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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 20, 2015
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MEDIA CONTACT
Anoop Prasad, Advancing Justice - ALC
415-848-7722
Annette Wong, Chinese for Affirmative Action
awong@caasf.org
650-291-3785
Amy Kiser, Ecology Center
amy@ecologycenter.org
510-548-2220 ext. 222
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Daniel Maher Released from Immigration Detention
Immigrant and Environmental Advocates Hold Press Conference
Berkeley, CA -- Daniel Maher, Recycling Director at the Ecology Center of Berkeley, has been released from immigration detention after an outpouring of community support and pressure on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). After having his home raided by ICE nearly 75 days ago, Daniel was released on August 17th and has finally been reunited with his family and community.
Daniel came to the United States from Macau, a region in China, when he was two years old as a permanent resident. As a twenty-year-old, Daniel was talked into taking part in robbing a store with a group of other boys. He was arrested immediately afterwards and served five years in prison. ICE detained him for an additional year and a half after he served his sentence but the Chinese government refused to accept him for deportation.
Since this summer, immigration advocates have seen a spike in ICE raids at homes of Chinese immigrants. These raids are inhumane as illustrated by Daniel's case and are a continuum of ICE's systematic deportation apparatus, which has deported over 2 million individuals during President Obama's administration. Daniel, as well as his team of colleagues, attorneys, and advocates vow to continue to fight for others like Daniel who are still held in detention under humiliating and unjust conditions. At a time when anti-immigrant sentiment in this country is at a high, cases like Daniel's must be recognized as part of a growing movement of criminalization of immigrant communities.
In the past decade and half since being released, Daniel has committed himself to the environment by sorting recycling, driving recycling trucks, and engaging in education on recycling. For the last ten years, Daniel has worked at the Ecology Center, a Berkeley, California nonprofit where he directs the recycling program and manages the community's curbside recycling program. Daniel spoke at a press conference earlier today held by the Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus, Chinese for Affirmative Action, and the Ecology Center.
Advocates came together in June to stop Daniel's unjust deportation and are incredibly relieved that Daniel has been released. A petition for Daniel garnered community support and had over 3,100 signatures. Though ICE claims that deportations improve public safety, through cases like Daniel's we see that this is untrue. Time and time again ICE erodes trust, harms communities, and tears families apart.
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Advancing Justice - ALC was founded in 1972 as the nation's first legal and civil rights Asian American organization. Recognizing that social, economic, political and racial inequalities continue to exist in the United States, Advancing Justice - ALC is committed to the pursuit of equality and justice for all sectors of our society, with a specific focus directed toward addressing the needs of low-income, immigrant and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Visit www.advancingjustice-alc.org.
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