Most of these people here have heard that every sunday morning. N church let me welcome all of you here. What we like to do in convening somemeeting is we have vacant seats. We would absolutely love to have you take a seat. All of the people we invited are here. There are some vacant seats. Other young people, i know you can last a little while for this hearing. Let me formally bring our committee on Homeland Security to order. The committee is meeting today to receive testimony on immigration raids, impact and aftermath and mississippi communities. They are proud to welcome my im proud to welcome my colleagues, but im also glad to welcome you to my alma mater, where i got started one or two years ago, involved in Voter Registration silva rights and do a lot of things throughout the mississippi delta. And help set the stage for activism that changed the direction of our country. Newcollege is a fitting vid for the meeting on the Homeland Security to examine recent immigration raids and their effect on mississippi families, children, and communities. , u. S. Months ago immigration and Customs Enforcement sent hundreds of agents to mississippi to arrest nearly 700 workers at seven chicken processing plants across the state. Statewide largest workplace raid in u. S. History with 680 Community Members arrested. Public criminals, those arrested trying to provide for their families, send their children to school, and build a life free from violence, crime and poverty at home. The most troubling aspect of these raids is the way i fail to take into account that children would be left without one or both parents as a result. Someeds of children, by estimates. Children finished their first day of school to find there was no one to pick them up or no one waiting for them at home. Schools, social service and entire communities had to scramble to find separated children. Strangers and neighbors brought crying children to a community where the owner had offered a place to sleep. Until children can be united with their parents and in some we know this is not the case. Should we know of a single mother who remained in ice custody. In some cases that appears both parents or Single Parents could be deported. What happened to the children . Will families be forced to send children back to a country they have never seen for speak the language, or grow up without any parents . When the children are u. S. Citizens . Our communities are living in fear. Children are terrified to go to school, because they may return home to find their remaining parent gone and local businesses are suffering. I want to share a few words recorded by a girl whose father was arrested in the raid. The day of the raid, it was like a normal day at school. Next thing you know i got a text message. At first i didnt believe they got my. When i realized i broke down and had to think of the stuff going on. We have a technical difficulty, its hard to understand it. Ladys a 15yearold young describing the impact of the she is still suffering personally from it. Is afraid toative come out of the home for fear of being picked up. Its a real challenge a lot of families are facing. Families are still suffering from these recent raids. Employers have experienced any legal consequences yet. To those who use illegal aliens for a competitive advantage or to make a quick talk, we have something to say to you. If we have find you have violated criminal law we are coming for you. Employer, a person from management has been arrested, no one has been charged. Prosecution of companies have declined compared to Previous Administration numbers. The way administration is enforcing our laws is disappointing. We are joined by witnesses from all walks of life who will join their perspectives on what happened on august 2. Done to help those who are still suffering as a result . I hope to hear from eyewitnesses how we can ensure the mistakes ice made during the recent radar not repeated here in mississippi or elsewhere in the country. I support Immigration Reform to ensure employers can hire the workers they need and good people who want to support their families will have a way to do so. Should and keeping our values and exercising discretion where necessary to protect children and other vulnerable population. Thank the college for hosting us. Rules, Opening Statements may be submitted for let me introduce my colleagues who are here. My right, youre left is congresswoman Sheila Jackson lee from houston, texas. To my left is congressman al green from houston texas. And southt mississippi, sometimes known as memphis, tennessee, my colleague from memphis, tennessee. I welcome our first panel of witnesses. Is witness Cliff Johnson director of the Justice Center and a member of the faculty of the University Mississippi school of law. Is a pastor ofs saint ends Catholic Church in mississippi. Father oh dale turned his parish into a legal counsel. Owner is the founder and president of the board of Legal Education and Community Empowerment foundation. Also a judge, a graduate hashis college, who also the first distinction of being the first africanamerican female to graduate from the university of mississippi law school. Should our last witness is miss lorena lewis. A lead organizer for the Mississippi Immigrant Coalition and working together mississippi, instrumental in providing support and aid to families affected by the. Ississippi ice raids i asked each witness to summarize their statement beginning with mr. Johnson. Members of the committee, i want to thank you for this opportunity to talk about these unprecedented rates that occur. N august 2 i represented thousands of clients. Nothing i have ever done has impacted me like the work i have been involved in on behalf of the more than one thousand people impacted by the largest workplace raids in the United States history. Withe sat facetoface dozens and dozens of people who have told me through tears about their fears, their concerns, the dreams they had. I am struck repeatedly by the extent to which they are vulnerable and confused and scared, and i am left to ask the question why . Mississippi. I want to focus my remark on two areas. I want to make clear these rates were not carried out and in response to any outcry to people here in mississippi. We did not ask for this. I want to address the fact that more than 100 of the people detained in those rates have been charged criminally. They have been indicted by the United States department of , inice for felonies addition to the other administrative matters they face and Immigration Court cases. They must now run the goal run the gauntlet of federal felony prosecution. Latino immigrant workers have been involved in the poultry industry in mississippi for more than 20 years. Schoolsthem from public and soccer fields and places of business and shared places of worship. If you talk to local Law Enforcement officials, you will hear these people are not a threat to our communities, certainly not a threat to national security, they have become vital parts of the community, they are people whom we know and people about whom we care. Under the regime imposed by the trump administration, where the focus is said to be on those people who present a threat, that this group of people come nowhere close to meeting the objectives or the criteria identified for enforcement. I do not know how immigrants make up less than 2 of the population where there has been no outcry for the community was chosen as the epicenter for enforcement action. I can tell you mississippi is not better off as a result of what happened here. As a former assistant United States attorney, i must also focus on the actions of the United States attorney here in prosecuting nearly 120 people. Prosecutorial discretion is at the heart of our system. Prosecutors must make decisions about how to use the resources made available to them. Substantial resources made available and deciding who should be prosecuted and should not. It is an important part of our system that the department of justice discusses it at length. In my written remarks, you can see my analysis as to why prosecutorial destruction exercise in this case, in my opinion, is terribly flawed. This does not is not served a itsantial interest, important to note this u. S. Attorneys office recently, in response to another raid that involved almost 600 people, criminally prosecuted only nine people. The u. S. Attorney of the time said u. S. This prosecution of is in line with the departments emphasis. Prosecuting employees is a determinant deterrent. In ttorney hearst was an assistant u. S. Attorney in this case. Speaking of president trumps friend executive order in 2017, john kelly assured us being in the United States is not enough area in his words, it has got to be something else. In these raids there was nothing else. Is no record of violent behavior of the people being prosecuted. Many of them Young Mothers with a third edge third grade education or less. Only a handful have this demeanor convictions. I would encourage the committee to look hard at the prospect of duplication of these types of rates and prosecutions as a misuse of resources at their department of justice and and its unfair and inhumane piling on in the context of people who are here and law baiting law abiding neighbors and friends. My name is father of dale medina. This parish is located thank theke to committee as well, our Ranking Member for the opportunity to give my testimony. Impactimony about the in thethe raid community. Of there many members Hispanic Community that were working. These people, i can personally attest, are hard workers who contribute to the local, state and National Economy. They are people of faith. They pay their taxes. Many of them have lived in the United States five years or more. Children that are citizens of the United States. Or are still in the detention center. The trauma is too painful. They said my parents are not criminals, they are not bad people. I have a picture of two children whose father is still in the detention center. I have permission to share with these share these with you today. His father has been in the United States for 19 years. The letter said dear george, i hope you understand me. For us and my grandparents, he tries to work extra for my grandparents for food and supply. It wont be a complete family without him. E was always there for me he made me laugh. He also helped me with my homework. He was my best friend that always played with me. Please can you give us a bail for my dad, we are so sad without him. Him. He called me on my phone and said, dont be sad, but the ice police men have caught me, pray for me. Pray with all my heart and feeling. Thank you for reading this letter i wrote with my heart. This is one simple example of the reality of many families. To urge them to reform to the immigration system. Let me tell you this part of my testimony, when people heard about the rates they started calling me from all over the United States. They know what it means to be under persecution and segregation. They said please let me help. People from chicago, california called me to say, this is not right. We need to do something, how can we help . Help is to change the immigration system. This new generation is a citizen this is a national outcry. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to spread my testimony. This is not easy to handle. Very powerful testimony. Recognize to recognize her statement for minute for five minutes. , i have seene changes in the political and legal system. Shortly after my graduation i found lawsuits on behalf of victims and their families, for their brutality, beating and death, inflicted at the hands of Police Officers and other Law Enforcement personnel. We have served notice on Law Enforcement officials. In recent years and more notice itt seems to was apparently not received. I appreciate your description of what happens in my hometown following the raid. Not only were the employees who were arrested surprised and caught off guard, most in the forest and morton communities were actually surprised and quite disturbed. The portrait workers were treated as terrorists and animals. Local Law Enforcement officers you will hear today were unaware of the raids, and many expressed disappointment with a lack of notice. When i first learned of the rates my heart dropped. I felt heat in my nose. I represent that agency in scott county. I would advise the day after that nobody is cps in scott county knew about the raids. State employees to take care of these children. I was contacted by individuals who are beneficiaries of the program. Shee the latest caller said needed me to come over and talk to her child. Said, why dome and they hate my mama . Could tell me he was my grandmothers love. One of the boys whose mother was arrested is his best friend. He sees with this country is coming to. No exception for the infliction of pain. I will probably remain disturbed. At least 200 of our parishioners are still detained. That should not happen in america. I dont want to get personal. I have submitted my comments to this panel. But there are many questions posed by Community Residents concerning the timing of the raids, the secrecy of the raids, the lack of plan and coordination of action, and the lack of compassion for the children whose families have been destroyed. The efforts to terrorize certain citizens has been successful. They are now intimidated, afraid and angry. Disrupted so many lives in my community. I am extremely resentful. Many families have been destroyed and probably never will recover. D our children are lewisow recognize miss for her statements. Thank you for the opportunity to testify. On thee a light devastating impact of augusts worksite raid. Im the imminent ration project lead organizer. I have been working along with others to support families in crisis in response to the aftermath of the raid. Three months later this work is ongoing. Im sharing a few stories from impacted individuals. Some because they are afraid and some because they are to 10 they are in detention. August 7 2019 was the first day in mississippi. People in the680 state. Many kids return home from both theirned one or karens gone that day. Recounting the brutality of the officers is painful. They were told when we were coming back home, why do they hate us so much . He forcibly removed her from the car after cutting her seatbelt with a knife. The officer to let her call her children. The letter and signed with the rest of the detained workers. Of a woman who i will refer to as l demonstrates the many issues. She is still detained three months later despite having three children at home who are in the care of a neighbor. She speaks just a little spanish. She was detained in mississippi and transferred to louisiana. Day. Ats only once a fiveyearold didnt recognize her and was afraid to speak to her. Families continue to scramble to find the loved ones. Others were sent to Detention Centers in mississippi and louisiana. Notice that days later we were able to trace these detainees. More Detention Centers are popping up. To now spread across 13 different Detention Centers. Children did not flee for days after the raid and still cry every night because their mom is not there to put them to sleep. I know a teenager who missed several days of school due to anxiety and depression, teased by classmates about her family being deported. Our Mental Health system is not equipped to handle these cases. We have a limited capacity and theres only one bilingual licensed trauma counselor in the United States. She is working aroundtheclock while also trying to get them interpreters. These communities and families are hardworking and proud people. They work 10 to 12 hours per day. Workers tell stories of Sexual Harassment like child labor. Many have been part of our communities for years, they purchased heart purchased cars, bank accounts, even became business owners. We can address the immediate crisis caused by the antiimmigration policy of the current administration. This work must be done while we continue to create new immigration policies that effectively put people on a pathway to citizenship and creates safe and better paying environments. Be releasedshould and united with their families. Additional funding and resources are needed. We must end worksite rates and enforcement activities that force people apart. Money for enforcement activity and lasting trauma. Our families deserve to be united and free in their own communities. If we Work Together to address these issues, we can move forward toward a welcoming community in mississippi. Thank you very much. I think the witnesses. I think the witnesses for their testimony, i will remind each member he will have five minutes to question the panel. I now recognize myself or questions. Mr. Johnson. Given the work in the u. S. , is thiss Office Testimony here that there was and Discretionary Authority exercise with respect to these rates . The department of justice recognizes we do not prosecute cases criminally. In each instance where there is a technical violation of the law they provide specific guidance that makes clear specifically the government lawyer believes a crime may have been committed. Prosecutionays the must also serve a substantial federal interest. Must assess whether there is an adequates noncriminal alternative to prosecution. Prosecution in our system is vitally important. Immigrants,ntry of but we are also a country of laws. As of he and the department of justice had no choice. Is not the case. Father medina, can you give me your experience in attempting to contact ice on behalf of some of the families that you are working with . I tried to reach them to see where the people were. Nobody know where the people were. Your testimony is those individuals who might have had an interest in what was going on didnt have anybody to talk to. They moved to someplace else. They have the people. Part of the requirement or the protocol is we will get to it. Oppose it. Ls this was the first day of school. Are you aware of any notification . I am aware it did not occur. Employees at the Mississippi Department of children services, Childrens Protective Services were caught off guard, were absolutely shocked. Their supervisors were not notified. And theciples superintendents and five Public Schools in scott county, one stated he had no knowledge of what happened. And his efforts to contact someone. Those children in the custody of the School District, the School District didnt know what was going on. Confusion, thehe students whose parents were arrested do not come to school the next day. You wanted to Say Something . Can you give the committee some of your experience with trying to make contact with ice on people a lot of people assume that folks that arrested spanish that were arrested spoke spanish. Reaching out to us, even that in itself was a little bit complicated. That was difficult trying to we keep losing people. Houston for five minutes we recognize the lady from houston for five minutes. Probably one of the most significant hearings that the Homeland Security committee has held. It is very difficult to assess and provide my outrage. One of the most cruel and inhumane forms of government action. I am so grateful for the astute leadership. Certainly i want to acknowledge the leadership of harvey. She captured the connection of how the criminal Justice System can be used as it relates to colored people. Mass incarceration is an example, lynching is an example of the use of ones race or the background to oppress it. Let make it to my questions and. Ay that if i dont get to all of you i am grateful for your leadership. We are always engaged in the issues, feeling with others and sisters. Dealing with brothers and sisters. There is something about a value. Raid be a d rate ada where you shut down a major cartel linkage. They assess the value. Thats almost half, that didnt need to be arrested at all. Tell me if you would analyze the. Ffectiveness of the raid when we give money to the doj, this is wasteful. Might have been relevant as a danger to the community could have been picked up if they were known to be workers quietly at home or at work. This a shocking use of doj resources. The amount of money spent, the manpower committed to arresting people who have been working in these communities for years and lawabiding citizens is troubling. There are issues the department of justice could and should address. They make these decisions to the exclusion of other Law Enforcement priorities and opportunities. We are spending time locking these good people up in our jail when we have real problems. Is an investigation we need to initiate out of homeland. Questions. Two theserstand that many of are guatemalans many people dont know a lot of guatemalans came here, i think it was an earthquake just some months back. A lot of issues are going on in Central America. When no one can communicate. Have a legitimate reason and right to seek asylum. If you could comment on the idea on the loss or misuse the misuse of them against people of color. It was very difficult to communicate with her. She spoke spanish. I can imagine what it was like hearing my orders in the language she wasnt familiar with. She couldnt understand what was going on. Papers, which she can read in a completely different language. We say people are understanding the language of their heart. Everything is confusing. At in ay get yelled different language because people assume they speak spanish. Calling people to interpret in courturt, we have to find interpreters because there is such limited resources. This has been excruciating even for the folks doing organizing work to folks doing legal intakes, to ensure that everything they are receiving they are understanding accurately. One word can cause a serious and alson due process to obtain resources. It is a nightmare. Years toen for many provide Quality Legal Services to individuals who cannot communicate. Of us cant communicate in spanish. Of their individuals ,onstitutional or basic rights so they cannot understand. Particular this instance, many of the detainees, most of whom have no earthly idea as to what is being said. And definitely not mom. The individuals who are seeking mom when they bought were brought before our federal judge. Have ankind enough to interpreter from california on the line. The other individuals who speak spanish were in the dark. It was only the individual who and help these individuals. It is an indictment. I think the general witnesses. We will probably have some questions based on some of the from thee have had witnesses today. We will now recognize the gentleman from houston. I would like to think the witnesses for appearing today. Want to compliment on the many people have taken the time to be here. We have these field hearings across the country. Your constituents have demonstrated this is an interest to them. That means a lot to me personally. Let us not make the mistake of imposes that what ice is not the will of the president. I think we have to acknowledge that when the president says , that thiseterrent is something coming from the , and it is difficult a president can see children separated from their parents. Babies. And still say this is a deterrent. It is difficult to imagine. Its a very painful thing to have to grapple with these issues. Attorney johnson, you indicated these people were not a threat. Lets place evidence in the record. Is it true there were no gangs of latinos terrorizing people in the area. That is true. 100 true. Father, are you aware of circumstances in the area, would you agree there are no gangs . Your honor . Any gangs you heard of terrorizing people . A youth court prosecutor, and it has never come to my attention. I work directly with the families and the youth organizing. None of that is present. It was awould say drain on the economy, that they are the reason your on employment rate may be at someplace comparable to the national average. Collect stay are a vital part of the industry greeting 3 billion creating 3 billion in mississippi we each year alone. Are they drain on the economy . Did they take up services that others would have benefited from . Collect the local and national the local and National Economy is they get a lot. Latinos in scott county work hard. Were not appreciated when it comes to compensation. No one will take the job that they took. Just the opposite. We accompanied our victim to the bail bond hearing and one of the first things they asked the judge is, can i work . Even if im asked to leave this country i want to work. National studies show those persons who are part of the immigrant community have lower crime rates than the general population. Do with theas to fact they want to stay out of the view. I think the crime rate is exceedingly low. Concerned about being caught up in the system that they underreport when they themselves are victims of crimes. You agree with attorney johnson, would you kindly extend a hand into the air. Let the roof let the record reflect all the persons on the panel have agreed to the crime rate is low. I appreciate what you do with ngos, various community organizations. What we are doing today will make it better for us to do something to make a change. I yelled back the balance of my time. The chair now recognizes the gentleman from memphis, tennessee for five minutes. I would like to commend your representative here, representative thomsons most respected in washington, he is chair of an Important Committee and i appreciate him inviting me here. Its not necessarily a derision when he thinks that memphis is being a part of mississippi. Ourissippi has given us greatest cultural artists. Of others have left mississippi for memphis. Weve given the county some of our worst. Long distance information gets me memphis tennessee. I can only think of nina simone. Thinking of the old mississippi. Is that connection with the old mississippi with nina simone similar to what we have with immigrants that there are efforts in this state that are antagonistic toward others, toward people of color . Its not the same, maybe a little worse. Its really disheartening to look at some of the officials who are responsible for guaranteeing basic rights. How they treat them and how they speak to them. I was treated in a similar way, but not nearly as bad. Rights as american citizens. I could demand my rights. I can fight. They cant. I should protect myself. They cant. Let me remind everyone of the april 5 of 2018, there tennessee which, at the time, was the largest workplace raid in our nation and nearly a decade. Its so similar to this one that in syria. It andnotes concerning we wrote secretary nielsen, probably to deaf ears, and it was similar the way the children were treated. They were traumatized in the actions and the fact that the employer was not arrested. This was a Meat Processing plant but the employer was not arrested but the employees were. Was,kes me think what this in tennessee, you said why mississippi,. I suspect why mississippi ny andessee mississippi wyatt tennessee because do you think that might be why it happened here . I think that might have been why it happened here because there is no other good explanation, congressman. There has not been any sense in mississippi but we are in any risk in any way, our communities are endangered in anyway, so what else might it be but the dictates of an a ministration that has not learned the lessons of history, that when we round up people based on the color of their skin or country of origin, we always look back in horror and shame. You mentioned the previous u. S. Attorney. What is that was that an obama a pointy . He was an acting u. S. Attorney that had begun at the beginning of the Bush Administration and carried into obamas administration. Bush is starting to look pretty good. Ive said that more to once more than once to my surprise. More than once to my surprise. What occurred here is similar to tennessee, and i think it is demeaning of america. The economy here, you might know or miss louis, i dont know, but in morristown, tennessee, this hurt the economy. Has this hurt the economy here in mississippi as well . [indiscernible] it has . Yes, sir. In the policy of this in the policy of this administration is to use these raids, theoretically, to deter immigration along the southern border. Do you believe that this finished the people in Central America who want a better place to come to not come here . They are driven by the human spirit and i dont think anything will step in the way. So you dont think they read the letter in guatemala . Thank you. I go back the balance of my time. The gentleman yields back. Yield back the balance of my time. The gentleman yields back. Thank you to the panel of witnesses. I will allow a member who has another question if they want, but lets me make a couple comments. Who i use topeople detect who ice detained never got a check. We have been struggling trying to make sure that wherever those month ls are the they should have received a paycheck. We have been working at various agencies to try to make sure that happens. One of the things we hear around companiesy is that take the lost wages and keep them. The families never received a check. We are trying to work with local officials to make sure those families in fact receive whatever earnings that they were due. And that is a challenge. , because weing is are a nation of laws, we can treat People Better than what these raids signify. I think this hearing is trying have, for that, and i costs 470,000t to conduct that one day raid. That is a significant amount of money. We are still trying to get some of the other costs, but those are dead salary costs. Thats a lot of money. That while the people were doing their job, that discretion because ive seen businesses that are no longer open because their customers are no longer around. Thats part of that economic concern that congressman greene talked about, and others. Individualsthe impacted have not been a threat then themmunity, community should have been engaged in whatever you did. We will hear, in our next panel of witnesses, what actually took place. I look forward to it. Any other questions . Mr. Chairman, if i could ask mr. Johnson, does he have a record of how many children are still separated from their parents . Miss lewis or mr. Johnson, do you have any knowledge . We have attempted to come up with the number. We think the number exceeds 1500 children. Many may have one parent chaired parents present but another parent is detained and then they are recognized. There is an outstanding letter to ice asking for that. Numbers, but we have several families that we are working with and it complicates things so much because they are american citizens, these children, and we are trying to reunite them as they get deported. Theres a lot of suffering still. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Let me thank the panel. Miss johnson, do you want a closing statement . Weif i may add one thing, are part of a larger coalition, the mississippi emily immigration coalition. Its dangerous to attempt to list everyone, but your honor, i think its important for everyone to recognize the hard work of organizations like Bill Chandler and patricia working in this field for a long time. The Mississippi Center for forward. Us, bob hildreth who gave to our bond fund. We spent over 400,000 dollars of properly raised money to bond out about 60 people, Catholic Charities of the jackson diocese, the faith communities from these communities, and countless volunteers who have gotten nothing back from this and were so compelled to work. We are not equipped to handle this. We are doing the best we can, but it has been a team effort, and i wanted to mention those organizations. Let me thank our panel of witnesses again. Your testimony will be included in the record. The record will be kept open for 10 days. You might have questions, and we ask you get back to us which answers with answers. Thank you very much. [applause] we are now going to ask our second panel of witnesses to please come forward. [crowd clamoring] [indistinct chatter]