UNSHACKLE OREGON - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4 RALLY OUTSIDE ICE

   Hundreds of people marched, chanted and sang yesterday on a peaceful march from a public park in the South Waterfront area of Portland, Oregon to circle the ICE building.  We began in the park in a circle singing "Si hay vida, hay esperanza" - If there is life, there is hope.  There were police vehicles all around and a helicopter flew overhead as we sang.

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CIRCLE OF SUPPORTERS DEMANDING RELEASE OF ALL IMMIGRANTS FROM INCARCERATION

SEVEN DAY MARCH FROM SHERIDAN FEDERAL PRISON TO THE NORCOR FACILITY IN THE DALLES, OREGON.  
               We also sang "Let the Circle go unbroken."  What was most powerful as when we stood in front of all the armed DHS police - five or six cars in front of the ICE driveway.  Our leader asked us to face the police when we shouted NO to racial profiling and then we faced the street and shouted YES to love, and ending the ICE contract at the Sheridan federal prison and at the NORCOR detention center in the Dalles.

​The irony was that they were filming us as we were filming them.  For more photos, see www.imirj.org.
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HELICOPTER CIRCLING PEACEFUL GROUP OF MARCHERS

Federal police vehicles blocking the driveway next to ICE building in Portland, Oregon

STANDING TOGETHER AS A JUSTICE-LOVING AND JUSTICE-SEEKING COMMUNITY

There was a feeling of community in the street and surrounding the ICE building.  Despite the lack of respect for human dignity and the ongoing struggle for justice for immigrants and women in our society, this day we were all together standing for an alternative to hatred and cruel treatment of newly arrived people to the United States.  

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Families belong together painted on a pole outside the ICE building.

My daughter and I standing together for justice as a family.

BE THE FLAME THAT MELTS ICE!

Find your community AND stand for justice, peace and love.  Welcome the stranger into your community.  We all are richer for the diversity of humanity.