BY LINDA DUNHAM

Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

More than three dozen people gathered today across the street from the nearly completed federal courthouse in downtown Richmond to protest Wednesday's immigration raid there.

The protesters carried signs reading "No human is illegal" and "Slavery splits families" and other messages.

The Virginia Immigration People's Coalition organized the protest to help create awareness of the increasingly volatile issue of illegal immigration and its impact on the immigrant community.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the site of the $104 million courthouse on Wednesday and took into custody 33 construction workers suspected of being illegal immigrants.

Rachel Mehl, an activist with the coalition, said the group had been in touch with family members of the 33 detained workers. The group is putting them in contact with legal resources.

The Rev. Shay Auerbach, pastor of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in South Richmond, said the raid sent shock waves through his heavily Latino parish.

"They are going after the hard-working element of the community, and that just drives them deeper underground," Auerbach said. "It's so scary for them."

Contact Linda Dunham at ldunham@timesdispatch.com