Editor’s Note: The following statement was published here via Black With No Chaser, who granted us permission to republish the statement on our site. Here is the statement:
We, as descendants of enslaved African people, stand here today in solidarity, in determination, and in righteous outrage at the unwarranted and heavy-handed actions of the federal government. On August 7th, 2019, hundreds of ICE agents descended upon four cities in our state, where they arrested nearly 700 workers because they believed that they might be undocumented. These men and women were hauled away, busload after busload, with none of the workers able to see to their families and their children—children who would return from the first day of school to find their parents ripped from their lives.
The federal raids in Mississippi are immoral, cruel, inhumane and inherently undemocratic. The words on the Statue of Liberty eloquently state “Give me your tired, your poor/ Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free/ The wretched refuse of your teeming shore./ Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,/ I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
The people that were swarmed upon and herded away from their jobs like cattle did not experience this America. Under this administration, the “poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free” are treated with contempt. They are called criminals. They are separated like slaves and caged like animals. Because these immigrants are Brown, the President and some of our own elected officials have decided that these people are not worthy of compassion, inclusion, or basic human decency.
The Brown people that are being targeted are indigenous peoples to this land called America. They were here before Christopher Columbus. Yet, they do not feel the welcome that Polish, Italian, German, and other European immigrants were and are granted. Lady Liberty’s “golden door” is slammed in their faces, as the policies of the President reinforced the fact that America’s immigration policy is a “Whites Only” welcome.
This is a nation of immigrants. Its strength lies in its diversity. Its shame lies in its racial bias. People of color —whether citizens or immigrants, legal visitors or desperate individuals seeking a better, safer, happier lives— are not nameless, faceless pieces to be shuffled across a political game board.
The anti-immigrant, anti-Latinx, anti-Black, anti-human rights policies created by this administration shocks the conscience of all reasonable people. We call on the United States government to rescind these policies and reverse all prior decisions that deny affected people their basic human rights.
We in Mississippi demand better.
Signed,
The People’s Advocacy Institute
The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
Jaribu Hill/the Mississippi Workers Center for Human Rights
The NAACP
One Voice of Mississippi
The Children’s Defense Fund of Mississippi
Black Voters Matter of Mississippi
FWD.us, Mississippi Office
Black With No Chaser
Higher Ground Strategies
Mississippi Votes
MOJO Mamas
To see the original statement and petition, go here.
Thanks to allies in black organizations my respects.
What a bunch of crap. Parents who break the law are separated from their children every day. Have you ever heard of anyone being arrested and taking their children to jail with them??
The Statue of Liberty is not federal law. The poem that is written on it has absolutely nothing to do with illegal immigration.
How do you possibly justify lawlessness?
You are correct. We support and welcome actual immigrants. Those here illegally however are not immigrants, actual terminology would be illegal alien. You are not allowed to disregard your resident alien visa,contract with the USA, and be considered anything but an illegal alien. You cannot just walk across the United States border and be considered anything but an illegal alien. Illegal aliens get deported.
Don’t blacks realize that the illegals are after their jobs? Don’t they realize that illegals are draining the National treasury dry? 200 Billion so far this year! When welfare checks stop coming, Section 8 is out of funds, EBT cards are cancelled, Medicaid is out of money, let’s see how that “solidarity” holds up.
Well described…And my solidarity goes with the people..of Mississippi.
That’s good ,just no sympathy for the illegals
Those organizations, I gaurunty, don’t represent the black Americans in Mississippi.
These illegals know the consequences when they bring children. When immigrants came in the 1800’s, they went to Ellis Island where they were processed and possibly held if they were sick. These bleeding hearts need to think about our country and our children. Ask Europe how open borders are doing for them. Taxpayers cannot continue to open the coffers for illegals. For every illegal, perhaps a loving family from the USA can spinner them and take care of their every need.
Beautiful solidarity!
No this is a Great Nation of citizens. Yes we welcome and accept actual immigrants not so much illegal aliens. Coming has an actual immigrant is a privilege that can have great rewards if an actual immigrant doesn’t follow very well known rules,regulations and laws they may not ever get to become a citizen and if egregious enough may also lose immigration status and be deported. Please be respectful of citizens and actual immigrants and report illegal aliens to ICE for detainment then removal.
Its strength lies in its unity. Diversity is GODS creation. Its reality. Unity in HIS creatures in sinc with HIS love.
[…] On Thursday,the Committee on Homeland Security held a public field hearing in Touglaoo, Mississippi, to discuss the impact of the state’s August 7 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workplace raids. […]
[…] The press conference was the kickoff to a solidarity week organized by the BNHR, IAJE, WTM, and NDLON. The purpose of the week is to commemorate the August 3 massacre and the one-year anniversary of the August 7 ICE raids in Mississippi. […]