Austin rallies in solidarity with immigrant hunger strikers
Austin, TX – Approximately 20 community members gathered in front of Travis County Jail on Saturday, June 13 in a show of solidarity with those resisting in Delaney Hall and Adelanto ICE processing facility. The rally was organized by La Frontera Unida (LFU), a member of the Legalization for All Network (L4A), as a part of L4A’s Weekend of Action Against Immigration Detention Centers.
LFU targeted the Travis County Jail because Travis County Commissioners and Sheriff Sally Hernandez continually hold people suspected to be in the U.S. “illegally” past their release date, in order to give ICE time to pick them up from jail.
La Frontera Unida president, Jesse Valdelamar, broke down the shameless submission of Travis County to Greg Abbott and Donald Trump: “When Sheriff Hernandez complies with the state in executing an immigration hold against community members, she is handing them over to a murderous system. Detained people are denied their basic human rights, medical care, adequate food, water. When people die because of these cruel conditions, no one is held accountable. Not the agents! Not the sheriffs! Not the commissioners!”
Valdelamar continued, “The people in Delaney Hall understand this reality. They are risking their own wellbeing because they know that collaboration with ICE is collaboration with death. These detainees have every right to resist their oppression, and it is our duty to assist them. For Sheriff Hernandez, the Travis County commissioner, this is our demand. This is not a request. Free our people! Free them all now!
In between speeches, the rallygoers chanted “Se ve se siente el pueblo está presente!” and “What do we want? ‘Legalization!’ When do we want it? ‘Now!’” Several people released from jail for unrelated reasons stopped to chat with organizers and a couple joined in on chants and took pictures with the signs and banners.
Mia Reballosa of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization pointed out, “La migra’s violence has one simple goal, fear and submission. Instead of listening to the people, of uplifting and supporting its people, the U.S. has decided to continue its longstanding tradition of beating its own people into submission with the goal of continued exploitation.”
LFU is continuing its campaign to end the Austin Police Department's collaboration with ICE, and will hold its first Barrio Walk on June 27.