Don't despair, organize

Last night, news broke that children separated from their parents at the border were arriving by plane at LaGuardia Airport. Immediately, Make the Road, United We Dream, and Jewish Action organized hundreds of outraged New Yorkers to bear witness to these children, and to show that our city sees them, and we will not stop fighting for them. I’m so grateful to everyone who showed up last night, including Shahana Hanif and Asher Novek of my staff.

My office is committed to mobilizing in these efforts. Keep reading for ways you can get involved, including traveling to Washington, DC to protest at the White House on June 30.   

By now we’ve all seen the horrific images, the stories, the headlines. In our name, our government is violating the human rights of fathers, mothers, and children, many of them fleeing violence and seeking asylum, locking them inconcentration camps, and causing long-term trauma.

Yesterday afternoon, the President signed an executive order in response to heated calls across the country from so many of us that he end his disgusting policy of family separation, but this executive order only substitutes one trauma for another. It authorizes imprisoning immigrant families in internment camps indefinitely, in violation of federal law and human dignity, and it does not guarantee that families won’t continue to be separated until different facilities can be located or built. Worse, it does absolutely nothing to reunite the 2,300 children already separated from their parents.

If you are feeling angry, if you are feeling despair, if you are feeling outrage, shame, disgust, and a blaring call to action, this fight is far from over. There are things we can do to #EndFamilySeparation right now.

PROTEST

Today, Thursday, June 21:

NYC

T’ruah is hosting a protest outside the Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) offices at Federal Plaza at 6pm to pray and act together for protection for immigrants. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/394438817734470/

NYC

Refuse Fascism and Refuse Fascism NYC are hosting a vigil tonight at the the processing center for separated children at Cayuga Children's Center in Harlem, at 1916 Park Ave at 9pm. You are encouraged to bring children's shoes and candles for a visual installation. https://www.facebook.com/events/2019808411605818/

Thursday, June 28:

Washington, DC

The Women’s March is organizing a mass women’s civil disobedience inWashington, D.C. at 8am to protest family prison camps. More info:https://www.endfamilyseparation.us/

Saturday, June 30:

Washington, DC/NYC

The National Domestic Workers Alliance, MoveOn, and many other organizations are hosting a day of action across the country, including a #FamiliesBelongTogether rally in Washington, D.C. at 11am in Lafayette Square.
https://www.facebook.com/events/401815953659712/

**My office is trying to determine if there is a strong enough desire within our community to travel to DC to organize a bus.**

If you are interested in traveling to our nation’s capital to demand an end to family separation and abuses against immigrant children and families, please fill out this form. If enough people indicate they are interested, we will work to get a bus to leave from Brooklyn and will be back in touch about specifics.

If you can’t make it to Washington, the New York based event on June 30 is scheduled for 10am at Foley Square. https://www.facebook.com/events/402075813606761/

And you can check out other events happening in NYC on June 30 here.

CONTRIBUTE

We cannot allow these atrocities to make us numb. Whether you can attend a protest, donate, write a postcard, offer an emergency ride, or anything in between, we need and want your help.

Brad