Protests stop deportations and breakup of family

The Barillas family just won a big victory against the war on immigrants. They had faced imminent deportation and family separation this month from the repressive federal agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Due to a barrage of support messages to government officials and two public protests, five family members who had been detained won release.

On July 6, Marlon Barillas, suffering greatly from a heart condition, was released from the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash. The same day four other adults from this same Guatemalan family, accompanied by supporter Kathryn Scott, had their ankle bracelets removed at the nearby Immigration Assistance Center.

Marlon Barillas was arrested more than a month ago while washing his car in his driveway. The arrest was due to alleged “gang activity in the neighborhood.” He was racially profiled and locked up in the detention center. Four other family members were put in ankle bracelets.

Back in 1989, when Marlon and his sisters were little children, the family had traveled across country to visit Conrado Barillas’ ailing mother in New York. At that time a deportation order was issued against the whole family. The three-generation family has now lived in Des Moines, Wash., for 22 years. The children have grown up and had children of their own, who are U.S. citizens. But this old order has come back to haunt them. It is another example of the unjust laws and racist persecution of this country’s huge immigrant population.

Members of the Barillas family, wearing ankle bracelets, together with their 10 children and supporters from the International Action Center, held demonstrations in front of the Northwest Detention Center on June 20 and 26. They chanted, “Don’t separate the family.”

On July 3, Marlon Barillas was taken to sign his deportation order and be fingerprinted. He refused both. He was handcuffed, roughed up and thrown into solitary, where for three days he suffered from severe chest pains associated with a previous heart condition. His arms swelled up. Supporters called 911 paramedics to the prison twice over the July 4 weekend. They were turned away. The family says he was tortured to try to make him sign the deportation order but Marlon remained steadfast and refused. On Monday, July 6, he was released and the four others’ ankle bracelets removed.

The children were ecstatic. Four of them faced becoming orphans if their mothers were deported. The family and supporters from the International Action Center had put out a widely circulated appeal with a picture of the children and headlined, “Please don’t take our mothers away from us!” It urged people to call President Barack Obama, Homeland Security head Janet Napolitano and other public officials. Congressmember Adam Smith’s office was reported swamped with calls.

Officials told the family they had received orders from Washington, D.C., to release them.

The Barillas family members were given applications for work permits and asylum. They now have a lawyer who will seek to reopen and get a long extension of their case. This will stop imminent deportation.

This is a victory for all immigrants fighting against the separation of families and against raids, jailing and deportations. Legalization for all undocumented workers!

Donations for the Barillas family’s legal fees can be sent to: St. Matthew San Mateo Church (earmarked “Barillas family legal fees”), 123 “L” St. NE, Auburn, WA 98002. This fight will continue!