Immigrant rights organizations to protest ongoing family detention on Thursday in Artesia, NM
 
ARTESIA, NM—Today, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico condemned the U.S. government’s decision to continue detaining vulnerable mothers and children in a new, for-profit facility in Dilley, TX after their planned closure of the temporary detention facility in the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in Artesia, NM. The facility in Artesia has held more than 500 mothers and children, mainly asylum seekers fleeing violence in Central America, since spring of this year.
 
“While we are glad New Mexico will soon be rid of the shameful practice of family detention, this is simply a lateral move,” said Vicki Gaubeca, director of ACLU-NM Regional Center for Border Rights. “Jailing innocent mothers and children is wrong whether we do it in New Mexico or Texas. Our policy of putting babies and toddlers behind barbed wire should shock the conscience of every American who believes in family, fairness, and basic human decency.”
 
The ACLU-NM Regional Center for Border Rights, Somos un Pueblo Unido, the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops,  the American Immigration Lawyers Association, along with residents from Southeast New Mexico, will hold a candlelight vigil in Artesia, NM, outside the FLETC detention center in protest of the ongoing practice of family detention in the United States.
 

WHAT: Candlelight vigil protesting the ongoing use of family detention in the United States

WHEN: Thursday, November 20 – 6 p.m.

WHERE: Outside the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, NM, 1300 W. Richey Ave., Artesia, NM

WHO: ACLU-NM Regional Center for Border Rights, Somos un Pueblo Unido, the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops,  and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

 

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The ACLU of New Mexico Regional Center for Border Rights advocates at the local, state, regional, and national levels for policies that protect the rights of people along the border.

Click "Start Prezi" and press play on the introduction video to begin the 2013/2014 interactive Annual Report. For a better viewing experience, expand the report to full screen using the button on the lower right part of your Prezi screen. (The presentation may take a few moments to load)

SILVER CITY, NM– PETER CHASE an Albuquerqueresident, has been selected as the winner in the Southwestern Chapter of the ACLU-NM’s Annual Singer/Songwriter Competition.  He has performed at, Jamm Music Fest in Jemez Springs, Glenwoodstock and Soccorofest.  In 2008 he took third place in the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and in 2010, won Honorable Mention from the same festival.   His latest CD, "Special Deluxe," is his twelfth collection of original songs.  Peter was one of three finalists in the 2012 and 2013 competition, and has been selected to for his submission Attica, a lament on the horrific nature of prisons, this year’s theme.   This is the fifth consecutive year that the Southwestern Chapter of ACLU-NM has sponsored a competition for singer/songwriters on a topic of Constitutional Rights as part of their Annual Meeting.  This year’s competition began with performers fromNew Mexico, Southern Arizona, andWest Texas being invited to submit entries.  Peter Chase will be performing his winning entry, as well as his entries from previous years’ competitions at the Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Chapter of the ACLU of New Mexico.
 
The Southwestern Chapter of the ACLU of New Mexico incorporates the counties of Grant, Catron, Luna, andHidalgo. Their Annual Meeting, open to all members and the public, will be held on Friday, October 24, 2014 at the Woman’s Club inSilverCity.  The event, beginning at 6:00 PM, will include addresses by knowledgeable speakers on the subject of Prisons and Incarceration; as well as the performance by Peter Chase.
 
MATTHEW ELWELL – The Director of theLunaCountyDetentionCenter, and the former Operations Administrator at theBernalilloCountyMetropolitanDetentionCenter.   Mr. Elwell will be discussing State and Local policies and initiatives forDetentionCentersand Prisons, as well as some of the issues being faced by them.
 
PETER OSSORIO – An ACLU-NM Board Member fromLas Cruces, an Attorney, and a former Federal Prosecutor has a unique perspective on the topic, having been a jailer prior to becoming a lawyer.  Mr. Ossorio will discuss the increasing dependence on incarceration in the State and Nation.  He will also touch on the topics of jails being used to house the mentally ill, imprisonment for Marijuana possession, and profusion of For-Profit Private Prisons.
 
The Doors will open at the Woman’s Club located at1715 Silver Heights Blvd(HWY 180) inSilverCityat 6:00 PM, and the program will begin at 6:30 PM.  Light refreshments, good music, good conversation will be available for free.
 

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