I, Ronald Fernando Contreras, am speaking on behalf of my family, and specifically, my father, Aroldo Contreras. My father is a crucial and needed part of our family unit. He is not only the most devoted and loyal father a family could ever hope to claim as their own, he is also the hardest working man I have ever known. He leads by example in our household by upholding values and enforcing strong character in me and my two younger brothers. My entire life, he has put the needs of us - his family - first. He instead of worrying about himself, he always asks first about our needs and what he can do to help us in any way possible. My father is more than just strong role model. He is also a crucial caretaker of our family. Whenever we get sick and need to go to the doctor, or the emergency room, my father is always the one who takes us. He worries about wellbeing and will do anything in his power to stop our suffering. "As a friend of Ronald Contreras the eldest son of Aroldo Soto Contreras, I can not stress how important it is for him to have his father by his side. Senior year of high school is a tumultuous period of uncertainty, stress, anxiety, and a little bit of excitement. Big decisions are made during this short period, and as someone who just went through it, having both my parents by my side was a huge weight off my chest. I can not imagine Ronald's current emotional state. Not only is he thinking about which colleges to apply to, whether or not his SAT scores are high enough, but now he has to also wonder if his father is going to be there to see him graduate. As the daughter of immigrant parents, I know how special that moment is for one's family" Alejandra Chajon. Aroldo Soto-Contreras came to America from Guatemala at age 14 in 1989, fleeing the civil war that was going on there. While he did have three DWI arrests during his early years in this country, he has since reformed himself, married, and is now the father of three children. He has held a steady job at a pizzeria in Stamford, CT for nearly twenty years, and his family has lived at the same house in Port Chester for almost a decade. ====================== Yo, Ronald Fernando Contreras, hablo en nombre de mi familia, y específicamente, de mi padre, Aroldo Contreras. Mi padre es una parte crucial y necesaria de nuestra unidad familiar. Él no solo es el padre más devoto y leal que una familia podría aspirar a tener como propio, también es el hombre más trabajador que he conocido. Él lidera con el ejemplo en nuestra casa defendiendo valores y reforzando el carácter fuerte en mí y en mis dos hermanos menores. Toda mi vida, él ha puesto las necesidades de nosotros, su familia, primero. En lugar de preocuparse por sí mismo, siempre pregunta primero sobre nuestras necesidades y qué puede hacer para ayudarnos de cualquier manera posible. Mi padre es más que solo un fuerte modelo a seguir. Él es también un cuidador crucial de nuestra familia. Cada vez que nos enfermamos y tenemos que ir al médico o a la sala de emergencias, mi padre siempre es quien nos lleva. Él se preocupa por el bienestar y hará todo lo que esté a su alcance para detener nuestro sufrimiento. "Como amiga de Ronald Contreras, el hijo mayor de Aroldo Soto Contreras, no puedo enfatizar lo importante que es para él tener a su padre a su lado. El último año de la escuela secundaria es un período tumultuoso de incertidumbre, estrés, ansiedad y un poco de emoción. Las grandes decisiones se toman durante este corto período, y como alguien que acaba de pasar por eso, tener a mis dos padres a mi lado era un gran peso sobre mi pecho. No puedo imaginar el estado emocional actual de Ronald. No solo está pensando a qué universidades debe postularse, si sus puntajes SAT son o no lo suficientemente altos, pero ahora también tiene que preguntarse si su padre estará allí para verlo graduarse. Como hija de padres inmigrantes, sé lo especial que es ese momento para la familia de uno ", Alejandra Chajon. Aroldo Soto-Contreras vino a Estados Unidos desde Guatemala a los 14 años en 1989, huyendo de la guerra civil que estaba ocurriendo allí. Si bien tuvo tres arrestos por DWI durante sus primeros años en este país, desde entonces se ha reformado, se ha casado y ahora es padre de tres hijos. Él ha tenido un trabajo estable en una pizzería en Stamford, CT durante casi veinte años, y su familia ha vivido en la misma casa en Port Chester durante casi una década.

Nelson Pinos Gonzalez is a father of three; resident of New Haven, CT, who has lived in the United States since 1993. On October 4th during a check-in, Nelson was asked to come back with a one-way ticket to Ecuador dated November 30th. On November 6th, Nelson presented his ticket accompanied by over a dozen community members at the Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building in Hartford. Nelson lives with his long-time partner and his three children are U.S. citizens ages 15, 12 and 5. He is the only provider for his family. He has worked for the same company for the last 15 years. Unfortunately, just recently he was asked to not come to his work until his legal situation is fixed. His oldest daughter Kelly, a sophomore at Wilbur Cross High School said on November 6th, “We also need a father’s view on life. It can’t just be a mother. I love my father with all my heart. I have a 5-year-old brother who has no idea what is going on. My brother still has so many years to grow up with my dad. ... I beg immigration to let him stay ... He has never done anything wrong,” Kelly said. “His home is here with us.” Nelson and his family are members of the St. Anthony’s Church, as well as Unidad Latina en Acción. Since they became involved, they have committed to supporting other people in similar situations as well as participating in cultural activities throughout the city. Nelson has become the most recent case in which the current administration threats to tear apart immigrant families in an arbitrary and malicious manner. His case resonates with the case of Luis Barrios, Nury Chavarria, Marco Reyes and the Ramos family: all of which threatened to separate children from their parents – as well as Sujitno Sajuti, and elder immigrant from West Hartford. Please sign this petition, and join us as we denounce the injustices of this administration against immigrant families!

Melecio Andazola Morales is a father to 4 children, the youngest of whom is only 2 years old. In May 1998, he crossed the border and has been working in the U.S. ever since. He has spent his time here working in construction: from the Denver Coliseum, the Denver Airport, to the booming housing market he’s helped Colorado grow. He has no criminal record, and his children are all U.S. citizens. In 2017, Melecio’s daughter Viviana, a current senior at Yale, petitioned for Melecio to obtain residency. When they arrived at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services building in Denver, one of the state officers told Viviana that she did not need to go into the court with her father. However, Viviana asked to go with him anyway. Though the officer had mentioned that Melecio had been recommended for approval, she told Viviana that she had to leave. Viviana, confused, left the room. Twenty minutes later, Melecio’s lawyer informed Viviana that her father had been aggressively removed from the room. She was not allowed to speak to her father until ICE arrived on the premises. When ICE entered, they aggressively pushed Melecio’s lawyer and interpreter out of the room, and said that they had an expedited removal proceeding for Melecio. However, they refused to show the lawyer proof. Since October 12, Melecio has been detained in the ICE Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, CO without due process. He has anxiety, and does not have his medication in detention with him. We are asking that Melecio be immediately released from detention. Please sign and circulate so that Melecio can be reunited with his family. You can call Jeffrey D. Lynch, Acting Field Director of Colorado ICE through this call sheet template: https://docs.google.com/document/d/17zNEBjkZjO-AziJFpoZNehcmG0KcaYjpq-TmrIo8M3o/edit Here is the Gofundme: https://www.gofundme.com/support-melecio-andazola-morales

Ibrahim Momin and his two brothers fled Bangladesh in 2009 after being brutally beaten because of his father's political activities. Ibrahim traveled to Ecuador, and traveled across land through at least seven countries for nearly a year in order to seek safety to the United States. However, Ibrahim has faced a constant series of challenges in finding safety here. He has had encounters with the police which led to him being turned over to ICE. He has been sent to immigration detention centers in Alabama, Louisiana, and New Jersey multiple times and has served many months on the inside. He has had his asylum cases denied despite concrete evidence and documentation of the threats he faces, including the murder of his father while Ibrahim was still in detention. While Ibrahim has not been detained, he worked in restaurants in order to support himself, support his families, and get his life on track. Ibrahim was once again detained in on September 29th 2017 from his workplace in Astoria, Queens in NYC by NYPD and ICE officers. He is currently being held at Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in Louisiana. Extrajudicial killings in Bangladesh have been well documented, including by the U.S. State Department. Sending Ibrahim back to Bangladesh would mean him being #DeportedToDeath IBRAHIM MUST BE REALEASED NOW! Please Take a Moment to make a call and Demand Ibrahim's Release Newark ICE Field Office: 973-776-3240 - Press 2, then - Press 4 Sample Script: "Hi, my name is __, and I am calling to demand that you release Ibrahim Momin (A# 088 440 468). Ibrahim fled Bangladesh after a brutal attack as a result of his father's political activities and affiliations. After Ibrahim fled to save his life, his father was killed by his political opponents. Ibrahim life will be in danger should he be deported back to Bangladesh. He should be released so he can continue building his life with safety."

Last week, the white supremacist groups responsible for the tragic events in Charlottesville, announced plans to hold a similar rally in Shelbyville, TN. As explained by Sharon Edwards, one of the organizers of the #ShelbyvilleLovesDiversity campaign, "It is of the utmost importance that all Shelbyvillians—and Tennesseans at large—fully understand the philosophies of those invading our public spaces. They are not, ‘good ole country boys.’ These people advocate for the stripping away of rights, and/or complete removal of, anyone who is non-white and non-Christian to create a nation where only whites are recognized as citizens." Now is not the time for silence. Shelbyville needs to know where our public officials stand. We call on all of Tennessee’s elected officials, candidates for office, ministers, business owners, and all responsible leaders of every political persuasion to issue public statements that white supremacist hate groups are not welcome in our city or our state. "As Shelbyville residents, we have been harassed by white supremacist groups who come to march in our town many times in the past, but this is our home and we deserve to feel safe and supported here. Support us by sharing this petition." -Rigo, Rosa, Nancy, Carmen, Alma, Antonio, Tomas, on behalf of Shelbyville community residents. --- La semana pasada, los grupos de supremacía blanca responsables por los eventos trágicos en Charlottesville, anunciaron planes para tener un evento similar en Shelbyville. En las palabras de Sharon Edwards, una organizadora de la campaña #ShelbyvilleLovesDiversity, "Es sumamente importante que nosotros en Shelbyville -y toda la gente de Tennessee- entienden las filosofías de los que están invadiendo nuestros espacios públicos. Estos no son 'chavos buenos del campo.' Ellos están a favor de quitar derechos, o expulsar, a cualquier persona quien no es blanco o quien no es Cristiano, para crear un país en que solo personas blancas son reconocidas como ciudadanos." Ahora no es el momento para mantener silencio. Now is not the time for silence. Shelbyville tiene que saber si nos respalden nuestros oficiales públicos. Hacemos un llamado a todos los oficiales elegidos, candidatos, pastors, empresarios, y otros líderes responsables de cualquier orientación política para declarar que los grupos de odio y supremacía blanca no son bienvenidos en nuestra ciudad ni en nuestro estado. "Como residentes de Shelbyville, nos han acosado grupos de supremacía blanca quienes vienen a nuestro pueblo para marchar varias veces en el pasado, pero este es nuestro hogar y merecemos sentir seguros y apoyados aquí. Apóyanos compartiendo esta petición." -Rigo, Rosa, Nancy, Carmen, Alma, Antonio, Tomas, en nombre de residentes de la comunidad de Shelbyville

Israel Barrios Mendoza (A# 205 926 915), is a working father of 6 U.S Citizen Children. He lives to provide for his family and spends most of his time making sure his wife and children have everything they need. Border Patrol detained Israel this morning on his driveway as he was getting ready to go to work! He is currently detained by ICE in the Otay Mesa Detention Center in San Diego. Israel’s eldest son, is a 19-year old student who currently attends Santa Ana College and wants to become a writer one day. With his father in Border Patrol custody, his future and career plans are now in limbo since Israel is the main provider in the family and covers all costs his children need to fulfill their goals and dreams. Israel and his family have credible reasons to believe that his life will be in danger should he be deported back to Mexico. The government shouldn’t be in the business of separating families and needs to obey the due process and constitutional rights of every immigrant including Israel. They should release him immediately under an order of supervision so that he can obtain legal counsel to fight his case alongside his wife and children. ISRAEL MUST BE REALEASED NOW! Please Take a Moment to make a call and Demand Israel's Release San Diego Field Office: 619-436-0410 Otay Detention Center: 619-661-3823 Sample Script: "Hi, my name is __, and I am calling to demand that you release Israel Barrios Mendoza (A# 205 926 915). Israel is a father of 6 US Citizen Children, whom he works tirelessly to support. Israel has a credible reason to believe that his life will be in danger should he be deported back to Mexico. He should be released so he can be with his family today!"

We must acknowledge that the deportation machinery signifies but one component of a system based on white supremacy and genocide against black and brown people. Death, detention, and deportation represent primary forms of state violence against the people. Sujitno has been a victim of institutionalized bigotry against Muslims, as well as historic racism against black and brown people. We must clearly target and address these issues if we truly want to cultivate a just and peaceable community.

On May 4, 2017, GEO Group filed a complaint against the City of Tacoma, claiming that the NWDC is a correctional facility, and should be granted preferential treatment as an "essential public facility." On September 20, 2017, the State of Washington filed suit against GEO Group for violating minimum wage laws, noting that the NWDC is not a correctional facility. We call on the City to acknowledge this legal distinction and call on GEO Group to respect city, state and federal laws.

Since June, the detention center in Tacoma has held up to 56 asylum seekers from Cuba who claimed asylum and passed credible fear tests at the US-Mexico border. ICE has the power to release these men and women. Instead they have stalled on their cases, promising parole to some and not granting it, promising bail to others and not granting it. Although about half have been released, the rest remain in detention with no information about the course their cases will take or how long they will remain in prison-like conditions. Since August, various Cuban detainees have been using hunger strikes to protest this situation. On September 26, seven Cuban asylum-seekers again started a hunger strike, saying that this is the only tool they have left to get ICE to respond or communicate about their cases. But these detained asylum-seekers should not have to endanger their own health and expose themselves to retaliation from GEO Group and ICE in order to make progress in their cases. We urge you to support these hunger strikers by: 1) Please sign this petition. 2) Please also call the NWDC - 253-779-6000 Ext 1, then Ext. 4. Urge the officers there to immediately release the remaining two dozen Cuban asylum seekers on parole. Sample script: "Hello, I am Maria and I am calling to demand the immediate parole and release of the Cuban asylum seekers who remain at Northwest Detention Center. They have been told by the immigration court that ICE has the power to parole them. They have provided all documents requested. Yet they are bein kept in punishing prison-like conditions without reason or explanation. Some have been told they would be released but were not given any more detail and they are still waiting. Please release these asylum-seekers immediately. "

These women have never been in prison and DO NOT have any criminal record. They don't speak English and when they speak up they are harrassed and threatened with isolation by detention officers. All they are asking is for parole so they can be represented legally in the immigration court in the state where their family lives and can prepare for in the right legal defense. They are are NOT dangerous to the community and there is NO fear of leaving the country prior to their immigration hearings due to the fact that they are asking for political asylum.

Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) have opportunities to move the Dream Act quickly and cleanly. But after a meeting with President Trump, they announced they had reached a bargain with Donald Trump tying the fate of immigrant youth to militarization of the border. The announcement included no details about legislative language and conflicting reports have already emerged. After Sen Pelosi was interrupted in CA by a group of undocumented youth, she came out the next day and publicly declared that she would work to pass a clean DREAM bill. The undoucmented youth took a stand because our voice voices have excluded from the discussion even though their decision will affect us and our families. Chuck Schumer has yet to make a public statement in support of clean DREAM. If New York claims to lead the "resistance" than we need actions to back up that claim not silence when we need him and others to lead.

The Ramos' case represents the unhinged nature of ICE’s exploits, particularly under a racist and xenophobic president. Donald Trump drew on a false narrative of ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ immigrants to galvanize his base and garner greater public support. However, his expansion of the deportation dragnet demonstrates his intent to indiscriminately detain and deport immigrants. In response to this escalating injustice, we as a community must recognize and elevate the humanity and dignity of all people, regardless of any criminal history or aspect of identity. Without a holistic and inclusive movement, we will ultimately lose our struggle to cultivate peaceful communities.