Letter to the Editor: Let’s Not Relive a Grievous Past

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

By Jane Brown

Two days after Thanksgiving, a friend and I went to Wendell to rally for a young immigrant, Fatima Antonio. She was picked up by ICE on her way to work a couple of days before Thanksgiving and taken to a holding pen in Georgia. 

It was heartening to see a good crowd of townspeople and local elected representatives (including Congresswoman Deb Ross) saying that they want their beloved neighbor back home. 

The good news is Fatima hasn’t yet been deported. The bad news is the judge won’t allow bond (apparently a new rule by the Trump admin.). Fatima’s family has hired a lawyer who is working hard to get Fatima released. Although much of the work is being done pro bono, our donations to Fatima’s GoFundMe account will be helpful in getting Fatima back to Wendell where she belongs.  

And Fatima is only one of hundreds of our neighbors who are suffering similar fates. If you can do more, I recommend contributing to Siembra NC. They are doing excellent work here in North Carolina to educate and help our immigrant neighbors in this challenging and scary time. One of the sub stackers (Scott Dworkin) I read posted this about Siembra NC this week: 

In North Carolina, the group Siembra NC has been helping business owners and members of the community legally push back against Trump’s immigration abuses. They’ve provided business trainings, educational videos, and other resources to make sure people know their rights and how best to respond if they are confronted by federal agents.

So when ICE moved into North Carolina cities, many folks were ready—as businesses throughout the state displayed signs that read “Private Area,” “Fourth Amendment Workplace,” and “There’s always room at our table, but to enter past this point, we’ll need to see a warrant signed by a judge.”

My historian friend Lloyd Kramer wrote recently that what’s happening right now is akin to what happened when the Fugitive Slave Laws were in effect in the 1800s. Let’s not allow the reliving of that grievous time in our nation’s history. Let’s do all we can to resist this unwanted presence in our communities.

Forward together.

Jane D. Brown

451 Lakeshore Lane

Chapel Hill NC