Border Network Demands Sheriff’s Resignation

Border Network for Human Rights

Press Advisory

For Immediate Release:

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Press Contact:

Border Network for HumanRights: Fernando Garcia (915) 577-0724

The Communities of East El Paso Demand the Resignation of Sheriff LeoSamaniego

Residents of the Colonias will Present a Petition Signed bymore than 2000 Community Members to Decry the Lack of Community Security andthe Continued Violation of Civil Rights by the Sheriff’s Office

May 30th, 2005, El Paso, Texas-Community residents of East El Paso, including Montana Vista, San Elizario,Agua Dulce and Sparks, have experienced a decrease in trust and loss of senseof security in their communities due to recent and recurrent activities of theOffice of the El Paso County Sheriff, under the guise of OperationLinebacker. In the past months, the Sheriff’s Department has beenconducting unwarranted and illegal immigration raids in community stores andhomes, and illegal immigration checkpoints outside of schools and communitystreets. 

Those detained for minor trafficviolations are often then asked for proof of immigration status.  TheSheriff’s Department officers have called immigration, driven victims toimmigration detention centers, or personally dropped people off at the ports ofentry to return them to Mexico, often accompanied by racist and abusivecomments.  The result is an atmosphere of extreme insecurity, a fear onthe part of community members to leave their homes to go to the store orretrieve their children from school.  The role of the Sheriff’s Departmentshould be to protect the public, not to terrorize them.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, May 31, 2006residents will gather at Montana Vista Hall located at 14697 Greg Drive inMontana Vista, El Paso to present testimonies and a petition with more than2,000 signatures from community members which demonstrates theirdissatisfaction with Sheriff Leo Samaniego’s work, to demand his resignation,and to put a halt to the unwarranted immigration raids and roadblocks in theircommunities.

Press Conference

Why:              Present Testimonies and a Petition Signed by +2000 residents askingSheriff Leo Samaniego to Step Down the Sheriff Office

Who:              Residents of East of El Paso Communities (Montana Vista, Sparks, AguaDulce, San Elizario.)

When and Where:    Wednesday31^st at 12 Noon At Montana Vista Hall (14697 Greg Dr.)

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