Stop Federal Persecution of Cozcacuauhtli
December 12, 2022
The following is a copy of the letter I sent to Rep. Earl Blumenauer (Oregon Third District) asking him to intercede on behalf of Cozcacuauhtli. If you would like to do the same, and make it more likely he might help, feel free to use my words as a template for your own plea. You can use this contact form to write to Rep. Blumenauer. (You should receive an auto-generated email acknowledgement in response.)
Rep. Earl Blumenauer:
I am writing to beg you to intercede on behalf of your constituent who is being persecuted (and prosecuted for activity that was not criminal as well as for crimes she did not commit and false charges based on DHS personnel lies) by the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Attorney's Office, Portland Police, various right wing individuals (including the 45th president of the United States, the current mayor of Portland, Andy Ngô), etc.
This Indigenous activist and disabled veteran of the U.S. Navy has been assaulted, hospitalized, arrested, and jailed numerous times for conducting religious ceremonies (often interrupted by DHS personnel in violation of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act); Azteca dancing in response to DHS personnel destroying sacred altars; displaying piñatas, candles, balloons, and red dresses; and putting red handprints on particle board near (but not, except in the latter case, on the property of) the ICE building in SW Portland as well as filming egregious assaults on peaceful protestors by ICE/DHS personnel. Her activism has been focused on bringing attention to the thousands of MMIW (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) -- including her own niece who has not been seen for more than three years -- and the thousands of children separated from their parents at the border, hundreds of whom still have not been reunited with them.
Groups of armed DHS agents have harassed Tracy Molina (aka Cozcacuauhtli) by showing up at her home on multiple occasions to serve warrants (triggering PTSD flashbacks from her service during Operation Desert Storm). Her charges have been repeatedly dropped and re-filed so DHS can be sent out to her home to traumatize her and her child yet again.
Some of the charges are for incidents in which she wasn't even involved and for which there is video evidence that the perpetuator was someone else. At least one charge is based on outright lies by DHS personnel (which again are refuted by video evidence although it remains to be seen whether the court will permit this evidence to be used in her defense).
Federal officers have inflicted multiple traumatic brain injuries, additional nerve damage to her leg injured while in the Navy, contusions, abrasions, and other injuries serious enough to require ambulance trips to the emergency room. She has spent time caged in ICE holding cells where she was deprived of medical care, food, water, clothing, and sanitary facilities.
As her representative in the U.S. Congress, I'm asking that you intervene to stop this malicious persecution/prosecution of Portland resident, California native, disabled veteran, and Indigenous activist Tracy Molina by the U.S. government.
Sincerely,
I.G. Frederick (they/them)