Aliyya Swaby Photo
Harp with Junta’s Sandra Trevino at Wednesday’s immigrant-rights rally in Fair Haven.
If federal immigration officials come knocking to seize and deport undocumented immigrants, New Haven police, school and city officials can’t stop them — but they won’t help them, either.
Mayor Toni Harp, Chief Dean Esserman and Superintendent Garth Harries delivered that message Wednesday as they joined 100 immigrant-rights protesters Wednesday afternoon at Grand and Ferry Streets to rally against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) nationwide push to deport undocumented Central American immigrants.
“New Haven police officers, school district employees and other city workers do not and will not act to enforce federal immigration law. Those who represent this city act in support of all residents regardless of documentation and immigration status,” Harp declared.
The first reported raids were Sunday, in Georgia, Maryland and Texas, with around 121 rounded up. Lawyers have since managed to stop and appeal the deportation of 12 of those people.
Remembering how similar raids tore apart families and devastated the Fair Haven neighborhood in 2007, New Haven’s Unidad Latina en Accion and Junta for Progressive Action sprang into action early this week, circulating information about immigrants’ rights when apprehended by immigration officials. They asked for the documents to be circulated through public schools.
Immigration officials are targeting those who crossed illegally after May 1, 2014, received final orders of removal from immigration court and have no other legal recourse, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement released this week.
“As I have said repeatedly, our borders are not open to illegal migration; if you come here illegally, we will send you back consistent with our laws and values,” Johnson said.
“I know there are many who loudly condemn our enforcement efforts as far too harsh, while there will be others who say these actions don’t go far enough. I also recognize the reality of the pain that deportations do in fact cause. But, we must enforce the law consistent with our priorities.”
Mayor Harp Wednesday said her administration will also be following its priorities, “to safeguard the well being of all New Haven residents,” including the undocumented.
Though New Haven officials have no information to suggest ICE will target its immigrants, “the possibility exists” and local officials can’t stop them from enforcing federal law, she said. Still “no city official will be an agent for ICE,” Harp said, to cheers from the crowd.
Chief Esserman (pictured) said police officers don’t want anyone to “feel fear” or “concern” when they see local police uniforms. “We want them to feel safety. We want them to feel hope. We want them to feel respect. We are not the federal immigration police. We are the New Haven police,” he said. “We are not going to take a step backward.”
Superintendent Harries urged parents to keep sending their children to school, instead of keeping them home out of fear. He said school and district leaders will immediately communicate with parents if ICE officials attempt to enter a school — and he urged parents to keep their contact information on file up to date.
Eight years ago, ICE performed a surprise sweep of the city that led to 32 undocumented immigrants being detained, with many parents separated from their children — a few days after the city had passed an immigrant-friendly ID program. Yale Law School Deputy Dean Michael Wishnie said Wednesday that ICE officials lied in 2007 when they said they were only looking for those with final orders of deportation. Only five of the 32 had final orders and 27 had no previous contact with immigration, Wishnie said. “If they come again, we will rise up again,” he said, promising legal help from Yale Law School.
After the rally, ULA put on a “Know Your Rights” bilingual performance piece, moderated by organizer Joseph Foran, to show community members what they should and should not do if confronted by “la migra” or immigration officials.
Versions A & B
Fatima Rojas (at left in photo) played the role of “la migra” Wednesday afternoon, knocking on Enedelia Cruz’s door and demanding she open up for immigration officials.
In the incorrect version of the skit, Cruz opened the door for Rojas and was swiftly arrested and taken away.
In the correct version, Cruz asked Rojas to pass the warrant under the door, refused to open up, and then maintained her silence. Rojas left them alone.
Eight years ago, Rojas feared for herself and her friends as immigration officials removed undocumented immigrants from their homes and sent them back to their countries. Her daughter was just a few months old; Rojas carried her to all the protests. She was scared to even be near her window.
“People were arrested in their underwear,” she said.
Then, like now, a “rapid response network” of immigrant-rights activists took to the streets and organized to get people necessary legal representation and training. Now, Rojas said, she is “so upset and so disappointed” that federal deportations are starting up again.
“I feel prepared,” she said. “Our community is more mature in that regard.”
The president of Columbus Family Academy’s parent-teacher organization, she has seen some parents not sending their kids to school because they fear being deportation targets, she said. “We’re going to fight back.”