San Francisco – The defenders of the rights of immigrants joined on Wednesday outside the San Francisco Immigration Court to condemn the latest deportation tactics of the Trump administration and implore asylum seekers who maintain their dates in court despite the recent arrests.
The arrests were once a rarity In or near the immigration courts, but the immigration and customs compliance agents of the United States last week appeared in court throughout the country to arrest migrants who appeared for routine judicial procedures. The measure has shaken the communities of immigrants who already feel pressure from the Republican administration to leave.
Eight people were arrested in the courts of San Francisco County and against Costa on Tuesday, the defenders said. At least one person was arrested last week.
ICE did not immediately respond to a request for comments.
The majority of people in Concord Courthouse are asylum seekers, said Ali Saidi, director of Stand Together against Costa, a direct immigration line and a quick response team in the county east of San Francisco.
It was not clear who was being attacked and why, but the speakers of the demonstration said that the agents of both courts had specific names and were not stopping at random people. They had no details of the arrested people.
“It seems to be specific arrests that could have done in other places,” said Saidi, “but chose to do it in court to, it seems, make people afraid of coming to court.”
The speakers implored immigrants to maintain their court dates, because missing a hearing would make them subject to an order of elimination and deportation. They said that lawyers are available, like volunteers, to accompany them to court.
