At Springfield’s City Hall on Friday evening, people took turns writing messages on a sign that read, “Stop the fear.”
The rally was organized by various activist organizations after a Springfield resident was detained by ICE earlier this week.
People at the rally said, since then, immigrant families in the area have been scared to leave their homes or send their kids to school after summer ends.
Johanis Tadeo, with La Gente Unido de Lane, said the rally was a chance for community members to show they have their neighbors’ backs.
“A lot of the time, folks don't really have an insight of what's going on in our communities, and sometimes people turn away,” Tadeo said. “This gives them an opportunity to be able to see, hear, direct from families, and be able to find ways that they could be able to help and support, because it does feel like a really lonely time right now to live in Springfield.”
In a speech at the rally, Miguel Rivas with the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Lane County Immigrants Defense Network said community education and organization are vital.
“A threat to one of us is a threat to all of us. The same mechanisms that allow for ICE to instill fear in our community can be used against anybody. Our greatest strength is to organize and communicate with one another,” he said. “This rally is a reaction … it’s a reminder that we will show up and that we will be here. We will learn how to fight against this.”
Organizers of the event said they hope to continue gathering the community for proactive opportunities to learn about and support residents in need.
Rivas said people will be able to learn more about how they can help from activist group tables at the Springfield Block Party on Sept. 12.
