Immigration

Students, community protest ICE deportations in San Jose, other parts of Bay Area

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There were protests Tuesday over the recent immigration enforcement in San Jose, and students and community members in the Bay Area are expected to hit the streets again Wednesday. Bob Redell reports.

There were protests Tuesday over the recent immigration enforcement in San Jose, and students and community members in the Bay Area are expected to hit the streets again Wednesday.

Students at UC Berkeley have organized a rally and march on campus Wednesday to denounce the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity over the last few days. The demonstration is slated to take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The recent enforcement sent fears throughout the immigrant community in the South Bay.

Students, community members protest ICE deportations in San Jose
There were protests on Tuesday over the recent immigration enforcement in San Jose. Students and community members hit the streets to denounce the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity over the last few days. Jocelyn Moran reports. 

On Tuesday, students at Overfelt High School walked out of classes at 2 p.m. to protest the recent ICE activity in San Jose. It was organized by sophomores.

“I know I have a lot of friends, and their families are undocumented and they’re really worried. Even if they should come to school today. ICE was seen at Story and King Target and that makes them even more worried,” said Jalsya Torres, sophomore at Overfelt High School.

Many come to school fearful of what might happen when they get home will their parents still be there. Kevin Alvarado worries about three of his friends who haven't been to school in a couple weeks.

“I have couple friends who are undocumented and they fear for their safety," he said.

Others worry if immigration agents will come to their campus.

“I think family separation is a really big deal. A lot of families just come here for a better future,” said Yesenia Marquez.

Overfelt High School Principal Vito Chiala was with the students, allowing them to express their feelings and work on advocacy.

Students, community protest ICE deportations in San Jose
There were protests on Tuesday over the recent immigration enforcement in San Jose. Students and community members hit the streets to denounce the ICE activity over the last few days. Damian Trujillo reports.

“We’re going to empower students whenever they want to stand up for something they believe in," Chiala said. "Especially if they’re articulate, intelligent, informed. And they’re read to be empowered, so we’re going to sand up with them."

With a police escort, the students then marched over to the intersection of Story and King roads, the heart of the immigrant community, and the place where ICE agents were seen on Sunday.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan spoke to NBC Bay Area on Tuesday night on the fears within the community the last few days.

“It is extremely important to me and to our police chief that residents know when they see an San Jose officer that we do not enforce immigration laws,” he said. “Just as we don’t enforce the IRS laws or EPA laws, we enforce violent and property crime in our community.”

Mahan added that if there are people committing serious and violent crimes, they will be held accountable, prosecuted and may be deported.

“If we have people in our community who are law abiding, who are playing by the rules, working, contributing members of our community, we as a police function locally don’t go around asking people to prove to us that they’re citizens, that’s just not our role,” he said.

ICE officials told NBC Bay Area their mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and undermine the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.

But the students and activists said they will not stop until their community feels safe again.

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