Please Help the Stranded Bedford Immigrant Children

There are between 150 and 200 niños (children) separated from their parents as a result of the March 6, 2007 Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s raid on workers at a defense contractor in New Bedford, Massachusetts. MIRA members, staff, allies, families, neighbors and friends are doing their best to care for these children, but with limited resources.ICE rounded up and incarcerated around 350 textile workers, mostly women, leaving many children stranded.

How you can help:

1. Donate Money: The New Bedford Immigrant Families/ Niños Fund is now accepting donations. MIRA is working with the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts (SFSEMA) in distributing all funds raised to the affected children and families. Click here to donate online.

Please specify that the funds are for “New Bedford Immigrant Families / Ninos Fund.”

Or send a check to the MIRA Coalition, 105 Chauncy St, Boston, MA 02111. Please make checks out to the “New Bedford Immigrant Families / Ninos Fund.” Donations are tax-deductible and 100% of your donations to this fund will be distributed to the affected families through the Commuity Foundation of Southeastern MA (CFSEMA).

2. Volunteers: Right now we need people willing to drive New Bedford families from their homes to and from the JFK federal building in Boston. Father Fallon has generously allowed the use of the Catholic Social Services passenger van, available for volunteers. Drivers must have a valid license and have some basic Spanish language capability.

If you are available, please call Father Fallon at (508) 997-7337

We also need immigration lawyers willing to take pro-bono cases, preferably a bilingual Spanish speaker. Please call MIRA with your name and contact information at 617-350-5480 x212.

3. Material Donations: Needed items: Pampers in all sizes; Baby wipes; bottles and bottle liners; Enfamil Soy baby formula; all types of baby food and winter baby clothing. Canned food, bottled water and paper products are also needed. Donations should be dropped off between 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday through Friday ONLY at 2 Acushnet Ave, New Bedford at the Our Lady of Guadalupe Convent.

4. Voice Your Opinion: Write to your local newspaper and call into your local radio station to decry the devestation this raid has caused. Our immigration laws are supposed to unite families not destroy them. Read the press releases and articles and then click here for tips on writing a letter with some local paper links.

5. Write and Call Your Members of Congress: Capital Switchboard (202) 224-3121. Ask them to speak directly with Secretary Chertoff to request that he “Release the Moms.” Also demand a moratorium on deportations and new immigration laws now! A sample letter is here; hand written letters have the most impact and should be sent to the district offices (goto: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ click on your state and then click on your Senators’/Representative’s name to get mailing addresses). Please invite your friends and families in other states to also write in!

DONATE FOR THE NEW BEDFORD FAMILIES / NINOS FUND HERE

• Read Boston Globe March 9th Oped: “U.S immigration system at its worst”

• If you have a FAMILY MEMBER detained in this raid, you can call ICE at 1-866-341-3858 to get more information about the arrested individual.

• Sample letter to Congress

Please, even the smallest thing, even the least of these actions is a help. There are scared and suffering children involved. Thank you. For more information, see the MIRA website.

lifted from Nez.