ICE Raids in Maryland

As the prospects for comprehensive immigration reform movement keeps getting delayed, ICE raids continue. We need reform. As you can see from this article below, the justification for ICE raids is employer sanctions. But employer sanctions are emblematic of the institutional racism ingrained in our immigration laws. We need to repeal employer sanctions as a part of reform.

Frank D. Roylance writes for the Baltimore Sun:

Twenty-nine people were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in simultaneous raids Thursday morning in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties at two restaurants, several residences and an office.

One of the raids focused on the Timbuktu Restaurant in the 1700 block of Dorsey Road in Hanover and several nearby homes where restaurant workers were housed, according to Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold. Eighteen Anne Arundel County police officers assisted federal agents.

William Winter, special agent in charge at the Baltimore ICE office, said Thursday’s action was carried out “to ensure that employers are held accountable for maintaining a legal work force.

“ICE is committed to investigating employers who engage in illegal employment schemes that utilize illegal labor.” ICE spokeswoman Ernestine Fobbs declined to provide further details on the raids while the investigation was continuing. She said the people detained during the raids were from a variety of countries. Some appeared to be Hispanic, she said. Click here for the rest of the story.

bh