#Not1More Deportation

New Orleans Civil Rights Leader Denouncing Racial Profiling by ICE Could Be Deported Any Moment

Yestel Velazquez is one of two New Orleans reconstruction workers who were detained when ICE conducted a raid at an auto shop frequented by Latino clients. Yestel was a customer driving his car, while Wilmer Irias Palma was working on auto-repairs.

In May of this year Yestel and Wilmer filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reporting abusive operations and racial profiling by the New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Initially, ICE granted both workers a 3-month stay of removal while the investigation continued, but did not release them from detention.

Then on Monday August 4th Yestel, detained and speaking over the phone, along with the partners of Yestel and Wilmer, gave a civil rights briefing in Washington D.C. to national civil, immigrant, and labor organization, speaking out against the CARI program and race-based ICE raids in New Orleans. The next day ICE revoked their stay of removal and scheduled them for deportation at the end of the week. 

Wilmer and Yestel are deeply-rooted members of the New Orleans community who have contributed to the reconstruction of New Orleans and have no criminal records. Wilmer and Yestel support their partners, family, and community who are desperate to reunite with their loved ones.

Wilmer was deported on Friday August 8th. Please sign the petition urging DHS and ICE to stop Yestel’s deportation and release him from detention. 

 

A message from the Congress of Day Laborers

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UPDATE: On Thursday August 14th, Yestel was granted a stay of removal for one year and released from detention, pending the investigation into his civil right complaint.

E-mail to ICE Deputy Director Ragsdale

To: ICE Deputy Director Daniel Ragsdale;
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Thomas Winkowsky;

I am writing to you as a member of the public with great concern regarding the deportation of Mr. Yestel Velasquez (A# 098-898-300). Mr. Velasquez has lived in the United States since 2005, he has strong ties to his community, he has no criminal record, his partner depends on him financially and emotionally, and he is a civil rights leader who has made significant contributions in New Orleans and nationally. In addition, Mr. Velasquez has the support of dozens of national organizations and individuals like myself. I urge you to consider using prosecutorial discretion to grant Mr. Velasquez a stay of removal and immediately release him from detention.

Mr. Velasquez was a customer at the auto shop where he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New Orleans. The arrest is concerning. Mr. Velasquez was a customer of the auto-shop and was simply there to fix his car when ICE raided the auto-shop, detaining and fingerprinting all individuals at the workplace. His detention and this raid are the most recent examples of racial-profiling based, biometrics raids by the ICE New Orleans Field Office.

Mr. Velasquez has made positive contributions to the City of New Orleans as a reconstruction worker and civil rights leader. Mr Velasquez has lived in New Orleans since 2005, and has deep ties to his community. He also has a long-term partner who depends on him financially and emotionally. Mr. Velasquez is also a member of the New Orleans Congress of Day Laborers and a national grassroots civil rights leader. He is fighting to end racial-profiling in New Orleans.

In May of this year Mr. Velasquez, along with Mr. Wilmer Palma, filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reporting abusive operations and racial profiling by the New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Initially, ICE granted both workers a 3-month stay of removal while the investigation continued. The stay of removal was revoked the week of August 4th, and Mr. Palma was deported on Friday August 8th. The timing of the revocation of the stay of removal, namely 24 hours after Mr. Velasquez and Mr. Palma presented their testimonies to national civil rights and labor organizations, raises serious questions about potential retaliation towards these workers and civil rights whistleblowers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

I am aware that Mr. Velasquez has prior immigration order from 2005. However, the deportation of Mr. Velasquez would have serious negative consequences in the pursuit of justice and would send a negative message to all of those who would offer their testimony when there are civil rights violations conducted by ICE. Since the only negative factor in Mr. Velasquez’s case is an immigration violation from 9 years ago, I urge you to also take into consideration all the positive factors in his case, as well as the overwhelming support from his community and national organizations.

I hope that ICE will reconsider its position on Mr. Velasquez. I strongly support the stay of deportation of Mr. Velasquez and his release from detention.

Thank you,

E-mail to New Orleans ICE Office

To: David Rivera, New Orleans ICE Office Field Director;
Brian Acuna, New Orleans ICE Office Assistant Director;

I write as a member of the public to urge you to ensure that civil rights complainants Yestel Velasquez (A# 098-898-300) and Wilmer Irias-Palma (A# 200-063-329) are released from ICE detention and accorded the full opportunity to pursue their civil rights.

Mr. Irias Palma and Mr. Velazquez are scheduled to be deported on Friday August 8th. The revocation of their stay of removal and their expedited deportation comes just 24 hours after they briefed civil rights, labor and human rights organizations on civil rights violations by New Orleans ICE offices.

Yestel Velasquez and Wilmer Irias Palma were arrested in May and face deportation after ICE conducted a sweeping raid of a Latino auto-shop, detaining and fingerprinting all Latinos. This raid was one of the most recent examples of racial-profiling based, biometrics raids that ICE New Orleans Field Office has initiated through the Criminal Alien Removal Initiative (CARI)

Yestel and Wilmer filed civil rights complaints with DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reporting ICE’s misconduct including racial-profiling and unconstitutional enforcement practices to DHS, and requested prosecutorial discretion. In response, ICE granted Yestel and Wilmer a three month stay of removal in detention.

Retaliation against civil rights complainants is unacceptable. I urge you to re-consider their request to be granted a stay of removal and to be released from detention.

Thank you,

[Signature]

E-mail to DHS Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Division

To: Ms. Megan Mack, DHS Civl Rights & Civil Liberties;
Ms. Claire Trickler-McNulty, DHS Civil Rights & Civil Liberties;

I am writing to you as a member of the public with great concern regarding the deportation of Mr. Yestel Velasquez (A# 098-898-300). Mr. Velasquez has lived in the United States since 2005, he has strong ties to his community, he has no criminal record, his partner depends on him financially and emotionally, and he is a civil rights leader who has made significant contributions in New Orleans and nationally. In addition, Mr. Velasquez has the support of dozens of national organizations and individuals like myself.

As the Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties for DHS, you work to protect all members of our community from abuses of civil rights, civil liberties, and racial-profiling by DHS agencies including ICE. We are concerned with the reports of racial-profiling, mobile fingerprinting, and community raids by the ICE Southern Regional Office, including the recent raid of a Latino auto-shop where Mr. Velasquez was arrested.

Mr. Velasquez was a customer at the auto shop where he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New Orleans. The arrest is concerning. Mr. Velasquez was a customer of the auto-shop and was simply there to fix his car when ICE raided the auto-shop, detaining and fingerprinting all individuals at the workplace. His detention and this raid are the most recent examples of racial-profiling based, biometrics raids by the ICE New Orleans Field Office.

Mr. Velasquez has made positive contributions to the City of New Orleans as a reconstruction worker and civil rights leader. Mr Velasquez has lived in New Orleans since 2005, and has deep ties to his community. He also has a long-term partner who depends on him financially and emotionally. Mr. Velasquez is also a member of the New Orleans Congress of Day Laborers and a national grassroots civil rights leader. He is fighting to end racial-profiling in New Orleans.

In May of this year Mr. Velasquez, along with Mr. Wilmer Palma, filed a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties reporting abusive operations and racial profiling by the New Orleans Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Initially, ICE granted both workers a 3-month stay of removal while the investigation continued. The stay of removal was revoked the week of August 4th, and Mr. Palma was deported on Friday August 8th. The timing of the revocation of the stay of removal, namely 24 hours after Mr. Velasquez and Mr. Palma presented their testimonies to national civil rights and labor organizations, raises serious questions about potential retaliation towards these workers and civil rights whistleblowers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

I am aware that Mr. Velasquez has prior immigration order from 2005. However, the deportation of Mr. Velasquez would have serious negative consequences in the pursuit of justice and would send a negative message to all of those who would offer their testimony when there are civil rights violations conducted by ICE. Retaliation against civil rights complainants through detention and deportation is unacceptable. Please work to release Yestel and Wilmer from detention and stop their deportation.

I hope that ICE will reconsider its position on Mr. Velasquez, and that you do everything in your power to make sure his civil rights are not violated. I strongly support the stay of deportation of Mr. Velasquez and his release from detention.

Thank you,

[Signature]

Below are some recent news on Wilmer and Yestel’s fight

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