This comes at a peculiar time. Immigrants rights leader and proponent of immigration reform are in the midst of preparation for a formidable offensive push and it's hard to imagine just what immigration enforcement is thinking with this one. Our communities won't let this one slide.

Here's what journalist Pilar Marrrero blogged shortly after the event broke out on social media.

via Pilar Mererro

img via Twitter 

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It was 9 p.m. Thursday night when Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials came to Erika Andiola´s house in Phoenix, Arizona, and took away her mom María Andiola, 54 years old, and her older brother Heriberto.
Erika is a well known Dreamer leader (undocumented youngster, brought here when she was 11 from Durango, México ), one of the co founders of DRM Capitol Grup and the Arizona Dream Act Coalition. She was particularly active in the news last year as she and others followed the Republican candidates during the Presidential primary and later focused on Republican Nominee Mitt Romney, who was confronted or followed by dreamers to different events. She also has received several awards for her activism, including one for confronting Russell Pearce, the “father” of SB1070 and former state Senator from Arizona, now recalled.
It´s unclear why the raid happened. The police in Mesa, Arizona, had stopped Maria Andiola´s car last September but let her go after Erika, who was nearby and received a text by one of her brothers who was in the car, raced over and talked to the officers. Andiola alleged at the time that her mom was racially profiled when stopped, because she wasn´t speeding but the police let Maria Andiola go and said “she was ok with ICE”. According to the family, María Andiola is in the process of becoming a legal resident but does not yet have her paperwork.
Erika, who is a graduate of Arizona State University in 2009 with a BA in Psychology, posted the news on Facebook as it happened:

My house just got raided by ICE and they took my mom and my brother. They had no reason to do this!! I am so fucking pissed right now. I can’t believe that this is happening to me!!! I might my community tomorrow morning to make sure they don’t get deported. Please be in the look out for more updates from me.

Immediately, her Facebook page was inundated with messages from other dreamers who responded indignant and ready to help.

The news immediately also created fear in the hearts of many dreamers, who may be elegible or getting DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) but whose families aren´t, particularly their parents and elders.

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