The IAM Union has confirmed that an IAM Union Local 695 (District 160) member and lawful U.S. permanent resident, Maximo Londonio, is being held in custody by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
Londonio has been detained since May 15 after returning home from a trip with his wife and young daughter to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary and see family in the Philippines. Londonio is a lead fork lift driver at Crown Cork & Seal, an IAM-represented manufacturing facility in Lacey, Wash., where he has worked since 2017. Coworkers describe him as a well-liked and dedicated to his job.
The IAM Union is currently working with the employer to maintain Londonio’s job, as well as allied organizations to secure his release.
“Like so many across our country, our IAM Union Brother Maximo is simply trying to be the best husband and father he can be and provide for his family,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “To our knowledge, there has been no evidence to support the U.S. government’s continued detention of Maximo. We call for his immediate release.”
“Our union is a family – and we will speak up any time we see the human rights of our members being violated,” said IAM Union Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “We will continue to call for his release until Maximo is free and reunited with his family.”
The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries across the United States and Canada.
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