Friend, I’m writing to share a big development in our lawsuit Zelaya v. Miles. On Sunday night, a federal judge ruled that the claims brought by our Latinx meat processing plant worker plaintiffs in Tennessee can proceed. Federal agents illegally detained and discriminated against the workers when the agents raided their plant in a military-style operation. Need a refresher on the case? In April 2018, dozens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents raided an East Tennessee meat processing plant, detaining approximately 100 Latinx workers. They descended on the plant unannounced, treating the raid like a military operation, with helicopters above and machine guns in hand, while the Tennessee Highway Patrol blocked the road out of the plant. The federal agents who stormed the meat packing plant created chaos and inflicted lasting pain in the lives of the impacted workers and their families, forever changing the community. This raid was a clear instance of blatant racial profiling. On Sunday, the court’s ruling allowed the plaintiffs to move forward with the case to hold the federal government accountable for immigration enforcement overreach. It sends a strong message that immigrant workers have rights, regardless of their immigration status, and that enforcement tactics such as those used in Tennessee should not be tolerated. As we proceed with this important lawsuit, we will continue to work with our plaintiffs to hold the federal government responsible and toward ensuring that worksite raids become a thing of the past. Friend, as we celebrate this victory, we want to thank you for your continued support. Your partnership makes these crucial fights for immigrant justice possible. |
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Sincerely, Kamal Essaheb
Deputy Director, National Immigration Law Center |
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