Community, faith and labor leaders gathered at the new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Santa Maria on May Day to support the rights of workers and immigrants.
“This building, the ICE facility, it set to open this summer,” said Hazel Davalos, spokeswoman for the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE). “It provoked fear in the hearts of so many of our neighbors and friends here in Santa Maria. Today, we combat that fear with love and a message welcoming immigrants here in Santa Maria.”
The ICE facility, located at 740 W. Century St., was approved by a 3-2 vote in Santa Maria City Council last year despite more than 1,000 community members turning up in protest. The facility is likely to open early this summer, according to Homeland Security spokeswoman Lori Haley.
