A candlelight vigil was held at the home of longtime New Britain resident Mariano Cardoso, Sr., who is facing deportation in a time when the national government is in the grip of Republican President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant politics.
The vigil, on the evening of November 17th, followed a rally held in Hartford in the morning to protest actions being taken against Cardoso, leading down a path toward his deportation after nearly three decades in the United States.
New Britain Democratic Chair, Bill Shortell, called on Democratic activists to support Cardoso. “Mariano Cardoso has lived in the United States for 28 years and in New Britain for 17 years. He has a wife and three children, two of whom are in college. Although he is hard working and a pillar of his community, Mariano must report to ICE tomorrow, Friday morning with a one-way plane ticket to Mexico.”
“ICE has been breaking up families,” Shortell added. “Please join a protest of this deportation.”
Organizers of the rally said its goal was to, “unify against a broken and cruel system of attacks against immigrants of all kinds. Join the peaceful protest against the deportation of Mariano Cardoso Sr. and show that Mariano’s family has your support!”
“There is no justice in deporting this father, just cruelty against a family,” organizers said, adding that the candlelight vigil was held to, “bring to light the injustice of ICE using deportations to tear families and communities apart.”
The group “We Are Mariano”, is urging people to get involved in supporting the Cardoso family. The group has Facebook page @WeAreMariano.
Editor’s note 11/18/2017: This article was updated with additional photos.
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