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We've a story with a happy ending to share with you all.
Everyone is reading about the #MuellerReport but this story goes to the heart of Trump's hateful immigration agenda and shows that when we advocate, we can overcome.
Come with us on this one, promise you’ll enjoy it.
Everyone is reading about the #MuellerReport but this story goes to the heart of Trump's hateful immigration agenda and shows that when we advocate, we can overcome.
Come with us on this one, promise you’ll enjoy it.
Last year in the run up to the Midterms, Trump used fear mongering tactics to drum up his base: he scapegoated a caravan of people who were en route to the U.S. seeking asylum.
Every day we’d hear new falsehoods and fear mongering.
He said they were “stone cold criminals” and the new head of DHS @CBP_McAleenan told media over 500 had criminal records: usatoday.com/story/news/201…
He said they were “stone cold criminals” and the new head of DHS @CBP_McAleenan told media over 500 had criminal records: usatoday.com/story/news/201…
We knew they were lying, but all we saw on TV were the mistruths.
We knew if we could tell the stories of those fleeing violence that people of conscience could judge for themselves.
We knew if we could tell the stories of those fleeing violence that people of conscience could judge for themselves.
Up til last year we’d been working in the immigration legal space for 30 years w/few resources & little public attn.
But last summer we received a tremendous gift from y' all. That was a viral fundraiser providing us resources to go beyond what we were doing for our clients.
But last summer we received a tremendous gift from y' all. That was a viral fundraiser providing us resources to go beyond what we were doing for our clients.
So when we heard Trump’s hate, we also read powerful stories from @paolamendoza and saw incredible photos from @KishaBari and decided we, too, would travel down to Mexico city to meet these asylum seekers and see how we could help.
Bear in mind, we’d never done this before -gone across the border to see if we could support asylum seekers. A small team went to Mexico city in Nov where we met 7,000 exhausted travelers cooped up in a stadium. Families were sleeping in the open air. They’d been walking for wks.
Inside the large group we got to chatting w/La Comunidad, a group of 100+ LGBTQ folks who banded together as they’d been mistreated in the group. We saw that this group was in danger and made a quick decision: We’d do whatever it takes to help them.
Within hours we’d paid for bus tickets to get them to the border quickly. We joined them on their bus journey for two days. Trump sent the military to greet them at the border.
When we got to Tijuana we rented rooms for them so they could have a safe place to stay while they waited. We cooked food with them. After fleeing violence and weeks of walking, they were exhausted.
We told their stories. We met Lady who told us that many LGBTQ+ migrants didn’t choose to, but were rather forced to leave their home countries under threat of violence, insults, and an endless barrage of ruthless depravations.
The wait was long.
Our lawyer @Cristian_S_Tx worked day and night for weeks to make sure every one of them knew their rights and brought us all reports about the unjust practice of “Metering” at the border.
Our lawyer @Cristian_S_Tx worked day and night for weeks to make sure every one of them knew their rights and brought us all reports about the unjust practice of “Metering” at the border.
Eventually their numbers got called & they crossed the border.
Since then, a large number of them were detained at an ICE detention center in Pearsall, Texas.
Since then, a large number of them were detained at an ICE detention center in Pearsall, Texas.
We heard some horrific reports of mistreatment, inadequate medical attention and worse, so we told @ICEgov that we were watching. In time the treatment improved, a bit.
@ICEgov Meanwhile, we tried to help secure sponsors who could provide housing to members of La Comunidad after there were released. ]
It was a long wait.
They were detained for almost 5 months.
It was a long wait.
They were detained for almost 5 months.
TODAY we have good news: 4 of them got asylum on Monday and were released yesterday!!
That’s a total of 9 so far. We still can’t believe it. We work in a field where we don’t normally get to celebrate. We end up crying more than we laugh. We don’t do it expecting to win.
That’s a total of 9 so far. We still can’t believe it. We work in a field where we don’t normally get to celebrate. We end up crying more than we laugh. We don’t do it expecting to win.
Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise - since we set up in 1987 coming out of the sanctuary movement - this country has NEVER treated immigrants well.
But under Trump it has only gotten WORSE.
But under Trump it has only gotten WORSE.
Since Trump took office we’ve been fighting back, it’s felt like every day.
Just this week we learned they want to make it more difficult for people to be released while waiting for their asylum claim to be assessed: npr.org/2019/04/17/714…
Just this week we learned they want to make it more difficult for people to be released while waiting for their asylum claim to be assessed: npr.org/2019/04/17/714…
Trans women continue to be mistreated in detention. We’re still fighting for a number of clients in Pearsall and will fight for the countless others who will come here seeking safe haven.
That's for another today. For today, please take a moment within the #MuellerReport madness and listen to Estrellita and Cataleya who are so goddam happy to be free: “I feel so happy because I know I’m heading to my new life.”
And please know, from everyone here at RAICES - we are forever grateful and know that we can only do this because YOU are supporting us.
We’re now nearly 200 staff strong because of your donations. The majority of which are lawyers.
We’re now nearly 200 staff strong because of your donations. The majority of which are lawyers.
We are thrilled for today's successes, but know that our work won’t be done until nobody who has fled to save their life must then fight for it again here, in jail and alone.
If you can, please help us to keep fighting: raicestexas.org/donate/?ms=det…
If you can, please help us to keep fighting: raicestexas.org/donate/?ms=det…
