Elected officials, clergy, and concerned citizens were among scores of people who turned out to protest the arrest and detention of Daniel Orellana in Framingham, Massachusetts last week. Although they were looking for someone else, ICE detained Orellana after arresting him at a local gas station. His family did not know where he was until late that night.

While the suburban town has not been a hotbed of protest since the Revolutionary War era, the event, organized by the group 50501 Massachusetts, drew residents concerned about the impact of ICE raids on their community. Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren and congresswoman Katherine Clark, whose district includes Framingham, also sent supportive messages.

Local pastor Debbie Edwards commented: “We are here to say yes of the vision, the vision of our values that says we are stronger and better when we honor the gifts of people from many diverse communities.”

Who in your community will show up to defend against ICE raids?

(Taken from an email sent to me by Never Again Action. Emphasis original.)