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Crowd Gathers In SF To Protest Immigration Raids

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Oct 31, 2008 2:58 pm US/Pacific

Crowd Gathers In SF To Protest Immigration Raids

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) ― Dozens of local high school and college students as well as community members took to the streets in San Francisco Friday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies, according to organizer Sagnicthe Salazar.

"We're gathered here today to demand that first, our sanctuary cities adopt a real definition of sanctuary cities," Salazar said. "Second, to demand an end to the ICE raids, and third, we want detention centers that are holding our people like criminals to be shut down."

Salazar said people arrested by ICE agents are in the U.S. to enhance their communities and said the way ICE treats the arrestees mirrors treatment of a criminal.

"Children, families and innocent people that are here in this country trying to make a living and really providing for the economy are being held in these detention centers, internment camps, really, as criminals," Salazar said.

The students, some of whom started protesting early Friday morning at their schools, have been getting mixed reactions from teachers and administrators, she said.

"Some teachers have been very supportive, and there are a few schools whose principals supported the action," Salazar said.

ICE spokeswoman Lori Haley said the agency protects communities by arresting those who violate the law, but executes its arrests in a just way.

"If you're in the country illegally, then you are in violation of federal law," Haley said. "We carry out this mandate in a fair and humane manner."

The protesters held a rally in San Francisco Friday morning, followed by a march to the city's ICE office at 630 Sansome St., according to Salazar.

Earlier Friday morning, police detained three protesters at the Richmond Bay Area Rapid Transit station for allegedly jumping the station's fare gates, BART spokesman Linton Johnson said.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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