After Thursday’s Federal Magistrate hearing in the matter of the Hazahza Family v. Chertoff, a few stalwart protesters were taking in the news that Suzi would have to wait for her freedom, when Ralph Isenberg made one of his famous spontaneous resolutions.
“We have to continue this vigil until Suzi is released!”
And without hesitation, Dr. Asma Salam agreed that she would be the one to keep the vigil alive. So on Friday morning at 9am, she took up her position in front of the Dallas Federal Courthouse and held her signs:
“Free the Hazahzas. Stop the inhumane treatment of families in immigrant detention centers. Stop the inhumane treatment of immigrants.”
For five hours she stood alone.
“But some cars were slowing down, some even stopped to take a closer look at the signs, ,” says Dr. Salam via cell phone Sunday evening.
Later Friday afternoon she got some reinforcements from Patricia Juarez and Sylvana Alonzo, who stood with her, held signs, and introduced her to legendary Dallas immigration attorney Domingo Garcia. Alonzo then invited Dr. Salam to speak at a Saturday morning labor breakfast and an afternoon Cesar Chavez Parade in Arlington.
On Sunday, Mr. Garcia and Sylvana’s husband invited Dr. Salam to take the stage at the Dallas Immigration March. Texas State Rep. Roberto Alonzo has been making political history for several decades, and his intuitions didn’t let him down this time. How did the audience receive Dr. Salam’s words?
“Oh, they applauded my every sentence!” Here is Dr. Salam’s account of what she said and what followed:
” I am honored to be here to see the community united and my thanks to Mr. Alonzo, his wife Sylvania and Mr. Garcia for inviting me to speak about this important issue. I want to bring your attention to this important issue, immigration detention centers in America. I am working with Mr. Ralph Isenberg and I am in direct contact with families and their loved ones who are detained at these centers. If you all read and learn about what is going inside these detention centers you will not eat and sleep the way you used to. We have to support each other to show we care. I have been organizing and coordinating events like vigils, walks and protest with Mr. Jay Johnson and Mr. Ralph Isenberg. Please join us as there will be more events organized to support families in detention centers. We are Americans and we love our country, we have to take an action to stop this unjust and inhumane treatment. These families are not criminals and does not deserve to be in these detention centers due to the change of their status. Please join me in the protest in front of the federal court building in Dallas to show the world and our country that we will not accept this inhumane treatment of families in immigration detention centers. They need to be shut down. I will be in front of Federal court building in Dallas from 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday to show our support for families in detention centers. Please register for vote, and claim your country to keep our values high. I love America and I want to keep it beautiful. Please show your support. “God bless America”
Crowd that was close to 7000, clapped and showed their support, several people thanked me after my speech, especially Mr. Alonzo appreciated my efforts and would like to have a town hall meeting with Washington D.C congress persons, ICE officials and will invite Mr. Ralph Isenberg in appreciation of his efforts and families who were detained like Mrs Hazazah. Also Mr. Rafael Anchia thanked me for inspiring speech and he is also willing to support us.
By the end of the speech she was being congratulated by Rep. Alonzo and Rep. Rafael Anchía. It had been a remarkable three days of advocacy, from standing alone, to breakfast speaker, to crowd pleaser at a major march.
Suzi, we hope you’re listening. Everybody we know wants you to be free.–gm
MoPress 
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