I'm a Charlotte resident. I attended an emergency Red Wine & Blue meeting last night and they shared a number of resources, including one on where people could donate to help those effected by these outrageous government actions:
* Carolina Migrant Network (https://carolinamigrantnetwork.org/) fuses legal services and community advocacy to provide holistic support for our clients and their families. Your funds will aid their activities including:
- ICE Hotline that notifies impacted community members of danger.
- Bail funds for neighbors kidnapped by ICE-CBP
* Latin American Coalition (https://latinamericancoalition.org/) “No one should face fear alone.” La Coalición has activated its Family Support Network to provide financial help to impacted families.
* ourBRIDGE for KIDS (joinourbridge.org) ourBRIDGE provides after-school programs and wrap-around services for immigrant and refugee families at three locations in Charlotte.
*Action NC (actionnc.org) Líderes en Acción has been leading the fight for immigrant justice in North Carolina.
I never wanted Charlotte to make the news in this way, but I am proud of how the community has sprung into action.
Most Americans don't understand just how close we are, even historically, to this situation. As I was growing up in South Africa, I witnessed the vile actions of police, and even ordinary non-police whites, demanding that black Africans produce their "dompas". At that time, the Apartheid government was supported in many ways by the US. Yet I still hear so many say "it would never happen here".
It was only a matter of time. We’re a blue dot sanctuary city surrounded by a sea of red jackasses. We will not let this stand! There are already protests and mutual aid groups popping up everywhere to give our immigrant friends, neighbors, and family rides to the grocery store, school, church, or wherever they’re afraid to go. We’re collecting food and anything else they may need. I’m so angry at the terror they’re inflicting on the entire community, I want to cry. Abolish ICE!
Abolishing ICE and replacing it with a new agency with a completely different ethos should indeed be a key item on the next Democratic president and/or Democratic Congress's agenda.
In response to Thomas Mills’ question about where the lawyers are, the lawyers are working through our court system to uphold the rule of law. Federal District Court
Judges appointed by Democratic and Republican administrations are reigning in many of Mr. Trump’s excesses. Judges in Illinois required ICE agents to wear cams. Judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered Trump’s administration to restart SNAP payments. The difficulty is that the court system moves slowly and deliberately. But that is our legal system and the rule of law will prevail. Ordinary citizens can help frustrate ICE and Border Patrol agents by alerting our Hispanic community to the presence of these uncontrolled paramilitary agents. Neighbors in Evanston Illinois blew whistles and located these agents. They created a blueprint for us all.
You are so right about lack of police protection. Where are they is mystery! I had the same thought in Charlottesville where the very few assaults and bad acts were ignored.
Thomas, thanks for the rapid and thoughtful posting.
How short our memories are.
Roughly 150 years ago give or take a decade or so, pale-complected men (truth be told -some my relatives), wearing white garb, as opposed to military uniforms, but masked and armed, chased, captured and summarily executed ("extra-judicially") folks of dark complexions. So far the perused have been incarcerated. But never the less, just as unconstitutionally.
Same behavior earlier in this century. In this state. Actually in this county - albeit generally by sheet less men.
Change starts locally, May I reiterate the importance of our coming state elections in less than 12 months? We currently experience the environment - a result of fifteen years of our Republican neighbors' control of the NC Legislature.
No budget (now 4 months overdue), gerrymandering, election law manipulations ...
Seems not only does our collective memory seem to fail to remind us of past actions, but WE AS WELL seem to ignore we are directly responsible for the behavior of those we select to write our laws.
Trump's attempts to use ICE to turn NC and the nation into a permanent police state aren't going well. I'd guess the public backlash will continue until Democrats retake Congress next year. https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/ncs-immigration-crackdown
The constitution says all persons on American soil are entitled to due process, regardless of immigration status. Clearly, ICE is acting in violation of the constitution and the law, which states that being undocumented is a civil not a criminal offense. With a partisan politicized SCOTUS along with much of the federal judiciary, it falls to to local and state courts, governments and law enforcement to challenge the rapidly creeping fascism of this administration. Let's support that effort wherever we can.
Ice IS acting illegally. I too wonder why they aren’t being arrested?! It seems that the police force must have the same appallingly misinformed, & cruel prospective that a majority seem to have that respond with mocking “ha,ha’s, gotcha, this is what I voted for comments” to posts illustrating the cruelty & lawlessness of ICE.
The power-drunk White House governing as reckless authoritarians, punishing working class citizens, is setting us up for occupation. The fringe conservative movement ruled by impulse and the hair trigger of social media has become a dumping ground for GOP bullshit. We're not going to have many opportunities to overcome this movement.
Thanks for calling attention to these outrages in NC. People need to understand that such violations of our fundamental rights are happening locally all across the country. Please keep reporting them.
I'm a Charlotte resident. I attended an emergency Red Wine & Blue meeting last night and they shared a number of resources, including one on where people could donate to help those effected by these outrageous government actions:
* Carolina Migrant Network (https://carolinamigrantnetwork.org/) fuses legal services and community advocacy to provide holistic support for our clients and their families. Your funds will aid their activities including:
- ICE Hotline that notifies impacted community members of danger.
- Bail funds for neighbors kidnapped by ICE-CBP
* Latin American Coalition (https://latinamericancoalition.org/) “No one should face fear alone.” La Coalición has activated its Family Support Network to provide financial help to impacted families.
* ourBRIDGE for KIDS (joinourbridge.org) ourBRIDGE provides after-school programs and wrap-around services for immigrant and refugee families at three locations in Charlotte.
*Action NC (actionnc.org) Líderes en Acción has been leading the fight for immigrant justice in North Carolina.
I never wanted Charlotte to make the news in this way, but I am proud of how the community has sprung into action.
Most Americans don't understand just how close we are, even historically, to this situation. As I was growing up in South Africa, I witnessed the vile actions of police, and even ordinary non-police whites, demanding that black Africans produce their "dompas". At that time, the Apartheid government was supported in many ways by the US. Yet I still hear so many say "it would never happen here".
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/apartheid-in-south-africa/apartheid-in-south-africa-source-6a/.
"American exceptionalism" is a comfortable myth that is also our Achilles heel.
Thanks for reporting on this.
F$&king ICE is in Asheville, NC too.
It was only a matter of time. We’re a blue dot sanctuary city surrounded by a sea of red jackasses. We will not let this stand! There are already protests and mutual aid groups popping up everywhere to give our immigrant friends, neighbors, and family rides to the grocery store, school, church, or wherever they’re afraid to go. We’re collecting food and anything else they may need. I’m so angry at the terror they’re inflicting on the entire community, I want to cry. Abolish ICE!
Abolishing ICE and replacing it with a new agency with a completely different ethos should indeed be a key item on the next Democratic president and/or Democratic Congress's agenda.
In response to Thomas Mills’ question about where the lawyers are, the lawyers are working through our court system to uphold the rule of law. Federal District Court
Judges appointed by Democratic and Republican administrations are reigning in many of Mr. Trump’s excesses. Judges in Illinois required ICE agents to wear cams. Judges in Rhode Island and Massachusetts ordered Trump’s administration to restart SNAP payments. The difficulty is that the court system moves slowly and deliberately. But that is our legal system and the rule of law will prevail. Ordinary citizens can help frustrate ICE and Border Patrol agents by alerting our Hispanic community to the presence of these uncontrolled paramilitary agents. Neighbors in Evanston Illinois blew whistles and located these agents. They created a blueprint for us all.
This is disgraceful and totally not the America my father fought for and was a POW in WWII.
You are so right about lack of police protection. Where are they is mystery! I had the same thought in Charlottesville where the very few assaults and bad acts were ignored.
Thomas, thanks for the rapid and thoughtful posting.
How short our memories are.
Roughly 150 years ago give or take a decade or so, pale-complected men (truth be told -some my relatives), wearing white garb, as opposed to military uniforms, but masked and armed, chased, captured and summarily executed ("extra-judicially") folks of dark complexions. So far the perused have been incarcerated. But never the less, just as unconstitutionally.
Same behavior earlier in this century. In this state. Actually in this county - albeit generally by sheet less men.
Change starts locally, May I reiterate the importance of our coming state elections in less than 12 months? We currently experience the environment - a result of fifteen years of our Republican neighbors' control of the NC Legislature.
No budget (now 4 months overdue), gerrymandering, election law manipulations ...
Seems not only does our collective memory seem to fail to remind us of past actions, but WE AS WELL seem to ignore we are directly responsible for the behavior of those we select to write our laws.
Keep reminding us! :-)
Somebody need to tread the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to these goons.
On November 4th Rachel Maddow interviewed the Mayor of the City of Evanston, Illinois about their efforts to identify ICE agents. Here it is :
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow/watch/maddow-chicagoland-sets-the-example-for-countering-trump-s-abuses-251256389962
Trump's attempts to use ICE to turn NC and the nation into a permanent police state aren't going well. I'd guess the public backlash will continue until Democrats retake Congress next year. https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/ncs-immigration-crackdown
The constitution says all persons on American soil are entitled to due process, regardless of immigration status. Clearly, ICE is acting in violation of the constitution and the law, which states that being undocumented is a civil not a criminal offense. With a partisan politicized SCOTUS along with much of the federal judiciary, it falls to to local and state courts, governments and law enforcement to challenge the rapidly creeping fascism of this administration. Let's support that effort wherever we can.
Ice IS acting illegally. I too wonder why they aren’t being arrested?! It seems that the police force must have the same appallingly misinformed, & cruel prospective that a majority seem to have that respond with mocking “ha,ha’s, gotcha, this is what I voted for comments” to posts illustrating the cruelty & lawlessness of ICE.
The power-drunk White House governing as reckless authoritarians, punishing working class citizens, is setting us up for occupation. The fringe conservative movement ruled by impulse and the hair trigger of social media has become a dumping ground for GOP bullshit. We're not going to have many opportunities to overcome this movement.
I am reminded of the Walt Disney Cartoon "When the Fuhrer Says " that was made during World War 2. Time to _______ right in the Fuhrer's face .
Thanks for calling attention to these outrages in NC. People need to understand that such violations of our fundamental rights are happening locally all across the country. Please keep reporting them.