ICE killed Mario, then abducted four of his family members, resulting in three arrested attempting to block the GEO Group van in Grand Rapids on Saturday

On Saturday morning, Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE found out that four of Mario David Coronado Juarez’s cousins were abducted by ICE and brought to the 517 Ottawa ICE office. Activists mobilize and encouraged the community to show up to witness and disrupt transfer of abducted immigrants to the GEO Group van, which takes people to the North Lake Facility in Baldwin, Michigan.

Around 11am, activists noted that two ICE agents exited out the north side of the 517 Ottawa building to the parking lots that is exclusively for ICE agents and staff. Both ICE agents went to their cars and attempted to exit the gated parking lot, but activists told them that they would not allow them to leave. After several minutes or verbal volley the ICE agents then each got out of their vehicles pepper sprays canisters in the hopes that it would intimidate those resisting. The threat of being pepper sprayed did not work, so the ICE agents retreat back into the 517 Office.

More than an hour had passed by, when all of a sudden a GEO Group van was spotted near the 517 Ottawa ICE office and tried to turn in to the alley behind the building. Fortunately, there were people nearby who stepped in front of the van to prevent it from entering the garage, where abducted immigrants would be loaded up to be taken to the North Lake Facility in Baldwin, Michigan.

At least 5 GRPD cruisers showed up on the scene, which meant they were staging somewhere near the ICE office, since they arrived within 60 seconds from the time that activists stood in front of the GEO Group van.

The GRPD cops wasted no time threatening people with arrest if they didn’t move away from the van and allow the GEO Group to pick up abducted immigrants to be transferred to their private for-profit detention center. One activist said, “ICE agents killed Mario and this morning they abducted 4 of his cousins who were on their way to work. By threatening to arrest us you are now complicit in these abductions.” One GRPD cop responded by saying that we should talk to the government if we have issues with what happened.

Three activists were arrested for blocking the GEO Group van and were taken to the Kent County Jail. Fortunately, all three were bonded out after a couple of hours and will now await arraignment dates.

After people were arrested, the GRPD then made sure the GEO Group van was able to leave, along with ICE agents who had waited several hours to depart from their gated parking lot. Once again the GRPD collaborates with ICE to perpetuate harm against the immigrant community while claiming they are simply promoting public safety.

I was one of the three that were arrested on Saturday for blocking the GEO Group van. I took part in this action because not only do a carry a shit ton of privilege, but because the Guatemala immigrant community and the family of Mario David Coronado Juarez did not deserve more trauma and suffer more state violence.

ICE agents are abducting immigrants every fucking day in Grand Rapids, while the GEO Groups generates more profits by transferring abducted immigrants to North Lake and the GRPD is complicit in the harm by protecting death squad-like ICE agents and profiteers like the GEO Group.

If you want to resist this shit please contact Movimiento Cosecha and GR Rapid Response to ICE.