By: Ashmar Mandou
Immigrant rights groups and concerned residents held a vigil outside of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office Monday afternoon to protest the recent raid at Swap-O-Rama, one of Chicago’s largest flea markets located on 4100 S. Ashland.
According to reports, 13 vendors at Swap-O-Rama were arrested for selling counterfeit products, which left many community leaders enraged. “The ICE operation is a clear sign of intimidation to the immigrant community,” said Father Jose Landaverde, member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Anglican Mission. “This is also an indication that the Obama administration is not serious about keeping families together.”
The raid took place with the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. ICE agents entered Swap-O-Rama and arrested workers. Currently, an estimated 100,000 children have lost a parent due to deportations with over 6,000 children living in foster care; 1,100 families are separated each day and nearly 20,000 more families will be destroyed, according to the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). On hand to show support were organizations, ICIRR, Immigrant Youth Justice League, Latino Union, and Mujeres Latinas en Accion.
