Leaders from Faith in Allen County joined community members today outside of the Allen County Courthouse to celebrate the release of Jorge Oliva from an ICE detainment center in Chicago.
Oliva was detained for three weeks before being granted a stay of deportation. Oliva’s friends and family, as well as Fort Wayne community members, called the office in Chicago submitting statements on Oliva’s character.
Oliva says he’s happy to be back in Fort Wayne, but that the fight for racial justice continues.
“We have to stand up against the systemic oppression and we have to do it fast. Now. It’s been 450 years, we have been going through this since I can remember. Since the 1950s, 1960s we’ve been having peaceful protests. And, we will continue to be peaceful.”
Oliva was arrested while protesting during the Black Lives Matter protests in May before being turned over to ICE.
Faith in Allen County also used the opportunity to announce a story series they’ll be releasing about how “young people, minorities and the poor are affected by police culture.”
They’re asking people who are interested in helping or have stories of their own to reach out. Those with stories about their encounters with police can text STORY to 260-557-4613.
