With the end of the legislative session looming, hundreds assembled in full force at the State House Tuesday to mourn and protest our legislators’ failure to pass statewide protections for immigrant families. Prayer, presentations and song were led by dynamic faith and community leaders and immigrant families. Together, collective voices arose for statewide protections. Community advocates, clergy and immigrants then split into three groups to cover the State House delivering letters with black ribbons to all of our legislators conveying our disappointment and demanding action.
We are calling for state elected officials to act before the end of the legislative session, July 31, to pass provisions of the Safe Communities Act – which would provide basic protections for community members, including barring police inquiries about immigration status, ensuring basic due process protections for immigrants, ending collaboration between local sheriffs and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and banning registries based on country of origin or religion.