Representative Doris Matsui, along with community advocates, spoke out against the recent detentions of Afghan nationals by ICE in Sacramento, which has a large Afghan population. Advocacy group NorCal Resist and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) joined Matsui at a press conference outside the John Moss Federal Building last Friday, condemning ICE’s actions and supporting those affected, KCRA reported.
Reshad Noorzay, a representative for CAIR Sacramento Valley, said, 'They fled under hardship, trusting that the United States would protect them. Today, that trust is being shattered.' Representative Doris Matsui added, 'The gathering today is not symbolic. It's a signal. It says we are paying attention,' according to KCRA. The crackdown follows an incident involving an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., resulting in one death.
According to FOX40, the detentions began on Monday and include several Afghan asylum seekers. Matsui said, 'This is about people, human beings, our neighbors, families, who came to this country seeking safety, many of whom were Afghan allies who stood with us at great personal risk and were promised safety in this country.' Giselle Garcia of NorCal Resist described one detention: 'I can still hear the clicking of the handcuffs tightening as two ICE agents shoved him against the wall and arrested him. I can still hear the sobs of his wife as she saw us return without her husband.
Tension has escalated as ICE agents reportedly visited several predominantly Afghan apartment complexes in the Arden Arcade area, alarming the community. Afghan advocate Zarif Aminyar told FOX40, 'This is totally unlawful, and America has to stand against this, or else in a couple of years you will see a dictatorship here.' Afghan advocates have vowed to continue providing support and legal assistance to those arrested.
