Latino Group Advocates on Behalf of Chinese Nationals Detained after Raid
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 09:27PM
TheSpook
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]
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