By Randall Yip, Executive Editor
Six protesters plopped themselves on the floor in the middle of a campaign office of Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov Tim Walz today.
The group supported by about 30 chanting demonstrators outside the office says their sit-in will not end until the Biden-Harris administration releases detained Cambodian refugee Sereyrath “One” Van from detention.
Van faces deportation based on a 2018 felony conviction for the intent of selling cocaine and marijuana.
Immigration officers detained him in August when he arrived at immigration offices for his regular check-in.
One of those participating in the sit-in is Sangha Soun. He is now 20 and has not seen his father since he was deported 12 years ago on what Soun says was a minor conviction for which he already served jail time.
“When I heard about One’s case, I knew I had to be there for this protest,” Soun told AsAmNews by phone. “I have not seen him (his father). I do not know where he is. I do not even know if he’s alive,” he said with his voice cracking. “I’m not sure if he had the resources to live and survive,” saying his father has no relatives left in Cambodia and no property.
Soun says the protesters have been told by police that no arrests will be made. However, it’s unclear how long the protesters will be allowed to stay in the office. The protesters have labeled Biden, Harris, Trump, and Obama as “Deporters-In-Chief”
The sit-in comes one day before the first debate between Harris and Donald Trump tomorrow, also in Philadelphia. AsAmNews contacted Andrew Peng of the Harris-Walz campaign. He says he cannot comment until the situation is over nor could he confirm no arrests will be made, saying he had no other information other than the sit-in is ongoing.
(An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the number of protesters participating in the sit-in and wrongly stated the date of One’s detention by ICE. We apologize for the errors.)
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