Unity Rally for a Fully Funded City: When We Fight We Win

Over 1,000 rallied on the hottest day of the year at Scantlebury Park in New Haven, organized by New Haven Rising and Unite Here unions to call for racial and economic justice at a time when billionaires and billionaire institutions have increased their wealth while working people struggle to stay in their homes. Excerpts from a few of the powerful remarks are below.

“I've been a member of 217 for 20 years, I’m a college food service worker, Vice President of our union and I also believe one job should be enough,” said Stephan Alderman, Vice President of Local 217–UNITE HERE, “But as a single father of four with seven grandchildren, I'm finding it increasingly hard to make ends meet. For the first time in my life, I had to apply for energy assistance because of this failing economy.”

New Haven Rising Organizer, Abigail Feldman called for a city that provides opportunities for all, “Just a few years ago we came together in our city and we pushed Yale to contribute $52 million more to the city. That wasn’t a gift. That was our power of coming together and refusing to be quiet. That’s the money we are owed. That’s the taxpayer money that has subsidized Yale for years! Now is the time to fight for the people’s endowment! If Yale made different decisions, our city could be fully funded. We could have world class schools here alongside other cities of Connecticut.”

Wilbur Cross High School student, Jonaily Colón, argued, “Our zip code should not determine the quality of education we receive. The color of our skin should never determine our destiny. Students of New Haven schools deserve top education like every single student in this country.” She and Tabitha Sookdeo, leader of Connecticut Students for a Dream, called out ICE for detaining a Wilbur Cross student and noted that the resources dedicated to deporting our residents could be allocated to education and generating opportunity. New Haven Rising Director, Rev. Scott Marks, joined the students in the call to stop deportations and focus on providing economic opportunity for all residents.

Citing similarities of working-class struggle in her Kentucky hometown, Norah Laughter, who is running for Alder of Ward 1, took inspiration from the ways that working people in New Haven have long fought back. She said, “Our wins come from organizing to leverage our strength in numbers as the working class. My message tonight is simple: students must be part of the fight for race and class justice because when we fight together, we win.”

CT Demands: End ICE Dep;ortations, Boycott Avelo

 

In the wake of stepped up kidnappings of immigrants by masked ICE agents with no warrants, the community, city and state officials are demanding an end to this racist violence. Last week when New Haven Wilbur Cross High School student Esdras R was taken during a workplace raid his classmates, teachers and city officials stepped forward, funds raised and a lawyer retained. Esdras had been removed to Louisiana for deported to Guatemala when his lawyer located him and succeeded in his return to a facility in New England while his case is argued.

In the next days six people were abducted in New Britain, where organizing for their defense is underway.

This is a story about racism and profits for the private prison industry. It is a story about robbing communities of $170 billion for jobs, housing, healthcare and education in order to fund mass deportations, wars, and enormous tax cuts for the wealthiest few.

In its drive for profits, Avelo Airlines, based in New Haven, contracted with the Department of Homeland Security to transport immigrants without due process to other countries. In April when this became known the New Haven Immigrants coalition launched a boycott which is now nationwide.

A post from Our Revolution reports: “Public pressure works. After a major backlash over secret ICE contracts, Avelo Airlines is abandoning all West Coast routes. A grassroots campaign in Burbank. California forced their retreat—and the movement is spreading. Over 100 protesters just rallied near BWI airport to expose Avelo’s role in ICE deportations. No state should do business with airlines that profit off immigrant detention and deportation.”

This City of New Haven has banned use of any public funds for Avelo Airlines flights, marketing, branding, advertising or promotion. “Travel should be about bringing people together, not tearing families apart,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “Avelo Airlines' continued participation in and profiteering from the Trump Administration’s inhumane and often illegal immigration policies and ICE’s deplorable tactics is antithetical to our values as a city, and not something we will support with city funds or taxpayer dollars.

Sign the pledge, “We Won't Fly Avelo,” at https://www.change.org/p/we-won-t-fly-avelo-until-they-stop-ice-flights-no-volaremos-con-avelo

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CT Rallies for Families Over Billionaires

 

150 union workers, students, immigrant rights and community activists gathered with Connecticut for All outside New Haven's Brennan Rogers School, closing due to lack of funds, with a clear message: the Governor and Legislature must stand up for working families now.

The national day of action to put Families First over Billionaires was initiated by Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The massive cut to human needs wee accompanied by huge increases in funds for mass deporations and wars.

“We choose families not corporations. We will not be divided, and We Will not Back Down,” said emcee Seth Freeman president of SEIU Local 1973 – 4C's, calling on the legislature and governor to hold a speciall session “to stand up and protect Connecticut residents from death and destruction coming from the Trump administration. and increase taxes on the ultra wealthy by implementing the Finance Committee’s progressive revenue proposals.”

Healthcare workes, students and immigrant youth spoke passionately of the harms these cuts will bring to them and their communities.

“Hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents will be directly harmed by these cuts, but ultimately every resident in our state will be harmed, because gutting and shredding the social safety net hurts all of us,” said Freeman.

“Our message to every legislator in our state, is that if you are not in favor of raising revenue – raising state taxes on the same individuals that Trump just gave a tax break to - then you are supporting Donald Trump’s agenda.” he said to loud applause.

“Our message is that if you are not going to stand up now – while ICE is terrorizing our communities, abducting mothers in front of their children – then when are you going to stand up?

'Our message is that if you not going to stand up now – while Yale New Haven and CT Children’s Hospital announced cutting youth gender-affirming care - then when are you going to stand up?”

Families First rallies were held in ten Connecticut towns.

Demands Grow: Bring Esdras Home. ICE Out of CT

 

Last week 18 year old Wilbur Cross High School student and Students for a Dream activist Esdras R. became the latest victim of ICE abduction in New Haven, taken by masked men in unmarked uniforms and cars. Fellow students, educators and city officials are taking legal action and organizing a movement to Bring Esdras Home.

In each abduction case, no required court order has been shown, as the individuals have been “disappeared” to the horror of their family and community.

Esdras was abducted by federal immigration agents while at work. It took days for his principal to discover that he was taken to a detention facility in Massachusetts, then moved to New Hampshire and was not possible to find again until he had been removed to Louisiana.

City officials, Unidad Latina en Accion and Connecticut Students for a Dream are organizing legal support, letters from teachers, and more. The students held a rally outside Wilbur Cross High School, with the support of the principal.

Speakers included his classmates, teachers, State Sen Gary Winfield, and clergy. All had tne same message: Esdras should be in school, not in a detention center far from home. A common commitment was made to stay together in unity until Esdras is returned home and all those detained are released, to uphold New Haven as a welcoming city, and remove ICE from New Haven and Connecticut. Contributions to a legal defense fund can be made at https://giving.classy.org/campaign/710739/donate

Mayor Justin Elicker and School Superintendent Negrón called the detention of Edras by ICE “unconscionable” describing him as a ​“hard working student and a fine young man.”

Edras submitted testimony to the state legislature to expand Husky health coverage, saying ​“This matters to me since I am an immigrant and I am one of the many people who do not have health insurance. We all deserve to live with well-being and without unnecessary suffering, and access to medical care is crucial for this.”

Last month in New Haven, masked ICE agents in unmarked cars seized mother and factory worker Nancy Martinez from her car while she was giving her children a ride to school. Her daughter spoke at a press conference saying “I need my mother,” as the demand was clearly placed “We don't want ICE in New Haven. ICE out of New Haven.”

After weeks in dentention, Martinez was flown in shackles and removed to Mexico, separated from her family.

In response to this expanding tactic by ICE, funded by he Billionaire Budget Betrayal, twenty four state senators sent a letter to the Connecticut Congressional delegation urging support for the “No Masks for ICE Act,” a bill by New York Rep. Nydia Velazquez that would bar ICE agents from wearing face coverings in public and require uniforms displaying their name and agency affiliation.

“One month ago, while masked and without any identification, ICE agents detained multiple Danbury residents outside the Danbury Judicial District building, with the incident appearing to witnesses like dozens of kidnappings.,” said said State Senator Julie Kushner.

“Seeing masked men grabbing people on our streets is very terrorizing - not just for the people being detained, but for the general public as well. It’s reminiscent of the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. In my opinion, Congress cannot pass this bill soon enough.”

A companion bill introduced into the US Senate by Senators Alex Padilla and Corey Booker with 12 co-sponsors including Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

The same illegal tactics are being deployed in towns across the country. People's World article, “ICE agents arrest Oregon doctor as he drops off kid at preschool,” reports a similar case at Guidepost Montessori school in Beaverton, Oregon .

“Dr. Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, 38, a chiropractor, was driving to drop off his kid at Guidepost Montessori, a kindergarten daycare program. “

“Witnesses described seeing ICE agents wearing vests and face coverings pulling up in unmarked vehicles.

“A parent of another child at the school, said: 'Our principal came outside and asked for identification, badges, a warrant, that information, and they did not provide any identification or any of that other information, and then proceeded to put hands on our principal.' ” 

“Khanbabazadeh reportedly went through all the hoops of the U.S. immigration system only to end up detained by ICE agents with face masks and unmarked vehicles who refused to provide badges, identification, or a warrant. Rather than taking Khanbabazadeh to the nearby Portland ICE facility, they instead sent him 150 miles away to the Tacoma, Wash., detention center, making it harder for family and attorneys to gain access to him.

The letter to Congress from Connecticut's State Senators urges: “It is of the utmost importance to our democracy, to the future of this country and to the welfare of our citizens, that this unprecedented use of intimidation tactics be severely curtailed immediately.”

Yes to Job Corps

 

Yes to Job Corp, no to Trump’s attack on working class programs!  Inspired by Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal work relief programs, the Job Corps has successfully and reliably provided jobs, training, and education to millions of young workers aged 16 to 24 throughout the country since its first campus opened its doors in 1965.

Job Corps in Connecticut has campuses in New Haven and Hartford.  For decades, about 300 students graduate each year and go on to contribute skills and leadership to their communities.

Today, the largely African American and Latino students of Connecticut’s Job Corps programs are in the crosshairs of the Trump Administration’s shameless war on workers.  For months, the Trump Administration has used loopholes and disingenuous legal theories to shutter this successful program.  

Just a few short weeks ago, the program and its allies pushed back in federal court and won an injunction protecting the program.  But, because of a super-majority of conservatives on the Supreme Court, it is not clear how long this injunction will hold.

The young people who are training at Connecticut’s Job Corps are not waiting to see what the Supreme Court will do.  They recognize that public action is necessary to protect Job Corp. They have the support of federal, state and local elected officials and the community.

The Jobs and Unemployed Committee of the New Haven Peoples Center is circulating a petition in support of the 149 New Haven students whose future is threatened by possible funding cuts from the Trump administration.

Standing outside the New Haven Campus, next to Senator Richard Blumenthal, Nahjayiah Munoz, the foreman of the campus carpentry program, shared that she would not have gotten a career without Job Corp, adding “we learned everything we need to do safety-wise, because on the job site, there’s not a guarantee that you’re safe - [Job Corps] makes sure we will be safe.”

Troy Sanders, who became employed as plumbing apprentice through Job Corps, said, “Job Corps is helping me out a lot, to get a good trade.  I know a lot of people that need Job Corps.”