ATLANTA – State Representative Eric Bell (D-Jonesboro) today issued the following updated statement in response to an alleged event in Riverdale, Georgia:
“This week, members of our community were taken into custody by agents of ICE at the Riverdale Home Depot.
I want to correct an earlier statement I made: I had mistakenly reported that our neighbors were detained at the Walmart in Riverdale. I apologize for the confusion, and I hope no harm has been done to Walmart’s reputation as a result. While I remain critical of their alleged labor practices—such as failing to pay living wages, withholding full-time benefits and resisting efforts to improve working conditions—this mistake was mine, and I take responsibility for it.
But let me be clear: the real issue is what happened on Monday. Since the raid, local authorities still have not been given the names or locations of the individuals ICE took into custody. Eyewitnesses say both Latino and Black individuals were forcibly taken by masked, unidentified agents in paramilitary-style gear. These are our neighbors. Our friends. Our families. And, we will not stand for human trafficking in any form.
Clayton County Democratic Chair, Herman “Drew” Andrews, recovered a cell phone and a backpack left behind at the scene. That phone rang with calls from concerned, French-speaking individuals looking for someone named Muhammad. One of those calls came all the way from Senegal.
In the words of Anne Frank, ‘Terrible things are happening outside. Poor, helpless people are being dragged out their homes. Families are torn apart. Men, women and children are separated. Children come home from school to find their parents have disappeared.’
We say again: we demand justice. We demand peace. And we will introduce legislation, coordinate with local law enforcement, organize, protest, write letters, make phone calls—and we will not stop until both justice and peace are delivered.
Additionally, here are some resources to help you understand your rights when interacting with ICE or immigration officials, and organizations that can support you:
• CASA: Know Your Rights: https://wearecasa.org/know-your-rights/
• Informed Immigrant: https://www.informedimmigrant.com/
• Unidos Georgia: https://www.unidosgeorgia.com/
• ACLU: Know Your Rights – Immigrants’ Rights: https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights#police-or-ice-are-at-my-home
Stay alert. Stay organized. Stay loved and stay in the fight.”
Representative Eric Bell represents the citizens of District 75, which includes a portion of Clayton County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2023 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging and Small Business Development committees.
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