Fundraiser a success!

The BBQ fundraiser was an overwhelming success. More than 130 people showed up and we raised a substantial amount of money -- all of which goes directly to helping the El Balazo Taqueria workers. A longer report with updates about the legal case will be posted soon, but in the meantime, here are a few pictures from the event.

Note of Solidarity from the Oakland Education Association

July 19, 2008

To the workers of El Balazo Taquerias:

On behalf of the nearly 3,000 members of the Oakland Education Association, I would like to send our wishes of solidarity and support to you, the workers of El Balazo Taquerias, who were rounded up by ICE agents on May 2, 2008. Coming just one day after state-wide marches and rallies in support of immigrant rights, these raids were a conscious effort to terrorize and undermine the growing movement for the rights of immigrant workers. We stand with you in opposing these vicious raids and the threat of deportation, and honor your willingness to stand up in resistance.

Although regretfully I am unable to attend this barbeque held to support your efforts, I am with you in spirit as you continue to resist these egregious attacks.

In solidarity,

Betty Olson-Jones

President, Oakland Education Association

Donations needed!

Because of the raids and their impending court dates, many of the workers at the El Balazo Taquerias have not been able to find work. As a result, they need help, monetarily and otherwise, to make ends meet.

You can donate money, of course, by writing a check to "EBASE" with "El Balazo" in the memo line (see the right-hand bar of this blog for more details). Monetary donations are especially important in that they help pay for legal fees, rent, food, and medical expenses, all of which are sorely needed.

But if you have any of the following and would be willing to donate them to the El Balazo workers and their families, it would be sincerely appreciated.

• Diapers (for children ages 0 to 4); also diapers for an 11 year-old boy
  
• Children's clothes (for girls: 9 month-old, 3 year-old)
• Adult shoes and clothes (for men)
• Maternity clothes
• School supplies for children (ages 5, 8, 10, and 16)

Special help is needed, also, in finding a house for rent in Tracy, CA.

You can bring these to the BBQ fundraiser (details below and in the right-hand bar) or email us at balazodefense@gmail.com for other arrangements.

San Jose Mercury

The Balazo workers are written up in a longer article about trends in ICE raids and prosecutions. Here's what Evelyn Sanchez had to say:

But critics of ICE's methods say the government has targeted more and more undocumented immigrants with costly detention and deportation in recent years while leaving employers who hire them off the hook.

"When you start realizing where all of their resources are going to, it's really about picking up undocumented immigrants," said Evelyn Sanchez, director of the Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition. "They kind of see it as a badge of honor that on a yearly basis, they detain almost 1 million immigrants."

Sanchez is providing legal assistance for some of the 63 illegal workers, most from Mexico, who were detained by ICE on May 2 when the agency raided El Balazo, a chain of taquerias across the East Bay and in San Francisco.