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   Vol. 67/No. 4           February 3, 2003  
 
 
More unionists back defense campaign
 
The following are excerpts from several letters sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service’s district director in Houston, Hipolito Acosta, demanding an end to the INS’s efforts to deport Militant staff member and Perspectiva Mundial associate editor Róger Calero.

On December 3 INS agents arrested Calero, a 12-year permanent resident, as he came through Houston Intercontinental Airport on returning from a reporting assignment in Latin America.

He was jailed for 10 days, until immigration authorities paroled him after receiving a flood of protest messages like those below. The INS maintains its efforts to deport Calero, based on a 1988 conviction on charges of selling about an ounce of marijuana to an undercover cop when he was in high school. In 1990 the INS waived this conviction and granted him permanent residence; they renewed his legal status in 2000.
 

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Jim Olesen, president, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1149, Perry, Iowa.

Let me begin by saying that I met Mr. Calero when he was employed at the IBP plant in Perry, Iowa, and became a member of UFCW Local 1149. I found him to be a very caring individual that was always willing to assist anyone with their needs.

For the United States Government to even be considering deportation of Mr. Calero is ludicrous. As an individual with permanent resident status for the past twelve years, and no problems, what could possibly be the motivation to take this action in violation of his rights?


Edward Leahy, Coordinator of the Immigrant Rights Network of Iowa-Nebraska.

Mr. Calero has broad support among the membership of our Network, which seeks to help newcomers integrate into our society. In these trying times, we have witnessed many unfortunate attempts to enforce the minutia of the law against many immigrants who otherwise are law-abiding members of our society. While we applaud your decision to allow Mr. Calero to be released on bond on December 13, we also encourage you to stop further proceedings against him. Mr. Calero deserves to remain and work in the United States.


Donna McDonald, president, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 271, Omaha, Nebraska.

I have just been made aware of a very disturbing event; the incarceration of Mr. Róger Calero.

I am quite simply appalled at the idea of any United States resident being treated in this manner. If my understanding of Mr. Calero’s situation is correct, Mr. Calero’s three-year probation and suspended 60-day sentence from a 1988 conviction has long ago been served. Why would the INS seek to exclude him re-entry to the United States and attempt to deport him to Nicaragua based on a sentence that has been served many years ago? I also understand Mr. Calero has lived in the United States for the past 17 years and has held permanent residence since 1990. During this 17-year time, Mr. Calero has traveled outside of the United States quite freely. Why the change now?


Support the Róger Calero Defense Committee
  • Send messages to INS district director Hipolito Acosta demanding the exclusion moves against Calero be dropped. Messages can be faxed to (281) 774-5989 or mailed to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 126 Northpoint Drive, Houston, TX 77060. Copies should be sent to the Róger Calero Defense Committee, c/o PRDF, Box 761, Church St. Station, New York, NY 10007; fax (212) 563-0585.
  • Sign and distribute petitions demanding the INS drop the exclusion of Calero. A brochure and petition are available from the defense committee (e-mail: calerodefense@yahoo.com).
  • Funds are urgently needed to meet rapidly mounting legal and other expenses. Defense campaign backers in every city need to raise thousands of dollars for these needs. Organize phone calling for donations, seek honoraria for speaking engagements, and take collections at public meetings. The goal is to raise over $50,000 by the end of January. Contributions are tax-deductible.

 
 
Related articles:
West Coast meetings build support for fight against deportation of Róger Calero
Build on Calero tour success
Students exchange views on issues in Calero fight
Spanish-language daily interviews Calero
Workers put stamp on Calero meeting in San Francisco
Defense campaign wins support at SF antiwar protest
Solidarity with hunger strikers  
 
 
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