This article originally appeared in the November-December 2007 issue of the Children's Advocate, published by Action Alliance for Children.

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Grassroots Snapshot

PICO groups mobilize cities to oppose immigrant raids

By Aimee Strain

When one of the families at Berkeley’s Rosa Parks Elementary School was being deported during the recent federal immigrant raids, other parents got active. They joined with the Pacific Institute for Community Organizing and other organizations to successfully urge several Bay Area cities to reaffirm themselves as sanctuary cities.

“We wanted (city officials) to make a statement,” says Belen Pulido, organizer with Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action, a PICO member. When local officials declare their city a sanctuary for immigrants targeted by the raids, “they support immigrant communities and make it clear (the raids are) not welcome,” she adds.

People “tapped into their strength”

The raids were “breaking up families,” says Cristina Hernandez Espinoza, organizer with Contra Costa Interfaith Supporting Community Organization (also a PICO member). “We moved from powerless to ‘No, this can’t go on!’” she recalls. Key strategies included:

• Getting the word out through churches: This was “powerful because we could educate congregations,” says Pulido.

• Drawing on parents: “I fight because I don’t want to see my community scared of being deported,” says Berkeley mom Martha Higuera, who testified at a Berkeley townhall meeting. Speaking out made her “very confident,” she says.

• Involving elected officials: Berkeley activists met with the mayor’s office and “the mayor came to every action,” says Pulido. “The police and school superintendent wanted to get involved and immigrant community was able to ask questions.” Activists also held a townhall meeting with congressional staff.

Contra Costa activists held research meetings where families spoke to officials about the raids’ impact. Families were “frightened because many were undocumented, but (they tapped) into their strength and the strength of the community,” says Espinoza. CCISCO held action meetings in Concord and Richmond to urge officials to refuse to cooperate with the raids.

• Holding rallies: CCISCO publicized a Richmond rally through radio and flyers at schools and congregations. Then 900 people attended, and 150 marched to city hall the next week with banners that read “We are not illegal, we are human!” and “Keep our families together!” A Berkeley rally drew 100 people, says Pulido.

Resolutions pass

Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, and Richmond passed resolutions denouncing the raids. They also drafted policies about not cooperating with the raids for city agencies, schools, and police.

“CCISCO responded to the community’s outcry,” says Richmond’s mayor, Gayle McLaughlin. At a meeting with CCISCO, she heard “vivid, painful testimony. I realized our city needed to send a strong message (against the raids). Our city resolution emerged from what was heard at that meeting,” she adds.

“We created space for (immigrants) to speak up,” says Higuera. “Our immigrant community is very vulnerable, to give them power is amazing.”

Fight continues

PICO groups are urging Congress to pass immigration reform. Richmond mom Norma Yahira Olivedo Mejia testified at a DC hearing about the raids’ impact on families. “I was haunted by the idea that my children would never see their father,” she says. “I am a US citizen. My children are citizens. We need to stop separating children from their parents.”

• Contact: PICO, 510-655-2801, www.piconetwork.org

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