"Journalism is Not a Crime:" Read History and Opinion from NAA Members
News and opinion written by NAA members:
The content team would like to extend a shout out to two NAA members who have published articles this week. We encourage you to click on their links, read and share with friends.
Content team member Rachel Ida Buff has a story in Against the Current, “Prophetstown and the Long American Tradition of Sanctuary Cities.”
NAA member Alex Margolis has an opinion piece up at JTA, “My Grandmother Eva Schloss Survived Auschwitz. She Would Not Be Silent About America Today.”
Mazal tov Rachel and Alex!
In January, more than 100 organizations brought together by the Immigration Defense Network trained an average of 2,000 volunteers per week to be constitutional observers – trained community members who observe and document federal law enforcement activity to help ensure constitutional rights are followed.
Edwin Torres Desantiago, the Immigrant Defense Network manager, told MPR News that the number of observers now is nearly 30,000 in 77 out of 87 counties in Minnesota. Additionally, another 6,000 volunteers are registered to help deliver food, give at-risk families rides, go to court hearings and translate documents.
Desantiago said that even if there was a sudden decrease in ICE agents in the state, his organization would continue to work around the clock for months to help with the ripple effect the operation has had on tens of thousands of Minnesotans.
Since the halcyon days of McCarthyism, the far right has longed for the power to incarcerate a wide array of citizens and denizens, as the US government did during the internment of Japanese Americans, the vast majority of whom were US citizens, during World War II. This dreaded endpoint now hovers into view with the Department of Homeland Security, fattened by congress’ $45 billion boondoggle from the Big Bad Bill.
Without fast and decisive congressional action to rein in its unchecked power, the DHS will be equipped with the ability to supercharge its deportation infrastructure. Using a contract vehicle intended for military use, the rogue agency will be free to create “ a ghost network of concentration camps”: cities of 10,000 inmates with little in the way of political oversight.
ICE Out at the Grammys: Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, SZA, Olivia Dean
This past Sunday the Grammy Awards were held in Los Angeles, a city that has been continuously targeted by ICE raids and kidnappings since last June. The star studded night included both Grammy winners and nominees speaking out against ICE, and using their moment in the national spotlight to condemn the brutality.
Reggaeton artist Bad Bunny became the first person to win Album of the Year for a fully Spanish language album. “Before I say thanks to God I’m going to say ICE out,” was the beginning of his acceptance speech. A mere week away from him performing at the Superbowl halftime show, Bad Bunny has been made a source of rage as right wing influencers have been spending the last few months spewing racist hate about him while trying to convince their constituents that he’s not an American citizen, even though he is Puerto Rican.
Two Journalists have been indicted for covering a protest in St. Paul, MN that interrupted a church service where one of the pastors is a local ICE officer. Former CNN and now independent journalist Don Lemon and local to Minneapolis journalist Georgia Fort were arrested last Friday.
Lemon said in a press conference after getting out of court that day: “Again, I will not stop now. I will not stop ever. … The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work for me and for countless of other journalists who do what I do. I stand with all of them, and I will not be silent.”
From Shayna:
You can take meaningful action to show up for immigrant communities:
- Are you ready to organize on the ground? Use our Congregational Protective Presence to keep our communities safe the upcoming holidays of Easter and Ramandan. Write to shayna@neveragainaction.com to request coaching support.
- Looking for something to do from home? Sign up to flood ICE’s phone lines in defense of our friend Alejandro Guizar who was abducted in October and share the event with your networks: bit.ly/Call4Alejandro