PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Dozens of people, including members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), took to Independence Mall on Monday, calling for an end to ICE raids and the release of the union’s California leader, who was arrested while protesting in Los Angeles.
A crowd of labor workers and activists gathered on the corner of Sixth and Market streets to call for an end to ICE raids and the release of SEIU California President David Huerta, who was arrested last week during a protest in Los Angeles.
SEIU, which represents service employees such as airport workers and security officers, organized more than 30 rallies across the country in response to what it calls the unjust detention of Huerta and aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.
Sam Williamson, vice president and Pennsylvania director for SEIU 32B, said the demonstrations aim to defend workers’ rights and constitutional freedoms.
“We're out here today in Philly at the same time as working people are gathered in cities and states all across the country, demanding that David Huerta, the president of SEIU California, who was unjustly detained by ICE while exercising his First Amendment rights, be freed,” he said.
“It's amazing to see this kind of turnout on incredibly short notice. This is what we're seeing, not just in Philly but really all across the country today. People are pissed off and people are fed up when you are able to detain American citizens unlawfully, unjustly deport American citizens, rip apart communities, students with green cards, and now union leaders.”
While most rally-goers were members of the labor union, 76-year-old Susan Saxe heard about the rally online and decided to come with a sign.
“What brought me out here is that I'm outraged at what's going on in this country right now. It feels like 1938 in Nazi Germany,” she said,
Henry, a supporter, came out with his mom to support the service workers.
“Unions and unionization is something I care a lot about, and I think it's like the last bastion of any sort of organization in this country among the powerless,” he said.
“People can only take so much before they react.”