Mural About Deportation Painted In Front Of Immigration And Customs Enforcement Building

By Justin Udo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Artists painted a mural with a focus on deportation on the street in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Philadelphia Monday night.

You have to look down on the ground to see the 90 foot mural on Callowhill Street between 16th and 17th street that reads:

"We're laying down the words we are human beings risking our lives for our family and our future."

Michelle Ortiz the murals lead artists says part of the goal of this project is to humanize the immigration process.

"That phase comes from one of the women who is a mother her and her daughter were detained at the Burks detention center."

Olivia Vazquez is an undocumented immigrant who has lived in the United States for 11 years.

She says she came out to help paint the mural in an effort to show others the struggle of the immigrant.

"People don't leave their country just because they want to," says Vazquez. "They leave out of necessity and they leave to give their family a better life

Four more of these murals are being painted around the city.

 

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