[Announce] Need help for Madison activist arrested at the border

[COMM-ORG announcements]

From:
"Amy S. Mondloch" <amy at grassrootsleadershipcollege.org>


Hello all--



I'm writing to ask for ya'll's support and suggestions--



One of our young activists, Juan Ruiz, was arrested earlier this week in 
Calexico at a border protest as part of the no borders campaign. This 
video shows the arrest. 
http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2007/11/12/completenobcbrutality.mp4 . 
Juan was born in Colombia and raised in Madison, WI since he was 4. He 
is in the states with a green card and in danger of deportation to a 
homeland that really isn’t his anymore.



Donations to the legal fund are greatly appreciated:

Madison Area General Defense Committee's Legal Defense

GDC, P.O. Box 2442, Madison, WI 53701



Anyone who has experience with this kind of incident, your wisdom and 
help are appreciated too.



Peace,

Amy S. Mondloch







 From wendy mukluk <ekelana at gmail.com>

Date: Nov 13, 2007 8:54 PM

Subject: Re: update on Juan for this morning





Dear all,

(Nina is transcribing for me). We just heard from Laurel who talked to 
the lawyer in Calexico that Juan is charged with assaulting a federal 
officer with attempt to kill (I'm not sure of the wording, but basically 
they are charging him with attempted murder). Even the lawyer was 
shocked. The other two (white) guys were released.

We have to hire a lawyer tonight and Laurel will be taking care of that.

She has to send $15,000 tonight and can do that for now but we still 
need to raise money. It will cost around $30,000 and we definitely need 
to do some fundraising. The Madison Area General Defense Committee's 
Legal Defense

Fund is taking donations: GDC, P.O. Box 2442, Madison, WI 53701 They did 
give Juan his medication last night and he is still in jail. He might be 
moved to San Diego soon, but we do not know when for sure. They will set 
bail tomorrow. It will probably be very high, but the lawyer says it is 
best not to pay the bail because Juan may be safer in jail, because out 
of jail the INS could get him.

I am outraged because I think there is definitely a racial profiling 
thing going on/ a xenophobic thing going on.

There are still people at the no borders camp who are going to stay and 
help give support. We are worried about getting a hold of people who 
were at the camp and leaving now since the protest is over. We need to 
get their contact info and get some of them to testify at the trial. I 
don't know how to do this.

The important thing now is to donate money to the fund and figure out 
ways to do fundraising. Think in general of any other things to do like 
contacting immigration groups, congress people, someone suggested 
contacting the Colombian embassy. If anyone has any ideas please let me 
know.

Thanks.

Love,

Wendy



Everyone A Learner, Everyone A Teacher, Everyone A Leader

Amy S Mondloch

Executive Director

Grassroots Leadership College

1321 E. Mifflin St. Suite 201

Madison, WI

53703

phone: 608-441-0085

fax: 608-204-0835

amy at grassrootsleadershipcollege.org

www.grassrootsleadershipcollege.org