Immigrant rights activist Gabriela Pacheco and family rounded up by government

In the early morning hours of July 26, Gabriela Pacheco, a student activist and advocate for immigrant rights, was taken into custody along with her family by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami. Pacheco, 21, became an ICE target because of her activism to gain rights for undocumented workers. The ICE took Gabriela, her mother and father, and two sisters to the Miami immigration center to begin the issuance of papers that would lead to their deportation. They have since been released and are challenging these illegal measures.

After many years as a student leader at Miami Dade College, early last year Pacheco was elected president of the

Gabriela Pacheco

Florida Junior and Community Colleges Association, representing over one million community college students. She frequently traveled to Tallahassee, Fla., lobbying for a bill that would have allowed students of undocumented families the right to pay in-state tuition fees. In March 2006, she organized a student rally at the Capitol in support of this effort. Just days before being targeted by ICE, she organized another protest about the same issue.

“She is a wonderful young person who has been very much involved in special events and important causes here for a long time,” commented Juan Mendieta, director of communications for Miami Dade College, where Gabriela is a student. “Miami Dade College is committed to speaking with lawmakers and federal officials on her behalf.”

“I can only imagine that many students are concerned for her and worried as they are likely to find themselves in the same situation … that they could be detained or ‘dealt with’ by immigration officials,” said Mendieta.

Immigration officials chided Gabriela’s family members, asserting that her activism caused their detention. The ICE refuses to comment on this and states that they were searching for another “fugitive” before discovering Gabriela and her family. Gabriela has been studying under a student visa for several years and does not have undocumented status.

“Our belief is that her family was targeted because of Gabriela’s outspoken support for immigrant rights and her public appearances on issues related to immigration,” said Ira Kurzban, the attorney representing Gabriela and her family.

Kurzban told PSLweb.org that he will be attempting to obtain a prosecutorial grant of deferred action. If granted, this would mean that the U.S. government wouldn’t be able to deport Gabriela’s family. Kurzban also stated that now is the time to build support for Gabriela and her family and to inform the public about their case.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation, along with its partners in the ANSWER Coalition, will be following this case closely  in the days and weeks to come.