LULAC Demands Immediate Suspension of Plans to Deport Latino Families – Calls Raids Inhumane

May 13, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, LULAC National President Roger C. Rocha, Jr. released the following statement in response to reports indicating that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is once again planning to launch a series of raids to deport vulnerable families from Central America:

“LULAC condemns recently announced plans to conduct raids searching for undocumented individuals from Central America. Such raids would be inhumane and inconsistent with our American values. Families from Central America are fleeing increased violence that includes daily murders, forced gang affiliations, mass shootings and other conditions that make staying in their country of origin an impossibility. Upon entering the United States, these individuals should be treated as refugees and given the full protection of U.S. law.”

Next week, LULAC National will bring over 50 Central American refugee children and their families to Washington, D.C. to meet with Members of Congress and push for an end to these raids and deportations. The women and children who will be participating in these meetings are part of LULAC's Child Refugees United For Freedom Campaign, which seeks to educate Congress about the devastating war and violence affecting our Central American brothers and sisters.

###

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 1000 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 www.LULAC.org.