Grassroots Leadership Blog

Welcoming Development Coordinator Natalia Thompson

February 20, 2018 by Bob Libal

Grassroots Leadership is proud to welcome Natalia Thompson as our new Development Coordinator. 

Natalia has been organizing and fundraising for migrant, economic, and racial justice for over a decade. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Natalia holds a B.A. in Ethnicity, Race, and Migration and in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Yale, where she organized with MEChA de Yale.  Read more about Welcoming Development Coordinator Natalia Thompson

Welcoming Josue Damian-Martinez to the Immigration Team

February 20, 2018 by Sofia Casini

Join me in welcoming Josue Damian-Martinez as the new Immigrant Rights Advocate Intern. Josue will be leading groups during visitations at the Hutto Detention Center. Visitors will also hear from Josue often, as he will be sending out Friday resources and support visitation volunteers in organizing for real change at the Hutto Detention Center. 

Welcoming Alex Cogan as Criminal Justice Intern

January 26, 2018 by Cate Graziani

Grassroots Leadership is excited to welcome Alex Cogan as a Criminal Justice Intern for the 2018 spring semester. Alex is earning her Master of Science in Social Work with a concentration in administration and policy practice at The University of Texas at Austin. She has focused much of her graduate school research on criminal justice reform, having interned at the Travis County Correctional Complex. As a social work intern at the jail, she had the opportunity to work closely and build relationships with incarcerated individuals. Read more about Welcoming Alex Cogan as Criminal Justice Intern

La historia de Guadalupe: la detención y la deportación son fuerzas mortales

November 28, 2017 by Alejandro Caceres

Altar de la conmemoración en el ayuntamiento de Austin construido para el Día de Muertos

En el Día de Muertos de este año, nos unimos a los miembros de Detention Watch Network para recordar a las víctimas de los sistemas de detención y deportación de los EE. UU. Te invitamos a leer esta historia de Guadalupe, una inmigrante cuya historia se compone de experiencias de la vida real, la mayoría de ellas vividas por inmigrantes en Austin. Mientras lees, te invitamos a recordar a las personas que pierden sus vidas todos los días a manos de nuestro cruel sistema. Read more about La historia de Guadalupe: la detención y la deportación son fuerzas mortales

We demand the immediate release of Laura Monterrosa, victim of sexual abuse at the Hutto Detention Center

November 22, 2017 by Claudia Muñoz

**Español abajo**

Yesterday, two women joined Laura Monterrosa in speaking out about sexual abuse at the Don T. Hutto Detention Center.  One of the women, Ana*,  said that she filed a report against the guard who harassed and in return, she was moved to Laredo as an act of retaliation.  Both, Laura and Ana’s abusers are still employed at Hutto and as a result, Laura is facing increased retaliation and alienation from CoreCivic officials. Laura’s decision to speak out could have a major impact for all women detained at Hutto, but for that to happen she needs your help.

TAKE ACTION: “I demand that Laura is released immediately, she is a victim and should not be punished for speaking out!”

Ayer, dos mujeres se unieron a Laura Monterrosa para hablar sobre el abuso sexual en el Centro de Detención Don T. Hutto. Una de las mujeres, Ana *, dijo que presentó un informe contra el guardia que hostigaba y, a cambio, la trasladaron a Laredo como un acto de represalia. Ambos, los abusadores de Laura y Ana todavía están empleados en Hutto y como resultado, Laura enfrenta una mayor represalia y alienación por parte de los funcionarios de CoreCivic. La decisión de Laura de hablar abiertamente podría tener un gran impacto para todas las mujeres detenidas en Hutto, pero para que eso suceda necesita su ayuda.

ACTÚE: "Exijo que Laura sea liberada inmediatamente, ¡ella es una víctima y no debería ser castigada por hablar!" Read more about We demand the immediate release of Laura Monterrosa, victim of sexual abuse at the Hutto Detention Center

Guadalupe's Story: Detention and Deportation are Deadly Systems

November 21, 2017 by Alejandro Caceres

Altar of remembrance in the amphitheater of Austin City Hall built for Día de Muertos

On this year's Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), we joined with members of the Detention Watch Network remembering the victims of the U.S. detention and deportation systems. We invite you to read this story of Guadalupe, an immigrant whose story is made up of different real life experiences, most of them lived by immigrants in Austin.  As you read, we invite you to remember the people who lose their lives everyday at the hands of our cruel system. Read more about Guadalupe's Story: Detention and Deportation are Deadly Systems

¿Qué demonios está pasando dentro del centro de detención de Hutto?

November 8, 2017 by Cristina Parker

Una carta proveniente del controversial centro de detención informa sobre nuevos casos de abuso sexual y  represalias en contra de las mujeres detenidas en el centro de inmigrantes cerca de Austin. El centro de detención T. Don Hutto, que encarcela a mujeres que buscan asilo, ha sido el centro de escándalos sobre abusos sexuales en el pasado. Un ex guardia incluso fue encarcelado por múltiples ataques.

Actualmente, una carta enviada por L.M. (las iniciales de la mujer) desde el interior del centro de detención Hutto describe las experiencias de agresión sexual y represalias de ella y otras mujeres. Ella también incluye los nombres de los guardias responsables de estos actos.

La instalación en Taylor, Texas, es operada para el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) por la compañía privada de prisiones conocida comúnmente como Corrections Corporation of America o CCA (que prefiere ser llamada por su nueva identidad corporativa "CoreCivic" para ocultar su tres décadas de larga historia). Los guardias en la instalación son empleados de la compañía de prisiones privadas.

La carta describe un patrón de agresión sexual que L.M. ha sufrido desde el mes de Junio. Ella escribe que una guardia femenina la forzó a realizar actos sexuales en contra de su voluntad. "Me acosaba, me decía palabras amenazantes y me obligaba a tener relaciones no deseadas con ella, lo que yo no quería, pero tenía que hacer lo que ella quería", describió. "Ella buscó y aprovechó cada momento que pudo para tocar mis pechos o mis piernas, ella  sabía dónde y cuándo hacerlo, no recuerdo las fechas exactas porque paso en muchas ocasiones. Ella trabaja en el área de recreación y lo que hizo conmigo lo hizo con otras residentes. Read more about ¿Qué demonios está pasando dentro del centro de detención de Hutto?

What the hell is going on inside the Hutto detention center?

November 6, 2017 by Cristina Parker

A letter from inside a controversial detention center contains new reports of sexual assault and retaliation against women detained in an immigrant detention center near Austin. The T. Don Hutto detention center, which imprisons asylum-seeking women, has been at the center of sexual assault scandals before.  One former guard was even incarcerated for multiple assaults.

Now, a letter sent by L.M. (the woman’s initials) from inside the Hutto detention center describes her and others’ experiences of sexual assault and retaliation and names two guards as perpetrators. The facility in Taylor, Texas, is operated for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by the private prison company commonly known as Corrections Corporation of America, or CCA, (which prefers to be called by its new corporate identity “CoreCivic” to obscure their three-decades long history). Guards at the facility are employees of the private prison company.

The letter describes a pattern of sexual assault that L.M. has endured since June. She writes that a female guard forced her into sexual acts against her will. “She harassed me, telling me threatening words and forcing me to have unwanted relations with her, which I did not want, but I had to do what she wanted,” she described. “She looked for or took advantage of every moment she could to touch my breasts or my legs, she knew where and when she did it, I don't remember dates because there are many. She worked in the recreation area and what she did with me she did with other residents.” Read more about What the hell is going on inside the Hutto detention center?

ICE caught lying — again — about their tactics and immigration raids in Austin

October 26, 2017 by Elizabeth Welliver

Sulma Franco speaks out in front of an ICE office in San Antonio on September 9. Community members from Austin, San Marcos, and San Antonio were there to demand that ICE reveal their plans (show their papers) for a planned “Operation Mega” raid.

The deceptive tactics of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) dominated headlines in early October. Following multiple nation-wide raids that terrorized the community, immigrant leaders and advocates demanded information that uncovered the agency’s many lies. ICE claimed to be conducting “routine operations,” in Austin and elsewhere. That was a lie.  ICE targeted Austin with widespread and devastating raids in early February as “punishment” on the community for Sheriff Sally Hernandez’s policies at the Travis County Jail.  The raids intentionally terrorized the community, separated families and led to the deportation of residents.

While the raids were underway, ICE was waging a dishonest public relations campaign to publicize alleged “egregious” crimes in order to bolster Trump’s fear-mongering rhetoric about immigrants. Read more about ICE caught lying — again — about their tactics and immigration raids in Austin

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