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BALTIMORE, Maryland (WJZ) — A Baltimore group, Jews United for Justice, stood in front of the George H. Fallon Federal Building on Thursday to call for an end to what the organization claims are heavy enforcement actions from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Jews United for Justice, a coalition of 17 synagogues in the Baltimore area, says America is home to everyone.
They gathered on Tisha B’av, which is considered to be one of the solemnest days on the Hebrew calendar, as Jews worldwide mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem.
“It represents all of the brokenness inside of the world that we feel inside of our souls so deeply,” said Rabbi Tyler Dratch, of Baltimore’s Beth Am Synagogue.
Protesting ICE raids, deportations
Rabbi Dratch joined Jews United for Justice outside of the downtown Baltimore facility, where immigrants have been detained, to condemn the wave of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, detentions, deportations and killings.
Most recently, in Texas and Maine, traffic enforcement stops by ICE agents led to two deadly shootings. Homeland Security officials said in both cases body camera video was not available.
“The most frequent commandment is to love the stranger,” Rabbi Dratch said. “So to see this, you don’t have to be political to know this goes right against some of those most sacred values.”
Faith leaders said they’re also glad to hear Jesus Acevedo Sanchez, who was detained outside of a Baltimore school in June, was ordered to be released from a Virginia detention center.
CBS News Baltimore reached out to ICE for comment about Thursday’s protest and about the release of Acevedo Sanchez, but has not heard back.
“We’re with you in solidarity”
Zackary Berger, a physician who serves immigrants, said he has built a connection with his patients, which has spurred his activism.
He said some of his patients were deported, abducted off the streets and sent to another country.
“A great sense of loss and tragedy and helplessness,” Berger said. “Always as a physician, you’re acting against an unjust system, so what can I do for my patients right now? That’s a thing I really think about.”
The group read from the Torah in a prayer, praying for good health and that all detainees make it back safely to their families.
“To our immigrant neighbors, we would say we’re with you in solidarity,” Berger said. “We’re supporting you. You belong here. To our Jewish community, our message is, we need to care about the effect of ICE on our immigrants and our immigrant neighbors, and in the U.S. in general. And to ICE, we say we don’t support you. You don’t represent us. We want you out of here.”
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