MEDIA ADVISORY Contact: Emily Riehl, 804.513.5401
For May 19, 2012 eeriehl@virginia-organizing.org
HARRISONBURG– On Saturday, May 19 from 5-8 p.m., Virginia Organizing is hosting Dinner and a Documentary—an inside look into local law enforcement’s cooperation with ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We will be screening the PBS documentary Lost in Detention, a Frontline investigation into the federal government’s “get-tough” immigration policy. Afterward, we will be hearing testimonies from local immigrants and families that have been affected by these policies and our local law enforcement’s 287g program. We will also hear from attorneys and organizers on the issue. We’ll then take action by signing petitions, planning follow-up events, and encouraging participants to share their own story through our Listening Project.
Harrisonburg resident Isabel Castillo says, “This documentary really investigates the flaws of our U.S. immigration system and gives a face to the families and communities that are being affected by these flaws. We are seeing those same issues in our local community due to 287g. We’re trying to educate the community about the real implications of such programs and to organize to change it.”
Residents are concerned because Rockingham County has a similar 287g provision in place as is highlighted in Lost in Detention. The panel will explore the implications of this contract and discuss possible alternatives and solutions for our Friendly City.
Who: Virginia Organizing
What: Lost in Detention screening plus testimonies and discussion
When: Saturday, May 19 from 5-8 p.m.
Where: Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 154 North Main Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Film Synopsis:
Last year, the federal government set new records for detaining and deporting immigrants who were inside the country illegally. In partnership with American University’s Investigative Reporting Workshop, FRONTLINE correspondent Maria Hinojosa takes a penetrating look at the federal government’s vastly expanded immigration net, explores the controversial Secure Communities enforcement program and goes inside the hidden world of immigration detention in Lost in Detention.
Virginia Organizing is a statewide grassroots organization that brings
people together to create a more just Virginia.
