Regina Schwartz: Immigration | “Loving Justice”
When we fail to respond humanely to refugees, we not only deny their vulnerability, we also deny our own.
Julia Paley: The End of Asylum?
Trump’s asylum ban and kangaroo tent courts threaten to destroy a pillar of international humanitarian law. What can we do?
Mario Garcia: More Central American migrants take shelter in churches, recalling 1980s sanctuary movement
To avoid arrest, thousands of Central Americans have taken shelter in churches, which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement considers sensitive locations where officers should be hesitant to make arrests.
Harry Blain: American Concentration Camps
When human beings are framed as a national security threat, barbed wire is the next logical step. But unlike during the Japanese internment, today there’s high-level political resistance.
Ginger Thompson: A Border Patrol Agent Reveals What It’s Really Like to Guard Migrant Children
With the agency under fire for holding children in deplorable conditions and over racist and misogynistic Facebook posts, one agent speaks about what it’s like to do his job. “Somewhere down the line people just accepted what’s going on as normal.”
Video: The Office of Missing Children
Nearly 15,000 unaccompanied minors currently are detained in the U.S.; they’re held in places ranging from tent cities to trailers and shelters, some of which have a history of mistreatment, including forced drugging, sexual assault and physical abuse.
Video: Willie Nelson’s new song “Immigrant Eyes” (with lyrics)
It turns out that Oscar Alberto Martínez and his 23-month-old daughter Angie Valeria were just two of dozens who’ve died in the Rio Grande this year. In this spirit, here’s Willie Nelson’s new song celebrating immigrants.
Video: “Dear America” by Jose Bello
Two days after he read this poem at a TRUTH Act forum in Bakersfield, California, ICE arrested Jose Bello.
Emily McFarlan Miller: Lutheran minister and her family arrested by ICE
Betty Rendón was arrested along with her husband; her daughter, who is a DACA recipient; and a cousin who was staying with the family. The arrest was clearly a retaliation by ICE against the congregation which has been actively supporting undocumented workers.
Miranda Cady Hallett, Theo J. Majka: The benefits that places like Dayton, Ohio, reap by welcoming immigrants
There are practical reasons for cities like Dayton to encourage immigrants to stay, be part of the community and put down roots.
Julia Conley: Trump Threatens to Ship Undocumented Immigrants to Sanctuary Cities
Trump framed the proposal as a threat—but several politicians and rights advocates replied that immigrants would be welcome in those communities.
John Samuel Tieman: By the Rivers of Babylon
if we forget these freedoms
let our tongues and lips wither
let our lyrics turn to twitter rants
Peter Certo: Russia was never the real scandal
Evidence of much more serious “collusion” — with corporations and the wealthy — has always been hiding in plain sight. Though these unique excesses of the Trump era have gotten some coverage, they were never treated as the threat to his legitimacy that Russia was.
Karla Lamb: Chiapas, Mexico
Chiapas, ten years old. Morning hummingbirds, rainforest canopy. Where monarchs land on my arm, & don’t fly away. Adobe house on a hill. Three rooms, no doors. Where two holes in … Continue reading →