Farmworker Organizer Alfredo Juarez Zeferino Detained Amidst Immigration Crackdown

Detainment of Alfredo Juarez Zeferino

• 📌 Alfredo "Lelo" Juarez Zeferino, a longtime immigrant farmworker and organizer, was detained by ICE agents on March 25th.
• ⚠️ The incident occurred when agents pulled him over in an unmarked car, broke his car window, and handcuffed him within a minute of interaction.
• 📍 Lelo is currently being held at the privately run Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington.

Background and Union Organizing

• 💡 Lelo co-founded Familias Unidas por la Justicia, an independent farmworkers union in Washington State, in 2013.
• 🗣️ He is highlighted as one of the few organizers fluent in Mixteco, English, and Spanish, enabling him to communicate with thousands of workers.
• 📈 The union has achieved significant gains, including overtime pay, paid rest breaks, and rules for heat and smoke, with Lelo playing a crucial role.

Previous Encounters and Targeting

• 🚨 Lelo was previously detained at age 15 by Bellingham police, an incident described as racial profiling, despite having DACA.
• 🎯 Supporters believe his current detainment is due to his political activism and efforts to improve the lives of farmworkers, particularly within the Mixteco community.

Recent ICE Raids and Labor Impact

• 🏢 In a separate incident, ICE raided Mount Baker Roofing Company in Bellingham, arresting at least 37 immigrant workers.
• 📉 These actions are viewed as an attack on immigrants and workers, potentially aimed at suppressing labor organizing and unions.
• 🚫 The increased ICE presence is seen as an attempt to create fear among those organizing for justice.