Latino Group Advocates on Behalf of Chinese Nationals Detained after Raid

Carlos Veloz of LULAC voiced his support for the Chinese nationals detained by Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials after a raid on two restaurants. Representatives of the Chinese Benevolent Society, LULAC and the Mexican-American Bar Association said Tuesday that they are concerned that U.S. federal authorities violated the human and civil rights of about 50 Chinese immigrants picked up during raids last month at two Chinese food restaurants and their homes. "We, as an organization of Chinese-Americans in El Paso, are concerned that the Chinese immigrants in this case should have their rights protected by our government and should at all times be treated in a humane manner," said Maureen Lam, president of the Chinese Benevolent Society. "We are concerned and hope that there is no evidence of racial profiling of persons of Chinese descent." Carlos Veloz, director of the League of United Latin American Citizens Council No. 4 in El Paso, and Francisco Dominguez, board member of the Mexican-American Bar Association, said they believe federal agents with the FBI and Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement violated due process and civil rights when they picked up the Chinese immigrants Nov. 15 and held them for several days. Speaking through interpreter Martin Yee, about a dozen Chinese immigrants said they were picked up during the federal raid at gunpoint and kept at a U.S. immigration facility until they went on a hunger strike. [more]