Earth First!ers, Immigrant Justice Activists, and More Have Blockaded a South Florida Immigrant Detainment Facility in Protest of ICE

from Earth First! Newswire

Pompano Beach, FL—Activists decrying ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and the Trump administration’s deportation system have locked down outside of Broward Transitional Center (BTC) today in Pompano Beach in protest of the agency. BTC is the primary immigrant detention facility for Broward County, run by Boca Raton-based private prison corporation GEO Group. Three activists have locked down in front of one entrance gate to the facility, two people have locked themselves to a car that is blocking the main entrance, and two more people are locked down to two separate pedestrian entrances.

Today’s action is being carried out by activists from social justice groups throughout South Florida, including Black Lives Matter Alliance Broward, Broward DSA, Broward Immigrant Justice Coalition, Everglades Earth First!, and Fort Lauderdale Food Not Bombs. These groups are taking part in the movement to abolish ICE, which has seen ongoing protest encampments and actions across the nation, including in Portland, Oregon, New York City, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia.

Elijah Drummond, who participated in today’s demonstration, said of their involvement: “I’m here because deportations are unfair and ICE should be abolished. I think everyone should do whatever they can right now to make sure that happens.”

The #AbolishICE movement gained national attention and support after it was revealed that the Trump administration was separating members of undocumented families seeking asylum at the border and incarcerating undocumented children. Activists involved are calling for these families to be freed and reunited, and for ICE as an agency to be abolished.

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