ICE is trying to deport an Occupy Oakland protester

By Presente.org
November 17, 2011

[Update 11/17/11: Pancho has been released -- INCREDIBLE NEWS. Unfortunately he's not out of the woods yet.]

Occupy Protester to be Deported
Sign the petition demanding ICE to release Pancho and cancel his deportation

In less than 48 hours, we may lose a modern day hero. Francisco “Pancho” Ramos-Stierle was arrested on Monday as he was sitting in silent, non-violent protest against the deep inequality that pervades our society and affects so many Latinos and immigrants.

But what makes Pancho different from so many of the "Occupy" protestors who have been arrested is that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is trying to deport him.  Pancho's information was immediately passed from local police to immigration officials through the Secure Communities (S-COMM) program. So even though the charges against him were dropped, he is still under federal immigration hold.  ICE has less than 48 hours to either take him into federal custody or release him and cancel his deportation.
He was bravely standing up for his community, and now we have to stand up for him. Can you take a moment and sign this petition demanding that ICE release Pancho and cancel his deportation immediately? 

And can you forward this email to your friends and family then post to your Facebook and Twitter profiles?
http://act.presente.org/go/551?akid=480.366925.a3CCkI&t=3

Pancho was arrested during an early morning raid on the Occupy Oakland encampment on November 14th.1  He participated in Occupy Oakland because he was tired of banks and corporations dominating our country's politics.  Our communities have suffered disproportionately as corporations and the wealthiest among us gain more and more power. Latinos across immigration statuses have lost a staggering two-thirds of our wealth in the recession.2  And for the first time in U.S. history, more Latino children are living in poverty than children of any other ethnic group, and more than two-thirds of them have immigrant parents.3 Meanwhile, coorporation such as CCA and GEO are making billions and profiteering by jailing immigrants like Pancho.

Before his arrest, Pancho was pursuing a Ph.D. in astrophysics at UC Berkeley but resigned from the program when he learned that his work would be used to promote “safer nuclear weapons.” His service to community took many forms – whether promoting community gardens or workingfor migrant rights in Arizona.

Although local courts dropped the charges against Pancho, his fingerprints were immediately forwarded to ICE as soon as he was in custody.  This direct pipeline to ICE and deportation is the hallmark of the Obama administration's S-COMM program - a flawed program that fosters racial profiling against Latinos and authorizes local police to act as immigration officers. Now, we must fight to get Pancho's deportation cancelled.  Click here to sign the petition.
http://act.presente.org/go/551?akid=480.366925.a3CCkI&t=5

Thanks and ¡adelante!
Favianna, Roberto, Laurie, Felipe, Carlos, Kyle and the rest of the Presente.org team
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References
1."Peaceful Occupy Oakland Protester Faces Deportation," Colorlines.com, 11/16/11
http://bit.ly/t0DTxF
2. "The Toll of the Great Recession: Hispanic Household Wealth Fell by 66% from 2005 to 2009," Pre Hispanic Center, 7/26/11
http://bit.ly/ooU0u0
3. "The Toll of the Great Recession: Childhood Poverty Among Hispanics Sets Record, Leads Nation," Pew Hispanic Center,9/28/11
http://bit.ly/osigea

Democracy Now! interview:
Occupy Oakland Protester Pancho Ramos Stierle Faces Deportation After Arrest While Meditating
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/11/18/occupy_oakland_protester_pancho_ramos_stierle