On Wednesday, Jan. 7 in Minneapolis, Minn., Renee Nicole Good was killed by a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. Last Saturday (Jan. 10), Indivisible Phenix City organized a candlelit vigil to both celebrate Good’s life and peacefully protest the presence of ICE within Columbus and Phenix City. Their goal was to “raise awareness about how immigration policies are impacting the Chattahoochee Valley” as stated by organizer Amy Bruce.
Crowds gathered along the sidewalk of Manchester Expressway. Protestors held signs and candles, sang songs, and waved at passing drivers who honked in support. Indivisible partnered with the Columbus Police Department to ensure all attendees were safely able to express their freedom of speech. While much of the focus of the gathering centered Good, this was an opportunity to also honor the lives of others who have been killed by ICE.
“Stewart Detention center, which is down in Lumpkin, Georgia is one of the largest immigration centers in the country.” said Bruce of Columbus’s proximity to ongoing ICE operations. She mentioned the use of the Columbus airport for ICE flights, pointing out that detainees are arriving shackled and treated as inmates…