Our immigrant support group.

[hay rick]

I am a member of an immigrant support group. We had our weekly Zoom meeting this morning. We are working to help immigrants get healthcare surrogates and powers of attorney for their American-born children. We had a guest today who works with a local church with a congregation that includes many immigrants- mostly from southern Mexico and Central America. She started telling stories: the congregation member who was taken away as he came out of Walmart with his kids; the woman and children who were removed from their home without being given the opportunity to get fully dressed... Other people on the call were openly weeping. This is ethnic cleansing in America.

[usonian]

1. Even computer types are asking how to help. But how?

Discussion on Hacker News
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44321556

How to help?

Other than tossing the entire crew out, but that takes time, and elections.

[hay rick]

2. Problem solution is unrealistic in the short term. We are focused on harm reduction.

Our group printed bilingual Know Your Rights cards (Spanish/English and Creole English). We created full page handouts that give checklists on things to do before leaving home, what to do if stopped by ICE or sheriffs, and family preparation in case of emergency. We also printed a guide to local legal resources. We distributed these things to local Hispanic businesses to give to their customers. We created a rally (100+ people in our small county) to protest the attacks on our immigrant communities and due process. We have been compiling lists of volunteer lawyers, notaries, and translators to assist local churches that are hosting events to help immigrant families.

Our efforts are puny in the face of massive, organized evil, but you have to take first steps if you are going to expand solidarity and gain momentum. An important part of the work is spreading the word so that the truth becomes more difficult and uncomfortable to ignore.

[usonian]

3. That's great work.

Much appreciated. I hope that many others are doing the same, and more will, going forward.