Talking Points: Raids

Mar 21, 2011

Raids

Immigration raids are a method of enforcement that involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents appearing unexpectedly at workplaces or homes and arresting undocumented immigrants. FCNL is strongly opposed to raids because of the following reasons:

They disrupt communities and families.
- Children are left without one or both parents, often the main breadwinner.
- Families often have trouble locating their families within the system.
- Businesses and families are suddenly left unstable.
- Raids create distrusting relationships between communities and local law enforcement.
- Social services and churches are unfairly and unnecessarily burdened with cleaning up consequences and aftermath of raids
- a government organized and condoned disaster.

Raids often infringe upon human rights.
- Immigrants are sometimes detained without access to legal counsel or understanding their rights.

Emphasis on worksite raids interferes with labor rights.
- When enforcement focuses on punishing workers, it makes it easier for employers to hire and abuse undocumented workers.
- Workers in constant fear of raids are less likely to report unsafe working conditions or other workplace abuses, which has consequences for all workers.
- Read ICED OUT, a report on how immigration enforcement has interfered with labor rights.

There are more effective ways to enforce immigration laws.
- Employer audits focus on removing incentives for employers to hire undocumented workers.

Read about raids:
Postville, IA (2008)
Ellensburg, WA (2011)
Michigan (2011)