The Big-Box store was found in the repression of Trumps immigration

Washington – Three workers put on the shadow snout under a tree outside a home in the capital of the nation on Tuesday morning, hoping to find a work day before the temperature reached 90 degrees. Two police cruises of the city were close when several private security cars surrounded the parking lot, weaving between wood full cars and plaster panels.

What attracted the police presence was a group of around 15 volunteers, mainly of the retirement age, which hoped to faint the flyers that detailed the rights of a person in an encounter with the immigration officers. Doing it in the Home Depot parking lot was not going to fly: the guards told them that it was private property, and that they would have to leave or face the arrest.

Isaac Bloom, an indivisible progressive group organizer who was running the meeting, promised that they would be on their way in a few minutes. He offered the police some donuts of a box.

“We can no longer count on the law to do the right thing,” Bloom told volunteers, recommending that they go to the flyers on public sidewalks near the store. “What we can do is try to document it, and let the lawyers try to go back. Beyond that, right now there is not much we can do.”

Home Depot has become a point of inflammation in the repression of immigration of President Donald Trump, since the administration promises a record number of deportations. Co-founded by a Trump supporter and a republican megadonor, the Big-Box chain has long attracted immigrant workers who expect to be hired by contractors or home owners in the store.

“I have been increasingly worried about the lack of due process: people are taken without discernible legal reason.”

– Loomans cards

Trump Stephen Miller’s anti -immigrant wizard He said to the application of immigration and customs Focus their raids on Home Depot and 7-Eleven locations to increase arrests. The trucks full of federal officers descended in a home in downtown Los Angeles last month, helping to stimulate mass protests throughout the city.

The Symbolism of Home Depot in the immigration struggle is a reason why the International Union of Service Employees, which includes 2 million members, chose it as the site for dozens of “knows their rights” meetings throughout the country on Tuesday. One of the union’s California leaders, David Huerta, was arrested in the ICE raids and loaded with “conspiracy to prevent an officer.”

An Home Depot spokesman said the company is not coming to immigration raids and “,”, “In many cases, we do not know that the arrests have taken place until after they have finished. ”It also has a non -request policy that prevents the sale of services on their property.

“We are obliged to follow all federal and local rules and regulations in each market where we operate,” said the spokesman.

Kathryn Loomans, 71, said he arrived at the DC meeting because he was disturbed by the Trump administration that grabbed immigrants and sending them To third -party countries Without your day in court.

“I have worried more and more about the lack of due process: people are taken without discernible legal reason, removing whether they are citizens or not,” he said. “In many cases, they are taken by masked people and younger families can even know where they take.”

He went to the entrance of the Home Depot parking lot to spend flyers with another DC resident, Bill Mosley, 69.

“Migrants are the main objective because they have less rights and less protections,” Mosley said. “I don’t think so [Trump] He will stop them. I think they are the first in the line. “

Dave Jamieson for News themezone

Many immigrants, documented or not, have been afraid to meet in household deposits or other sites that the administration can see as mature for ice raids. The repression seems to be hitting the economy in heavy areas of immigrants, since workers bend down at home instead of venturing their communities and spending money.

However, many feel that they have no choice but to go out and look for work.

A worker from El Salvador said he felt disturbed by private security guards outside Home Depot. I was looking for a day of payment and I wasn’t bothering anyone, he said.

“I have to pay the rent. I have to pay for food,” said the man, who did not want to be appointed.

While talking, a security guard sat in his car just a few meters away. She touched the horn in an apparent effort to destroy a worker who slept in a camp chair in a grass grill. The man was surprised and stood up.

A woman who had appeared for the knowledge meeting of her rights arrested to appear. His name was Jackie Salas, and he wore a shirt that said “fanatic of due process.” He had flown from Albuquerque to participate in some anti-trump protests in DC when he learned of the Home Depot meeting and decided to review it.

Salas said he thought he was in the right store when he saw several Home Depot employees stand out from the door looking at the parking lot.

“But if you go to a home deposit and you’re looking for something, you can’t find anyone,” he said.

A Honduras worker said that waiting for a job outside the Home Depot lot made him feel uncomfortable these days. When asked what took him to the store that morning, he took his phone and moved through photos of his two daughters, 5 and 3 years.

Carpentry, masonry, roof: I was willing to do any of that.

“Who can stay at home all day?” said.

Correction: The original story suggested that Bernie Marcus was the only founder of Home Depot. In fact, he was co -founder.