Farm worker activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino was arrested by ICE in March and has been detained since. Colleagues allege he was politically targeted by the Trump administration due to his successful labor organizing, despite ICE denying political motivation. His detention has sparked concern among immigrant workers and advocates, who view it as part of a broader crackdown on perceived political enemies, leading to calls for his release and amnesty.
Ice ‘politically targeted’ farm worker activist Juarez Zeferino, colleagues say
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Farm worker activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino was arrested by ICE in March and has been detained since. Colleagues allege he was politically targeted by the Trump administration due to his successful labor organizing, despite ICE denying political motivation. His detention has sparked concern among immigrant workers and advocates, who view it as part of a broader crackdown on perceived political enemies, leading to calls for his release and amnesty.
Trending- 1 2013: Rosalinda Guillen first met Juarez Zeferino; Juarez Zeferino and 200 workers walked off a Washington berry farm.
- 2 2015: Juarez Zeferino was subjected to a traffic stop by Bellingham police, then turned over to ICE.
- 3 2017: Familias Unidas por la Justicia union formed.
- 4 2018: A deportation order was issued against Juarez Zeferino.
- 5 2019: Advocacy led to Washington creating the first-ever oversight committee for foreign workers.
- 6 2021: A law guaranteeing farm workers overtime pay was won.
- 7 2023: Statewide heat protections for outdoor laborers were enshrined.
- 8 March: Juarez Zeferino was arrested by ICE.
- 9 25 March: Juarez Zeferino's detention began.
- 10 April: Juarez Zeferino's deportation order was re-opened; armed customs and border patrol agents raided a Vermont dairy farm and arrested eight immigrant laborers.
- 11 May: An immigration court judge ruled she had no jurisdiction to grant bond to Juarez Zeferino.
- 12 Last month (June): ICE arrested farm worker leaders in New York; a court denied the motion to terminate the case against Juarez Zeferino.
- Detention of Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino
- Increased fear and panic among immigrant communities
- Concerns about Trump's immigration policies
- Increased ICE arrests leading to overcrowding in detention facilities
- Challenges for immigration attorneys
- Calls for Juarez Zeferino's release and amnesty for workers
What: Farm worker activist Alfredo “Lelo” Juarez Zeferino was arrested by ICE and has been detained since March. Colleagues allege he was politically targeted by the Trump administration due to his activism.
When: March (arrest date), 25 March (detention date), 2023 (statewide heat protections enshrined), 2021 (overtime pay law won), 2019 (oversight committee created), 2018 (deportation order grounds), 2015 (traffic stop), 2013 (first met Guillen), April (order re-opened, other arrests), May (judge ruled no jurisdiction for bond), June (motion to terminate denied).
Where: North of Seattle, Tacoma (Washington), Northwest Ice Processing Center, Washington (state), Columbia (university), Colorado (state), Vermont, New York (state), Bellingham (Washington), Los Angeles, Alaska.
Why: Officially, based on a 2018 deportation order. Colleagues believe it's a political targeting by the Trump administration to silence labor organizers and immigrant activists.
How: Juarez Zeferino was pulled over by an unmarked car, his front window was shattered, and he was handcuffed by a plainclothes ICE agent. He was then transferred to a holding facility.