CGRS Denounces Raids Targeting Immigrant and Asylum-Seeking Families

The Center for Gender & Refugee Studies (CGRS) denounces the Trump Administration’s planned raids targeting immigrant and asylum-seeking families. According to the latest media reports, the raids are slated to commence in the predawn hours this Sunday. At the president’s behest, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is expected to target up to 2,000 families in major U.S. cities including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco.

“Mass immigration raids tear families apart, traumatize vulnerable children, and sow fear and chaos in our communities,” CGRS-California Directing Attorney Christine Lin said today. “This is yet another attempt by the president to score a few political points at the expense of children and families. Among those targeted in this latest sweep are asylum-seeking families who have come to this country fleeing unimaginable violence. Raiding their homes in the dead of night will retraumatize parents and children who have already endured so much. Our local rapid response networks in northern California stand ready to defend the rights of impacted community members.”

CGRS urges communities nationwide to lift their voices and stand with impacted families:

• Raise your voice on social media and call out the planned raids as a blatant assault on immigrant and asylum-seeking families. Use the hashtags #TrumpRaids and #FamiliesBelongTogether.
• Pick up the phone! Call your congressional representatives and tell them that you oppose inhumane raids on immigrant communities.
• Share these critical know your rights resources with those who may be impacted by the raids:
  
  • What to Do When Interacting with ICE: Informational Videos from the ACLU and Brooklyn Defender Services available in English, Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Haitian Creole, Russian, and Mandarin
  • How to Create a Family Preparedness Plan: Guides from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center available in English, Spanish, and Chinese
  • Rapid Response Hotline Numbers: Emergency hotlines for Northern California networks, from the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice
  • More resources on preparing for immigration raids