Salem Human Rights Coalition

DRAFT Salem No Place for Hate Committee Tuesday, October 3, 2017 120 Washington Street, 3rd floor Members: Fuzzy Abusharkh, Joe Amico (Religious Community Liaison); Jim Bostick (Chair of Communications Subcommittee); Jeff Cohen (Chair); David Eppley (City Council Liaison); Nicole Lashomb (Editor of The Rainbow Times; Chair of Community Engagement Subcommittee); Alison Miller; Conrad Prosniewski (Police Dept Liaison); Emily Ullman (Salem Public Schools Liaison); Fara Wolfson (Vice Chair, Clerk) Panelists: Aaron Engler and Abigail Conger - Highrock NorthShore, Open Door Immigration Services (ODIS) Ana Nuncio – President of Latino Leadership Coalition Jeff Gross - Independent Immigration Policy Consultant; Former Director of Immigration Policy for Massachusetts Immigration and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Stephen Dwyer - Immigration Attorney Dr. Alexandra Pineros Shields- Executive Director of Essex County Community Organization (ECCO); Rob McAndrews- Immigration Attorney, Professor at Salem State Guests: Julie Breskin, Gary Gill, Alan Hanscom (SATV), William Legault (Salem Digest) Kathy Lique, Gavin Mcauliffe , Ed Moriarty, Debi Schneider, Joanne Scott (Boys and Girls Club), Cindy Tower Colin McLean (Salem youth commission) ssu student/Satv intern, Madeline sacs, Kevin Sacs, jean kemp thorp from Salem, ; Michael D from Salem, — Elizabeth N Salem (3 more Meeting was called to order at 5:30 PM followed by Introductions and Public Comments Mass Bar Assoc has a slate of the peacemaker documentary And panel Judges from juvenile court and peer mediator programs in school and community (info at massbar.org) Officer Reports Chair:  Thursday 10/5 event at Salem State organized by Lisa McBride to address recent campus events. Focus is on student voices. Held from 12:15-1:30. Classes are cancelled so all can attend. Event is called: “Forward Together: We Can Do Better.”  North Shore MA for Puerto Rico/Salem Stands with Puerto Rico event at Immaculate Conception Church Saturday from 9AM - 1 PM as with Puerto Rico collecting items and money for donations. Contact Lucy if you have questions.  Acknowledge NP4H presence at Cultural Appreciation Day thru Probate Dept of Essex County, Punto Block Party – Thank you, Lucy and Fuzzy.   A lot of people thinking that NP4H divides the city. However, I want to read our mission statement. Jeff read mission statement from our brochures. Vice Chair/Clerk:  Social justice book group mama nightingale. Thank you Ana the vigil oct 25th location TBD if you are interested in a book or film please let me know  Minutes distributed . Fuzzy interjected with statement regarding Jeff’s previous statement Fara intros periodically TreRaised money selling shirts Lucy, Ana Hispanic Heritage Month — oct 12th llc will honor unsung community heroes who have distinguished themselves in their service to the community -12:34 City council report - voter reg deadline October 18th; or re-register in Salem. Contested mayoral , ward races , at large, school committee, Sanctuary for peace is on the ballot, get out and vote Tuesday November 7th Conrad— update investigation. Confident that charges will be filed, Panel discussion - Aaron/Abby - Judeo-Christian/historical/theological viewpoint beginning with a word study. Just like Inuit have many words for snow, there are 4 Hebrew words for immigrant with nuances. - A litmus test historically was always whether or not host extends hospitality to a stranger which raises questions for us to think about today - Immigrants are vulnerable and easy targets and are often treated more like problems to be managed more than people to be cared for - But welcoming or caring for the immigrant is the 3rd most repeated command in scripture (found 92 times) - For many of you this is your story, your parents' story. These are people looking for a home, something we all inherently crave; people who are deserving of the same protection, opportunity and accountability as any of us * ODIS received accreditation in June and they provide free/low-cost immigration services Ana Nuncio * Moral reckoning the Sanctuary for Peace Ordinance presents us with * Looking for image that fits and go to "Casablanca" and the Romanian immigrant during World War II desperately trying to get a visa. We can sense the anxiety. * If we say yes to this we are saying yes to lawlessness * Two weeks ago I wrote a Letter to the Editor for the Salem News and I'd like to read that now Jeff Gross * Look at not just what immigrants need but also what they bring to our communities. Awareness in ELL, job training, housing, legal and medical terms * Distinction between immigration, integration and assimilation * Don't leave their culture at the door. Immigrants bring their culture and traditions, their hard work and commitment... * Civic, government, educational, and private sector Steve Dwyer * Did they come illegally? We lump it all into one but there's so much variety in what people are trying to accomplish by coming here * Clearly we want hard workers, people who will pay taxes for a couple of years or 20 years * We have people who have come under visas that have expired * Why are we going after people? * DACA repeal. What is it? Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. What is happening legally? How can we help? Debate with Hope act, Dream act, paths to citizenship. Get out there and talk to our politicians and representatives. * American Immigration Lawyers' association has calls to action and you can use their script in emails. Rob McAndrews * There are 40-50,000 who are being detained tonight in this country tonight. 15,000 in Texas. 60% of those detained are in private/for-profit prisons. * Laws related to incarceration and the issue of privatization, the "prison industrial complex" provides monetary incentives. This has direct impact on immigrants/immigration * What's relevant to Sanctuary for Peace is the arrest process and the forced detainer, when someone is put in custody at local or state level and then released but name is sent to data source which then goes to ICE. Then local departments are asked to detain people. * Reviewed recent cases in Massachusetts Supreme Court * Different issues including that ICE makes mistakes a lot (wrong name, wrong address) and innocent people end up in prison. also must look at conditions in these detention centers * In the long run this over-reach undermines our government and our rights. Look at the Fourth Amendment that says all people (not just citizens) Alexandra Pinero Shields * Wonderful book called THE MINERS' CANARY and they present a metaphor that is significant today. These legal scholars suggest that people of color are the canaries. If you want to know what's toxic, look at what is happening to people of color * Book written in 2002 and what has happened since then? Mortgage crisis; opioid crisis; water in Flint, Michigan... 8 we should think about the third most cited phrase in scripture but we should also remember that these are warning signs to all of America. * ICE boasted about grabbing and apprehending people in sanctuary cities in Somerville. This says democracy does not matter. So what happened to local sovereignty. our local self-determination is at risk. * Think about the US government now threatening to monitor the social media activity of immigrants. Remember it starts with people of color... but then it hits everyone. Looks like the beginnings of a police state. This is not what democracy looks like. * Donate 2 hours of your time to canvas and talk to your neighbors, talk to people in the city leading up to the election. Open to discussion and public comment. Meeting was adjourned.