By Micah McCoy
May 5, 2010 - 1:42pm
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 9:30 AM MST CONTACT: Whitney Potter, ACLU of New Mexico (505) 507-9898 or Laura Rodriguez, MALDEF (310) 956-2425
What: The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico will make an important announcement about collaborative efforts to defend the civil rights of Latino families in Chaparral, New Mexico. Due to the sensitivity of this matter, we are unable to discuss further details until the time of the press conference.

Speakers:
Peter Simonson, Executive Director of the ACLU of New Mexico; and
David Urias, Staff Attorney for MALDEF
Where: ACLU of New Mexico Southern Regional Office & Border Rights Project 129 South Downtown Mall Las Cruces, NM  88005 (Catty-corner to the Music Box)

When:
Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 9:30 AM MST

Why:
During the September immigration raids, Otero County Sheriffs broke a basic bond of trust with the community of Chaparral.  When the police treat people like criminals because of the language they speak and the color of their skin, families can no longer go to them for help when they are victims of or witnesses to crimes. We need to restore policing to its proper mission in Chaparral so citizens and immigrants alike can trust that someone is watching out for their safety.

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Founded in 1968, MALDEF, the nation's leading Latino legal organization, promotes and protects the rights of Latinos through litigation, advocacy, community education and outreach, leadership development, and higher education scholarships. For more information on MALDEF, please visit:www.maldef.org.

The mission of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico is to maintain and advance the cause of civil liberties within the state of New Mexico, with particular emphasis on the freedom of religion, speech, press, association, and assemblage, and the right to vote, due process of law and equal protection of law, and to take any legitimate action in the furtherance and defense of such purposes. These objectives shall be sought wholly without political partisanship.

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