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On Sunday, July 26, a peaceful, reflective vigil will be held as part of the nationwide “Justice for Lorenzo. Justice for Johan. Justice for All. ICE Out Day of Action.” Community members will gather at Barker Commons at 6 PM to mourn the lives of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero, and to demand an end to the systemic violence perpetrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The national movement follows two recent killings by ICE agents. On July 7, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a beloved father and worker, was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas, while driving a work van. On July 13, ICE agents killed 26-year-old Johan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine, in front of his partner and toddler.
"The murders of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Guerrero are not isolated tragedies; they are the direct outcome of an agency that operates with total impunity and zero accountability. We stand here today because our community refuses to be silent while ICE's violence tears families apart," said organizers.
Our community stands with the families of Lorenzo and Johan to demand:
*Immediate Transparency: DHS must immediately release the key witnesses to Lorenzo's death and halt their deportation proceedings so they can safely participate in any investigation and legal process.
*Full, Independent Investigations: We demand a transparent investigation into these killings that includes cooperation from all law enforcement agencies and accountability for any officer found to have committed misconduct.
*Safety, Not Surveillance: We call on elected leaders to end the use of resources to support federal immigration enforcement, end the use of mass surveillance technologies, and prioritize community safety.
*Corporate Responsibility: We call on businesses and corporations to exercise their Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights to protect employees and refuse to cooperate with ICE's attempts to access private property or customer information.
"We are gathering to honor their lives and to send a message that we will not let these cases be buried. We are strongest when we stand together. We invite every member of the Northern Chautauqua community to join us on July 26 to demand justice," organizers stated.
For more information on the national campaign, visit justice4lorenzoandjohan.org.