That's a good start. Now on to Phase Two.
Posted on 03/09/2017 10:39:57 AM PST by Drango
On a cold Friday morning, more than 50 people sit in the auditorium of the Benjamin Franklin Health Science Academy in Brooklyn. Many have small children fidgeting on their laps.
The families are here for a "Know Your Rights" forum on immigration hosted by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., and the local school district. Given the new, intensified immigration enforcement priorities announced by the Department of Homeland Security in February, the purpose is to help people understand their legal rights with regards to asylum, applications for citizenship and more.
A representative from Mayor Bill de Blasio's office speaks, followed by representatives of legal-assistance and community groups. During the Q&A, one woman broke into tears as she described, in Spanish, her fears of deportation.
There are many tears these days, says the woman who initiated this event, the school's parent coordinator, Christian Rodriguez.
"I have children crying in the classroom, crying in my office," she says. "When I ask them, 'Why are you crying?' They have expressed to me that they don't want their moms to be apprehended and taken away from them. It's something heavy on my heart."
Rodriguez has been the parent coordinator at this pre-K through 8th grade school ever since New York City's Department of Education created the position at schools citywide in 2003. Before that, she worked in Velazquez's office.
Enrollment in this school, on the Williamsburg/Bedford-Stuyvesant border of Brooklyn, is more than 80 percent Hispanic. Rodriguez says the families here come primarily from Mexico, then the Dominican Republic, followed by elsewhere in Central America. "I am from Nicaragua and as an immigrant also, can relate to their suffering and the situation they are going through right now," she says.
Under new directives issued in February by the Trump administration, anyone with deportation orders already issued, and anyone convicted of even a minor crime like a traffic offense, can be targeted for immediate removal. This is a change from the Obama administration's policy, when suspected gang members and felons received the highest priority from law enforcement.
The attorneys and community workers at the event advised attendees to be prepared: Don't drive with burned-out taillights. Don't exceed the speed limit. If you have an attorney, carry his or her business card at all times. If ICE — Immigration and Customs Enforcement — comes to your home or stops you on the street, they are allowed to call themselves "police." But they can't come inside your home or car without a warrant unless you invite them in. You are allowed to ask for a warrant and to make them slip the warrant under the door.
An officer from the New York Police Department told the families that city police won't ask for anyone's immigration status, say if you are the witness to a crime. This pledge forms part of New York City's "sanctuary city" designation.
Similarly, public schools here don't ask for, or keep a record of, anyone's immigration status. And schools have pledged not to "grant unlimited access" to ICE agents. Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina has sent home a letter with all students citywide underlining that point.
Not knowing what the future may bring, Rodriguez says many families have asked her for help creating what are called "parental directives."
These are legal documents designating a caregiver for one's minor children in the event that a parent is deported. Families may be split up if their children are either born in the U.S. and have citizenship, or are allowed to remain under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.
At the Know Your Rights forum, one mother asked how old a designated caregiver had to be: Was 18 OK? "Twenty-one," was the answer.
Another woman asked what she should do if detained by ICE, since she has no income and no money to post bail. "You can ask that it be reduced, but you don't have the right to be set free without a bond," came the reply from one of the experts.
Rodriguez says she's glad that so many parents and community members showed up to the forum, although she was hoping for even more. In previous years when she's tried to hold immigration workshops, she says, people didn't come because they were afraid.
This time, she says, "When I extended my invitation [to parents,] that was the first thing that I mentioned: that they know me for so many years and that I have their best interests at heart."
“An officer from the New York Police Department told the families that city police won’t ask for anyone’s immigration status, say if you are the witness to a crime. This pledge forms part of New York City’s “sanctuary city” designation.”
Sanctuary city designation?
That’s absurd! If an Illegal Alien is a witness to a crime, the NYPD does not even ask to see their papers and just let’s them walk free?
NYPD could appended so many more Illegal Aliens if they were to simply turn Illegal Aliens who witness crimes over to ICE.
If children are crying in the classroom it’s because they are surrounded by adults who are feeding their little heads with mush.
That's a good start. Now on to Phase Two.
Boo Hoo. GTFO!
If I go to ANY other country, settle in, act like a citizen, I’ll be caught and kicked out. The USA has to do the same thing.
Just like hitler did to the yutes, soros has done to these. There will be a whole generation of them.
The kids have nothing to worry about. I’m sure Mexico has lenient anchor parents laws. If the Mexican illegal parent goes to Mexico, they can “anchor”-in their kids.
their legal rights????? How do you figure?
Gee, I wonder how she manages to support herself and her children. /S
If the parent is deported and they leave their kid behind, that’s on the parent. He shouldn’t have come here illegally to begin with.
Because Hollywood, TV and the Mainstream media are all Mind Control entities, as is NPR *using OUR taxpayer money to manipulate our emotions). They control what the masses “think”-—that is their only purpose is to control the Narrative.
As Ray Bradbury so brilliantly noted, MSM is only about addicting people to stupidity and keeping them from the truth.
Tell them bad old Obama spent so much money when he was President they'll be poor when they're old. Then say, “Mommy and Daddy” might lose their home and car and they'll have to send YOU to an orphanage.
We know how to make children cry too.
Well, if we were total assh*les like democrats who use innocent children as political pawns.
The Obummer administration used every excuse to avoid deporting anyone. But now Trump is deporting people for jaywalking! This is just typical NPR propaganda.
If these children are here without parents— Return them to their parents in Mexica immediately as unarguably in their best interest by any standard . If these children are here with illegal parent, remove them from our country and our taxpayer paid education along with their parents with the admonition to return properly under the law if they wish tio floow the law. Adios.
Tell them bad old Obama spent so much money when he was President they'll be poor when they're old. Then say, “Mommy and Daddy” might lose their home and car and they'll have to send YOU to an orphanage.
We know how to make children cry too.
Well, if we were total assh*les like democrats who use innocent children as political pawns.Go away ANYA KAMENETZ and stop shaking down American citizens to pay for this liberal drivel..
Cry me a river.
Yes but liberals also boasted that Obama deported more illegals than any other president. Although that’s patently false, they’re showing their hypocrisy once again.
Good points all.
Deport those parents who are here illegally. They can take their children with them. They are taking them “home”. What’s the problem?
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