Sunday, September 14, 2014

THE BORDER PATROL VICTIMS NETWORK (BPVN) IS A NETWORK OF FAMILIES OF VICTIMS, VICTIMS, AND VOLUNTEERS UNITED IN THE STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE AND TO END IMPUNITY FOR BORDER AGENTS


BPVN BULLETIN BOARD

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CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF BPVN ACTIVITIES
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Feb. 28, 2015: Folksinger Charlie King does benefit concert for BPVN in Tucson, AZ.


photo: Charlie King (with guitar) and concert organizer Ted Warmbrand (with banjo)


Pages from the Concert Program profiling Border Patrol Victims Network.






 FEB. 2015: A bit of justice for one victim who was shot by a Border Patrol Agent and survived. Thanks to a civil lawsuit.
Jesús Castro Romo speaking Oct. 10, 2014 at vigil for Border Patrol Victims in Nogales, Son.

click on article link below to read:

Judge Awards Half Mllion Dollars To Man Shot By Border Patrol Agent 


DEC. 2, 2014-BPVN Volunteer Loses Round In Court (from arrests last May at 48 Hour Vigil/Fast in Nogales) but gets to cross examine agents who arrested him: Appeal Pending

click on link below to read article:
Judge Orders Border Activist To Pay Fine  
The Dec. 2 gathering outside the federal courthouse in Tucson. "Hands Up, Don't shoot!" in solidarity with Ferguson and other anti-police brutality movements.


OCT. 10, 2014--2nd Anniversary of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez. Mass, march, and vigil in Nogales Sonora and AZ.


 Videos showing the day's activities for justice for of Border Patrol victims.  Above "The U.S. Border Patrol: "Honor First?"; or Taking The Law Into Their Own Hands." The video below with Spanish titles.



Guadalupe Guereca, mother of 15-year-old Sergio Adrian Hernandez Guereca, in Nogales, Sonora on Oct 10, 2014. Her son Sergio was murdered by a Border Patrol agent in Juárez, Chihuahua, MX on June 7, 2010.
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Sept. 2014  Letters to the Editor and Op-Eds: BPVN uses the editorial page

Re: the Sept. 11 article “Border agent cleared in May killing.”
The decision by the Pima County Attorney’s Office to clear Border Patrol agent Daniel Marquez of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of Jose Arambula is questionable jurisprudence but has its positives.
By concluding that a “jury in a criminal trial would most likely find Agent Marquez’s actions were justified,” a lengthy jury trial is avoided and taxpayer money saved. The whole case seems to be focused on Arambula’s “apparent attempt to use deadly physical force.”
However, Arambula was unarmed and was shot “in the back of the head.” A jury would surely waste valuable time debating this troubling aspect. So case closed based solely on the “unbiased” Border Patrol’s version of events. Who needs those pesky juries anyway?
The Border Patrol has acknowledged the problem of agents using excessive lethal force at times. Unfortunately, the Pima County Attorney’s Office became an enabler of this problem by clearing agent Marquez.
Ana Maria Vasquez


AUG. 6, 2014--SHENA GUTIERREZ AND TWO OTHER BPVN ACTIVISTS FACE CHARGES IN FEDERAL COURT FOR MAY ARREST BY CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENTS IN NOGALES, AZ


Rev. John Fife speaking at the press conference outside the federal courthouse

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST TWO BPVN MEMBERS

ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO DEMAND NAMES OF OFFICERS INVOLVED IN MAY ARRESTS
(click on titles above to link to full story)
Shena Gutierrez and Attorney Vince Rabago speaking to the media.



A highly ironic moment.  Federal 
officer Joe Orozco, the same officer
who arrested the three activists in 
Nogales on May 24, shown here 
ordering the press conference
participants off the grounds of 
the federal courthouse claiming 
it was a "demonstration".





(left) Eduardo Silva speaking to the media. His grandson, Jose Arambula, was slain by the Border Patrol in May, 2014 in Green Valley, AZ.

(right) Photojournalist Will Seberger at the press conference. Sadly he passed away 12 days later. Will was a loyal witness for victims of injustice. He will be sorely missed.                            (All press conference photos courtesy Joel Smith)


Photo: Please support Shena and the Border Patrol Victims Network    Red de Victimas de la Patrulla Fronteriza (BPVN). Let's demand accountability from CBP and Border Patrol agents. Please share this post.

PRESS RELEASE: bit.ly/1ooCZiG 

Shena Gutierrez and two BPVN volunteers will face the federal court on August 6 at 9 a.m. regarding the charges that were filed against them during the 48-hour vigil and fast for victims of CBP violence. Shena suffered verbal and physical abuse during the incident. She will be speaking at the Tucson Samaritans meeting at Southside Presbyterian Church (317 W. 23rd St) on August 5 at 7 p.m. and at a press conference outside of the DeConcini Federal Courthouse (405 W. Congress St) in Tucson, AZ. 

Help us spread the word.


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JULY 29, 2014   PRESS CONFERENCES-
ARACELI RODRIGUEZ AND HER LEGAL TEAM INCLUDING THE ACLU FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE BORDER PATROL AGENT WHO KILLED HER SON, JOSE ANTONIO ELENA RODRIGUEZ. 

Araceli Rodriguez at the Nogales press conference, announcing the lawsuit. She was unable to speak at the Tucson press conference earlier that day since the US government denied her a visa to travel to Tucson. 
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June 27, 2014--Vigil in Nogales, AZ and Sonora--Justice For Child Migrants from Central America! No Deportation!
Ana Cuen and Teresa Leal leading the exercise in Nogales, AZ "How would I feel if I were a child detained by the Border Patrol?"


     Video--Araceli Rodriguez and Jaime Millan at the vigil for child migrants in Nogales, Sonora. Video also includes news coverage of the event. 
Procession to the Border Wall and site where Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez was killed by Border Patrol
(photos courtesy Bob Torrez)

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May 28, 2014--4 YR. ANNIVERSARY OF MURDER OF ANASTASIO HERNANDEZ ROJAS BY BORDER PATROL AGENTS--EVENTS IN SAN YSIDRO AND SAN DIEGO, CA.--4 YRS. WITHOUT JUSTICE.
Press conference at the San Ysidro, CA border crossing where Anastasio was beaten and tased by Border Patrol agents on May 28, 2010 causing his death.


The family of Anastasio: (l to r) nephew, wife Maria Puga, mother Luz, and brothers (Bernardo far right)





Anastasio's parents






      Video of the day's events--May 28, 2014
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MAY 23-25;  48 HOUR VIGIL-FAST FOR ALL VICTIMS OF THE US BORDER PATROL; NOGALES, AZ AND SONORA
ON MAY 24 SHENA GUTIERREZ, ONE OF BPVN'S FOUNDERS, ARBITRARILY ARRESTED WITH TWO BPVN VOLUNTEERS FOR DEMANDING THE NAME OF CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION AGENT WHO ABUSED HER EARLIER THAT DAY.


Aztec Dance Group Mexicayotl who danced the entire weekend
(l to r) Ana Maria Vasquez, BPVN volunteer and Ana Cuen, aunt of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez












sign says "two families here at the vigil lost sons. For another family agents almost killed her husband"




POSTERS SHOWING JOSE GUTIERREZ (LEFT) WHO BARELY SURVIVED HIS BEATING BY BORDER AGENTS AND ANASTASIO HERNANDEZ ROJAS WHO DIDN'T.
Participating Families in the vigil: (l to r) Taide Elena, grandmother of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez (killed 2012); BPVN volunteer Ana Maria Vasquez; Guadalupe Guerrero, mother of Carlos Lamadrid (killed 2011); Shena Gutierrez, wife of surviving victim Jose Gutierrez

VIDEO SHOWING HIGHLIGHTS OF THE ENTIRE WEEKEND. INCLUDING SHENA GUTIERREZ SPEAKING ABOUT HER ABUSE BY CBP AGENTS AS SHE CROSSED THE BORDER--FOOTAGE TAKEN JUST BEFORE HER ARREST WHEN SHE REQUESTED THE NAME OF THE AGENT WHO ABUSED HER.
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MAY 4, 2014-INAUGURAL EVENT FOR BORDER PATROL VICTIMS NETWORK-OPEN HOUSE IN TUCSON, AZ



(Left to Right) Ana Cuen, aunt of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez); Guadalupe Guerrero (with microphone) mother of Carlos Lamadrid. 



Rebeca Cartes and Mary Kierzak performing


Ana Cuen and Taide Elena, José Antonio Elena Rodriguez's grandmother







VIDEO OF THE MAY 4 EVENT WITH NEWS COVERAGE