Tag: immigration

“Invasion”

~ Bruce Ray ~ 2 Comments

October 3 was my birthday, but my celebration was overshadowed by terrible events in Chicago neighborhoods–including incidents just blocks from our church property.. Some of you have reached out to see if we are OK, and I appreciate your concern. Honestly, I would prefer that you reach out to your representatives and senators and demand an end to the lawless and provocative tactics of ICE in Chicago, Chicago suburbs and beyond.

We have experienced nothing less than an invasion of militarized ICE agents. For the past 3 weeks, ICE has been detaining dozens of people–most of them who have no criminal record. But on my birthday, ICE agents deployed teargas in our streets, ransacked an apartment building in the middle of the night, separated children from their parents and placed them in zip-ties, and shot rubber bullets at peaceful protesters. Happy birthday to me! I would have preferred a spray of flowers over pepper spray.

Even US citizens have been caught in their indiscriminate dragnets. Agents handcuffed Alderperson Jessie Fuentes in a hospital emergency room simply for asking agents if they had a judicial warrant for a man who was being treated. Of course, they did not. Jessie is a friend. It broke my heart watching her be mistreated for exercising her constitutional rights and protecting her constituents from unlawful detention.

Since the beginning of “Operation Midway Blitz”, Latin@ parents are afraid to walk their children to school, Latin@ workers are afraid to go to their jobs. Latin@ citizens are carrying passports and REAL IDs out of fear that they will be stopped simply because they are brown.

All of these unlawful and immoral acts have been verified as factual, The stories are not “fake news.” Let me be clear: these acts do not increase safety and security in my neighborhood. Instead, they increase fear, sow mistrust, create chaos and escalate violence. The Administration would convince you that Chicago (and other cities with Democratic mayors of color) are riddled with criminal activity, and that only solution for restoring “law and order” to the streets is use of military power. It is deception used to justify taking control of the city. Our streets were just fine until ICE showed up.

Today, the Federal government further escalated the tension in our city. Four hundred National Guard arrived from the state of Texas to “protect ICE agents and federal buildings” in Chicago and the state of Illinois. Governor J.B. Pritzker–who has never requested federal help or deployment of the National Guard–called it “Trump’s Invasion.”

Do not listen to Karoline Leavitt. She quotes statistics to reinforce racist tropes and urban criminality. Listen to the people on the ground. Right now, the only lawless criminals I see are the ones who wear street clothing and cover their faces, openly carry weapons, and terrorize our neighborhoods looking for anyone who doesn’t look like Chip.*

But Chip better watch out too. ICE doesn’t like journalists or people who protect their neighbors (aka “the enemy within”)..

Please pray for Chicago–and every other city threatened by ICE–cities like Portland, Memphis, New Orleans, Baltimore, Philadelphia and more to be named. And please do more than pray. Stand up for basic human rights and human dignity. Our faith demands it.

*This is a reference to an interview of US Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino by NPR reporter Chip Mitchell, who asked, “How can you tell [if someone is an ‘illegal alien’] by appearance?” Bovino then asked the reporter his name and responded, “How do they appear in relation to what you or other people look like?” Governor Pritzker accused Bovino’s agents of “harassing people for not being white.” You can read the entire transcript of Chip Mitchell’s interview HERE. BTW, Chip is white.

Coming Soon to a City Near You

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

The images of armed National Guard troops and armored military vehicles entering McArthur Park in Los Angeles on Monday morning sent chills down my spine. There had been no riot. There had been no armed uprising. But according to the Department of Defense, the troops were present at the park to “ensure the safety of federal agents.” The Department of Homeland Security called the takeover of McArthur Park part of “ongoing enforcement operations.” Los Angeles Mayor, Karen Bass, called the show of military force “absolutely outrageous” and “un-American”, designed to “strike fear into the heart of the city.” It worked. It was scary.

Then, in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, Homeland Security agents attempted to gain access to the National Puerto Rican Museum in Humboldt Park. The agents were denied access after they did not show any identification, present warrants or answer questions on why they were on the private property. There was speculation that they were making plans for upcoming festivals in Humboldt Park that highlight and celebrate Latinx culture including Barrio Arts Fest, The Great Columbian Festival and Fiesta Boricua. No one knows for certain what those plans might include.

Today, in response to the incident at the museum, local, state and national elected officials representing the Northwest Side of Chicago issued a strongly worded statement condemning any efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to intimidate, surveil, and terrorize the Latinx community and stating, “ICE is not welcome in Humboldt Park or anywhere in Chicago or Illinois.” At a press conference, U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-03), who has repeatedly called for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, accused the federal administration of violating the constitution by detaining and deporting people without due process, and she denounced the tactics of ICE. “If you have to cover yourself up to [take] people, then you’re a terrorist yourself,” she said.

Back in Los Angeles, Border Patrol El Centro Sector Chief Gregory Bovino was interviewed by Fox 11 Los Angeles. He made it clear that operations like the one on Monday would happen again. He promised, “The Federal government is not leaving LA… We’re going to be here until that mission is accomplished.”

He then added, “Better get used to us now, because this is gonna be normal very soon.”

Your city could be next.

Delivered Back to Death

~ Bruce Ray ~ Leave a comment

“Deliver the poor and the needy; rescue them from their…oppressors.” Psalm 82:4 (The Voice)

Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security posted the following announcement on its website:.

“Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem today announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Afghanistan. The TPS designation for the country expires on May 20, 2025, and the termination will be effective on July 14, 2025.

“After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary Noem determined that conditions in Afghanistan no longer meet the statutory requirements. The Secretary’s decision was based on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services review of the country conditions and in consultation with the Department of State. The Secretary determined that, overall, there are notable improvements in the security and economic situation such that requiring the return of Afghan nationals to Afghanistan does not pose a threat to their personal safety due to ongoing-armed conflict or extraordinary and temporary conditions. She further determined that permitting Afghan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.”

This DHS decision means that all Afghans who received protection following the US military withdrawal in 2022 will now be required to return to Afghanistan voluntarily or face prison sentences and/or forced deportation. Many of these Afghans had assisted the US military during the war against the Taliban, the same Taliban that now controls the country. And among the 200,000 Afghans losing their protected status are more than 300 Christians who faced harsh persecution under Taliban rule and who were pursuing asylum in the US. Delivering any of these Afghan individuals and families to the Taliban will likely result in imprisonment or even death.

In a letter sent to President Trump and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, faith leaders urged the “Administration to act swiftly to protect Afghan Christians from deportation to Afghanistan, where they face grave threats to their safety and their very lives because of their faith.” Opposition to ending the protections is appropriate and necessary. Will the letter make a difference? If the acts of DHS and ICE in the past are any indication, it is not likely.

Psalm 82 reminds the “judges” (ie political leaders) that their role is to “rescue the poor and needy from their oppressors.” The ending of TPS for Afghans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans is inconsistent with our faith and our values. Silence isn’t an option.

Today, my Congresswoman, Delia Ramirez (IL – District 03) will not be silent as she repeats her call* for the resignation of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem ” for the unconstitutional, illegal weaponization of DHS to pursue a campaign of persecution, mass incarceration, and deportation. Now she can include the reckless and immoral rescinding of Afghani Temporary Protected Status to the list.

* Ramirez first called for Noem’s resignation on April 8 in a press conference after witnessing children being processed by immigration officials at the southern border without legal representation.