After the #FamiliesBelongTogether Marches, what now?
posters by artist Leon Wang
Last week, WMM joined a number of other organizations in a civil disobedience action at General Dynamics, Bloomington, to protest the company’s involvement in the business of immigrant detention and monitoring. This action was led by Navigate MN, Black Visions Collective, CTUL, and SEIU Local 26. Eight protestors were arrested, including Sen. Patricia Torres Ray.
This was just one of many similar disobedience actions protesting family detention, family separation and the zero tolerance policy: Women’s March #WomenDisobey action in DC on June 28th, New Mexico Women’s March action in Albuquerque on the same day, the action by Mijente in San Diego this Monday. Philadelphia, Portland and yesterday in NY.
Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of people in over 700 towns and cities across the states joined marches to protest the zero tolerance policy of the current administration - calling for the an end to family detention and the abolishment of I.C.E., among other things.
Meanwhile, in spite of a court order to return separated children to their parents within 30 days, there are reports that little attempt is being made by the administration to reunite the 2300+ children with their families. In some places, it seems that officials are actively putting obstacles in the way of families being reunited and that relatives of separated children are being charged for their transportation.
posters by artist Leon Wang
What more can we do?
- Keep the issue in the forefront:
- Talk about it
- Post about it
- Write to the editor of your local newspaper about it
- Be willing to have uncomfortable conversations with you family, friends and neighbors
- Join local protests on this issue
- Expose corporations who profit from the business of immigrant detention
- Support immigrant rights groups working at the border and across the country
- Call the Department of Justice and let them know what you think about what they are doing - P: 202-353-1555
- Call your US Reps and senators and tell them that they must work to put together an immigration system that does NOT criminalize, detain or deport immigrants (children or adults) who are seeking asylum or immigrant status in the US or who are already in the US.