramirez-Duarte, LULAC Member and Community Advocate
• Summer Gonzalez, LULAC Member
• Families impacted by ICE Raids

About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit https://lulac.org/