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Hundreds gathered at the Milwaukee ICE headquarters Thursday morning to make their voices heard about what is happening at the U.S. – Mexico border.
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Although the U.S.-Mexico border is nearly 1,800 miles away from Milwaukee, the debate and call for justice was present Thursday morning, as hundreds gathered outside the Milwaukee Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters to make their voices heard.
The event, organized by the New Sanctuary Movement of Milwaukee and Voces de la Frontera, was planned before President Trump signed an executive order Wednesday halting the removal of children from their families at the border. Even so, there was harsh criticism of his administration's handling of illegal immigrants detained at the border at the event. Speakers included Milwaukee citizens who have family members who have been detained by ICE agents.
Alysha Ferreyra, the ex-wife of Franco Ferreyra, who was detained by ICE agents earlier in June, spoke at the event. Franco, father to four children, moved to Wisconsin in 2001 from Argentina. He was detained by ICE agents after driving without a license and was sent to an ICE office in Chicago because he was an undocumented immigrant. He may apply for DACA assistance if there are changes made to the program at the federal level.
“It’s really hard to keep in contact because he’s treated like an animal and he’s treated like a criminal, but he’s done nothing wrong,” she said. “My children are just broken...I want someone to help my kids get their family back.”
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Hundreds of individuals marched around the ICE Building three times, performing a “Jericho Walk.”
District 12 Alderman José Pérez also spoke at the event. He said he will be introducing a resolution to the Common Council next week to let Congress know they disapprove of the actions taking place at the border.
“I’m angry because it’s not the way our system should work,” Ald. Pérez said in an interview. “Separating families and law-abiding citizens is not the way this should work. We wouldn't have a dairy industry without the immigrant population in Wisconsin. We want to urge Congress to treat people humanely.”
Following the speakers, those gathered performed a “Jericho Walk,” or an interfaith solidarity walk that draws inspiration from the battle of Jericho from the bible, according to organizers. Hundreds walked around the ICE Headquarters, located at 310 E. Knapp St., three times. Racine citizen Natalia Penaloza performed the walk with her daughter Luna. She recently received her U.S. Citizenship.
Natalia Penaloza used to worry that she would be deported, but is now fighting for the rights of her daughter Luna and her family.
“I always feared getting separated from her (Luna), and some of my family is undocumented, so I felt like I needed to do something,” she said. “I was really upset finding out about everything. I want to find a way to stop ICE and to do something about ripping families apart.”
An organizer at the event said they will be performing the “Jericho Walk” every Thursday morning at the same location at 9 a.m. until more action is made regarding immigration.
We contacted the ICE Chicago Field Office, where Ferreyra is currently being held, for this story, but only received a link to the Online Detainee Locator System which confirmed he is still there.
