How we can help two immigration activists

1. Donate to support Elvira Arellano's struggle

Immigration officials detained Elvira Arellano in Los Angeles on Aug. 19 and deported her to Mexico. She is currently staying with friends in Tijuana.

Arellano is the president of the Chicago-based immigrant rights organization Familia Latina Unida. For one year she stayed in the Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago in defiance of a deportation order that would have separated her from her son, a US citizen. She left the church on Aug. 15 to continue her activism by speaking out on immigration issues in different cities, starting with Los Angeles; she had intended to end her tour with a prayer vigil in front of the Capitol in Washington, DC on Sept. 12.

You can help Arellano and her work by donating to:

Adalberto United Methodist Church
2715 West Division Street
Chicago, IL 60622

OR

Centro Sin Fronteras
2300 South Blue Island Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608

OR
Familia Unida Latina
http://www.familialatinaunida.com/


2. Write a letter for Bronx activist Victor Toro

Immigration authorities detained longtime Bronx activist Victor Toro while he was traveling near Buffalo, NY in July. Toro is a Chilean who fled his home country after being imprisoned and tortured by Augusto Pinochet's military regime. Toro's next hearing is scheduled for Sept. 12 in Buffalo.

His supporters are urging people to write letters to Immigration Judge Montante asking him to reassign the hearings to New York City. You can email the letters to Attorney Carlos Moreno, MrnCrls@aol.com. The following is a sample letter:

Hon. Philip J. Montante
US Department of Justice
Immigration Court 130 Delaware Avenue, Suite 410
Buffalo, NY 14202

Re: Victor Toro, A 88 187 516

Dear Judge Montante,

I have known Mr. Toro for __ years. Mr. Toro is highly respected within his community for all the work he does for the underprivileged of our community.

I have been informed by Mr. Toro's attorney, Carlos Moreno, Esq., that Mr. Toro's case has been assigned to you. I respectfully request that you consider granting Mr. Toro's request for a change of venue to New York City.

Mr. Toro is 65 years old and in poor health, and moving between New York City and Buffalo would be a real hardship for Mr. Toro and an unbearable drain on his scant resources.

Sincerely,
_________________