by Emerald Staff
President Donald Trump has expanded the targeting of undocumented immigrants for deportation, with a focus on sanctuary cities. His administration announced that 100 Customs & Border Protection (CBP) tactical squads will be deployed from the southern border to sanctuary cities.
According to the New York Times, these elite troops will be deployed to Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, New Orleans, New York and San Francisco to support ICE agents in arresting undocumented immigrants. By contrast, from construction to agribusiness to tech companies to a new Food Channel program, What’s Eating America, data shows that undocumented immigrants are serving vital functions that impact daily American life.
Seattle, King County and Washington state are declared sanctuary localities, that are not partnering with ICE to deport local residents. But, last week, the US Dept of Justice filed a lawsuit against King County over its ban on deportation flights from Boeing Field, owned by the County.
That does not allay the anxiety and fears of local immigrants, their families and communities.
The Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) has been in the forefront of advocating for immigrant rights in Washington. Their message alert:
No Washington cities are listed in the current attack on sanctuary cities.
WAISN was created in 2016 and is dedicated to immigrant advocacy for and assistance specifically for this kind of attack. They are currently engaged with nearly 300 organizations in over 22 counties.
Monserrat Padilla, director of WAISN and an outspoken Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and immigrant rights advocates since high school, reminds the community, “Unfortunately the administration continues to pursue mass deportation and family separation, including an obsession with punishing cities that share our values and have passed welcoming and inclusive policing policies. We have rights! We have power!”
WAISN continues to provide timely, accurate updates about immigrant rights in Washington. For more information, call their hotline: 1-844-724-3737.
Featured image: A June 2018 demonstration at the SeaTac ICE Detention Center (Photo courtesy of 21 Progress)