Action Alert: Contact WZZM 13 for their unwillingness to believe what Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE had to say about what happened at the ISAP office

On Thursday, Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE sent out a Press Release to alert the news media about what happened at the ISAP office on Wednesday.

It is worth noting that WXMI 17 did send a reporter to the ISAP office on Wednesday and they interviewed an organizer with Movimiento Cosecha. Unfortunately, channel 17 never aired the story, nor did they post it on their website.

Channel 3 out of Kalamazoo did air a story as a result of the Press Release, but they were the only one to actually do a story about the fact that ICE had taken several people who were coming to their appointments at the ISAP office on Wednesday.

There was an additional response from WZZM 13. The Dayside Executive Producer, Christopher Fleszar wrote: 

Based on the video you provided, there was not much we could witness. Two officers showed up. In the video you provided they were polite and not hostile. It does not appear to be ‘in force’ I saw someone come out to cheers, but it is not clear to us what was actually happening.  What we would need to move forward is a person or people who say their loved one went into the office and were detained.  Do you have examples like this?  Understandably, this is a very emotional issue but we want to make sure we are accurate in our reporting because if we are not, it will negatively impact your credibility as an organization and ours as journalists.  We can’t report ‘what appears’ to be happening. We need facts. Number of people detained and interviews with families and loved ones. Please let me know if you have this.

These comments deserve a little deconstruction. First, the GRPD cops were not polite, since they threatened to arrest people who were in the hallway, after the ISAP office manager kicked people out. Threatening to arrest people who are trying to keep people safe is most definitely hostile. Second, the video that was included with the Press Release was designed to provide some details as to what had happened, where as the video only shows what was happening after the GRPD threatened to arrest people if they didn’t leave the building. The Press Release itself provides a more concise narrative about what happened.

Third, and probably the most offensive comments from the WZZM 13 staff person, was them wanting to get comments/interviews with people who had family members taken on Wednesday. Why it is that media people don’t understand that for people to re-tell a traumatic experience, like being taken by ICE, is a traumatizing experience itself. In addition, it puts family members at risk to publicly make any statements about how their loved ones were taken by ICE. ICE has demonstrated since it was founded in 2003, that they will come after you if you are vocal and have the “appearance of being an immigrant.” 

Fourth, the channel 13 news producer says, “we want to make sure we are accurate in our reporting because if we are not, it will negatively impact your credibility as an organization and ours as journalists.” The Press Release from Movimiento Cosecha is accurate, as I was an eye witness to what happened on Wednesday I can confirm what happened, along with two dozen other people who showed up to protect community members. It seems that channel 13 has a double standard, since they repeatedly run media releases from the GRPD without having interviews with crimes victims and they take the GRPD and other systems of power and oppression at their word. Fifth, they insult Movimiento Cosecha organizers by questioning their credibility. Really? WZZM 13 is questioning the credibility of a community-based organization that is led by immigrants and fights for immigrant justice. Movimiento Cosecha has some of the most courageous and credible people in this community.

A Cosecha organizer responded to the offensive and disrespectful comments from the WZZM 13 producer by saying: 

As we stated before in our press release after we showed up to the ISAP office, ICE agents didn’t come back. Here’s another video that we broadcast previously to the livestream where these 3 “agents” were taking one person into their unmarked car. The “agents” didn’t identify themselves and took off abruptly. The way they operated is without transparent. The two other “agents” covered their faces and left while GRPD was interacting and distracting us. You can also see it in our livestream. People affected are afraid to come forward since ICE is clandestinely taking people in unmarked cars, not showing their faces or badges.

People made us aware that about 8-10 people were taken yesterday morning.

You could ask ICE why they are operating without transparency and a kidnapping style…

The WZZM 13 news producer responded by writing: 

Can you put us in contact with any of the families of the 8 to 10 people who were taken into custody?  Is there anyone who will come forward for the person taken into the unmarked car?  Again– I have no way to verify who that person was that was taken away.  Again without an actual relative saying they went to an appointment and never came home…  we can’t report it.  Is it unusual for an ICE agent to be at that location? 

I am not trying to be difficult, or say your concerns are invalid, but I need sources to back-up what actually happened. I can’t report something based on observation. 

Again, the channel 13 person insists on having family members come forward, thus demonstrating how clueless they are as to how much of a risk it is for family members to speak out about the fact that a government agency took members of their family. 

Because of this interaction, we are asking people to call, and/or Email Christopher Fleszar – 616-559-1300, cell : 616-970-1588 or CFLESZAR@13ONYOURSIDE.COM.

Here are some talking points if you need them:

• Why are you questioning the credibility of an organization has been deeply committed to immigrant justice since 2017?
• Why is what those who witnessed what happened during the ICE arrests at the ISAP office on Wednesday not sufficient information for a story?
• Why do you insist on re-traumatizing people who have experienced harm? Is it your practice to interview some who was a victim of rape immediately after it happened, or do you simply report the incident?
• Why did you not contact Immigration and Customs Enforcement or the ISAP office in Grand Rapids in an attempt to “verify” what 25 community members witnessed?