Protection pledged to immigrant communities

Vowing to do all in their power to protect against the terror of mass deportations and family separation promised by Trump, immigrant and community groups were joined at a Capitol press conference by Attorney General William Tong and other elected officials.

“It is the policy and it is the law of the state of Connecticut to respect, honor and protect immigrants and immigrant families here in Connecticut. Full stop,” said Tong. The Trust Act passed by the General Assembly in 2019 prohibits federal immigration officials from commandering state law enforcement to cooperate. .New Haven is among Connecticut towns with policies preventing government officials from cooperation with ICE.

Immigrant and refugee communities are overcoming fear with solidarity and plans to protect families and children as best they can. In 2007 when the City of New Haven was the first municipality in the country to adopt a resident card available regardless of citizenship status, ICE retaliated with cruel raids.

Among the organizations preparing rapid response metods are the National Immigration Law Center, (NILC), Students for a Dream, and local allies including the ACLU. “If the Administration comes for immigrants in our beloved community, “I will do everything to protect,” said Kica Matos director of NILC who lives in New Haven and is raising funds to dramatically expand their team of lawyers.

Also at stake are the living conditions for youth whose deferred action (DACA) status is threateneed and whose health care (Husky for Immigrants) is covered up to the age of 15. Trump has threatened to cut funding from states that did not support him.

In a statewide zoom call the ACLU discussed how they are preparing to respond to the needs of the immigrant community as well as all those targeted including the lgbtq community and communities of color, with legal aid and know your rights resources. At a rally of 1,000 called by West Hartford Pride, fears were high for possible loss of funding for healthcare, housing and other supports.

Resistance, solidarity and a vision of equality will frame this year's People's World Amistad Awards to be held on December 14 at 4 pm tat Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in New haven around the theme around the theme “We who believe in freedom will not rest until it's won.”

Zero tolerance for racist text messages and policies

When news came that the racist text messages being sent to young Black people across the country had shown up in Connecticut it was chilling, but no surprise. The vicious and divisive messages that Trump delivered at his campaign rallies have embolden those with racist intent.

At Hillhouse High School in New Haven the messages telling young people to report for duty “at the nearest plantation to pick cotton” were traumatic. The principal acted swiftly to make counselors available to any students in need of support.

School superintendent Dr. Madeline Negrón issued a message to parents. “I unequivocally condemn these messages and the hateful sentiments they express,” she said. “Our school district prides itself on being a safe and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. These messages stand in stark contrast to our core values of respect, diversity, and unity. Hate has no place in our schools, and we must collectively work to ensure that our community reflects these principles.”

When the messages were received in Bloomfield the FBI was called in to investigate. The cell phone messages are being sent in a way that hides the identity and location of the sender.

Bloomfield officials condemned the racist text messages saying,"Racist language, behavior and rhetoric have no place in Bloomfield, and we are committed to ensuring that every member of our community feels safe, valued and respected,"

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong also spoke out saying,"I join Bloomfield leaders in condemning these disturbing racist messages. There is zero place in Connecticut for this kind of hate,"

In Connecticut, hate crimes legislation was expanded in 2021 to create a new hate crime charge of intimidation based on bigotry or bias, and the formation of the Connecticut State Police Hate Crime Task Force.

In addition to police, hate crimes can be reported to school officials or to elected officials.

It is no accident that the messages began showing up right after the election of Donold Trump, whose campaign was based on hate and division.

Hate speech can lead to physical violence and harms everyone with intimidation.

Zero tolerance for hate speech should be extended to zero tolderance for racism and bigotry in hiring practices and housing, along with support for enacting an equity agenda to correct these injustices.

Connecticut voters elect Labor Champtions

Hundreds of union members, civil rights and civil liberties activists in Connecticut traveled to, and called voters in, Pennsylvania and other presidential battleground states this election season. They warned against the target on the rights of all women, immigrants, people of color in Trump's Project 2025 agenda.

Now, post election, building on their experience, they are turning disappointment into determination to continue organizing and building unity for the needs of the multi-racial working class post election.

“The results are in. We've been around for 100 years and 19 presidents. We have a plan to fight the Trump administration,” said the ACLU.

Along with choosing Kamala Harris fir President. Connecticut voters re-elected the entire Congressional delegation including Sen. Chris Murphy.

In a tightly fought race, Rep. Jahana Hayes, 5^th CD, increased her vote. Despite record Republican campaign donations to her opponent George Logan, Hayes held her own emphasizing her commitment ot protect Social Security, Medicaid and other working class needs.

Hayes, a union member, teacher and the first Black woman elected to Congress from Connecticut, had broad support including form the Connecticut AFL CIO whose members knocked on doors in her district every weekend. She now makes history in serving her fourth term.

The sprawling district extends from New Britain to Meriden, Waterbury and Danbury. The AFL-CIO and SEIU knocked on a record number of doors with a record number of volunteers. One Meriden resident, who registgered to vote for the first time since moving to Connecticut from Purto Rico was grateful for the help.. “I voted for the women,” he declared.

Connecticut Working Families candidates won seven seats in the state legislature including Parker, Ann Rebecca Martinez in Plainville who campaigned with Hayes. In East Lyme, Working Families candidate Nick Menapace flipped a red state house seat blue.

At a large watch party at the Shubert Theater in New Haven, speaking before the presidential race had been determined, Rep. Rosa DeLauro emphasized the dangers of Project 2025 which proposed to undercut funding for all human needs and curtail the right to vote and the freedom for women to control their bodies.

Thanking all those who knocked on doors to bring out the vote, DeLauro emphasized the program she will push forward including restoration of the child tax credit, paid family and medical leave and constraints on corporate price gouging and greed.

Ed Hawthorne, president of the CT AFL CIO sent a post election message highlighting eight union members elected to office saying, “Volunteers from our unions knocked on the doors of over 50,000 members and their families, made nearly 7,000 calls to get out the vote, sent more than 14,000 text messages, and mailed over 110,000 pieces of mail. Their effort and dedication to supporting pro-union candidates made the difference in many of these races.

“Regardless of the results, labor will do what we always do: organize and fight for all working people in our state and our nation. Presidential administrations change, but the labor movement’s values do not.”

Doctors call for action to protect healthcare in Gaza

A group of doctors and faculty from Yale's School of Medicine have joined an international call to protect healthcare in Gaza. Speaking at a press conference in front of Yale New Haven Hospital they said that “As healthcare workers, it is our moral and ethical obligation to do all we can to protect our colleagues and healthcare infrastructure around the world. We are calling on leaders in healthcare nationally and globally to take an overdue public stand in defense of our colleagues and healthcare systems, and to protect children.”

Organized by the Connecticut chapters of Healthcare Workers for Palestine and Doctors Against Genocide, they said they were compelled to speak out because “the very foundation of healthcare in Gaza is being systematically dismantled. Every hospital has been bombed and the health system is in total collapse. More than 20,000 children have been murdered, hundreds of thousands have been displaced multiple times and starved.”

Citing recent reports confirming that medical missions are now banned from entering Gaza with no journalists, doctors, food, fuel or aid being allowed in, as well as conditions in which over 1,000 healthcare workers have been killed with hundrfeds more detained, the group demanded immediate action.

Echoing calls from the United Nations and international healthcare organizations and humanitarian aid agencies including Doctors Without Borders, the World Health Organization and others, the group said “We urge our healthcare leaders to follow in their footsteps and issue statements demanding:

1. Demand Israel Stop Bombing Hospitals and Attacking Healthcare and Aid Workers

2. Call for the protection of Children in Gaza and Lebanon.

3. Call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and an end to the ongoing genocide to allow health operations to resume.

4. Support a Comprehensive and Immediate Embargo on Weapons to Israel and Divestment from Israel to Stop the Ethnic Cleansing of Civilians and Destruction of Healthcare

5. Advocate for Unrestricted Humanitarian and Medical Access to Gaza

6. Establish healthcare education and training at your institution for patient-facing staff to provide informed care to patients affected by war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide

Local organizers and speakers included emergency physician Phil Brewer, MD, pediatrician Sakena Abedin, MD, Michael Espelin, APRN, Konan Beke, MD, an Internal Medicine resident at Yale New Haven Hospital, Emily Siff, PhD, Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, and family physican Liza Goldman Huertas, MD.

Election Commentary

 

“This election is more than an election. It is a turning point that will decide what kind of country we will live in. Will we have the ability and right to protest, and to continue to demand a ceasefire? Will we have the right to teach real, uncomfortable history in our classrooms. Or will many, many more of us be blacklisted, jailed, deported, or otherwise restricted for what we believe, who we love, and if we have been to a rally for a progressive cause. Will our seniors have health care. Will labor unions be made illegal. Will public education be massively defunded. Will we live in real fascism in the United States. Will all abortion clinics be closed. This is what is on the line. We must make Kamala Harris the next president. Please help us make sure we never have to face the alternative. We have too much to face already. We must build and go forward, and not give in to politics of convenience.”

This message, posted on the first day of early voting by Lisa Bergmann, was accompanied by a comparison of where the candidates stand on issues that affect the lives of working class people, and an expose of how the MAGA/Trump Project 2025 agenda threatens all democratic rights.

Also on the first day of early voting, the CT Alliance for Retired Americans held a special phone bank to call union retirees with a message to vote early and to support pro-worker candidates including Jahana Hayes in the Fifth Congressional District and the Harris-Walz presidential ticket to preserve and expand Social Security..

Long lines in Connecticut's cities and towns on the state's first ever day of early voting underscored the high stakes of this election, and the importance of weeks of door knocking and conversations held to talk about the issues and overcome confusion..

Early voting is open from October 21 to November 3 (10 am to 6 pm) and on October 29 and October 31 (8 am to 8 pm). In most municipalities the early voting location is in town hall. Those who are not registered to vote can do so at the time and place of early voting.

A question on the ballot will further open access to voting by allowing for no-excuse absentee voting, so that any voter could request an absentee ballot, as is done in most other states.