United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1161 and
Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network update on the ongoing efforts to support the families and workers affected by the immigration raids.

This past Sunday, about 50 community members organized a candle night vigil for Senora Catalina, a mother who was detained at Swift and cruelly separated from her baby, 13 month old Hamilton. ICE agents placed her in the Worthington jail where she spent nearly a week without contact with her baby until finally, on Monday morning, she was reunited with her son thanks to the effort of baby Hamilton’s babysitter, Amy Juarez, and immigration laywer Ben Casper.

Hear the story on Minnesota Public Radio.

On January 6, 2007 the Worthington community will host an event to aim at community building and addressing the long term action plan for immigrant rights. More details will be available soon.

In the six days the MIFN has been in Worthington, we’ve been able to connect with about a hundred families who are affected by this issue. As we developed relationships with various people, some decided to share their stories with us so we could share those stories with you. We’ve placed two links on this email, one for photos and one for video. If you decide to use any of the photos specific to Worthington please credit Diego Perez Velez/Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network. To cite information on the videos, please credit “courtesy of new-Minnesotans in Worthington and the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network.”

Immigrant Rights Now on You Tube

Worthington community Photos in Flickr

For a long term strategy, many agree we must keep pushing to pass a fair immigration bill that would provide legalization for new Minnesota families and workers. We hope you can keep the fire in your belly going for struggles up ahead.

La lucha sigue,
the struggle continues,

United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1161
Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network

Worthington, MN