ustxtxb_obs_2007_07_27_50_00005-00000_000.pdf

_ . WRITE FOR THE OBSERVER! BLOGGER POSITION AVAILABLE Sadly, the Observer’s blogger, Matt Wright, is moving on, and we find ourselves in need of a new one. It’s a part-time job for someone eager to post daily updates to our Web site about Texas politics, government, culture, and the occasional oddity. Curiosity, solid reporting skills, and a measure of self discipline are all musts. A bit of wit and charm and a sense of humor are also helpful. To apply, send a letter, a resume, and some writing samples to: Editors The Texas Observer 307 West 7th Street Austin, TX 78701 [email protected] Center in Houston for a few hours. Chanting “melt the ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement],” Ben Browning and Ashley Turner locked their bodies to the entrance and exit gates of the privately run facility on June 4. The two called for an end to immigration raids. For several hours they halted the movement of immigrant detainees bussed in and out of the processing facility. Once officers cut the locks and reopened the gates, they hustled Browning and Turner off to a night in jail. The activists expected to be charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass. Instead, the district attorney added felony possession of a criminal instrument. The instruments? Bulldog bicycle locks from a local bike shop. If convicted, the two could have served up to three years each in prison. Turner’s attorney, Randall Kallinen, argued the locks weren’t altered or “manufactured” before they were used to commit the crimea key requirement of the felony statute. The grand jury no-billed the native Houstonians. The two activists still face misdemeanor charges that could land them each in jail for six months, along with as much as $2,000 in fines. Turner and Browning are trying to raise $5,000 to pay legal fees. Their act of solidarity with undocumented immigrants, who generally don’t protest for fear of being discovered, has resonated with some in Houston’s Latino community. A taco truck owner, Leobardo Santillan, has raised more than half the defense funds through collection drives at local flea markets. Santillan, who operates Taqueria el Tigre, is donating several days worth of sales as well. JULY 27, 2007 THE TEXAS OBSERVER 5