Wednesday, June 25, 2008

150 ICE agents, part II

This is Part II of a Houston Chronicle article about a raid in Houston's East End

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June 25, 2008, 12:25PM
East Houston workers detained in ICE raid


Scores of ICE vehicles are parked at various spots at the plant, as numerous agents in body armor can be seen talking with workers and walking around the site.

At 9:45 a.m. an ICE helicopter was flying over the plant to check if any employees were hiding on the roof.

Workers at an adjoining plant have gathered in a nearby lot and along railroad tracks to watch the events.

Houston police are providing perimeter security for the federal action.

Calls to Action Rags were not answered this morning. Action Rags U.S.A.'s Web site describes the company as a leading grader and exporter of used clothing. ``We specialize in selling used clothes to worldwide markets including Africa, South America, India and Pakistan,'' according to the Web site.

Dozens of family members gathered on the street outside the plant entrance at Port Houston near Tilgham. Many of them rushed to the facility after employees called them on their cell phones during the raid.

Bernardo Olvera came to ask about his sister, Juana Maria Olvera, who he said was working in the plant and is in this country illegally.

"She doesn't have any papers to work there," Olvera said. "I'd like to talk to her to see if she could give me the keys to her husband's car.

"This is bad, what they do," he said. "But what can you do? The people here are just working. They're not doing anything wrong. These women are hard workers; they're not criminals."

Another relative of a worker said most of the plant's employees are women.


james.pinkerton@chron.com

for link to article click here

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I am planning on going to the protest later on today. There will be a planning meeting afterward too. I am angry that none of my elected local, state and federal officials said a damn thing.

I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!