Demand Grows: ICE Out Of CT

ICE deportation police have been active in Connecticut, abducting children and parents from the street in unmarked vehicles. The communities where they live are calling for ICE to get out.

In Meriden, Kevin, age 15, was detained just before his graduation and flown to Texas. His family and classmates responded to the horror by organizing a walk in solidarity with him.

In New Haven a mother taking her two children to school was forcibly removed from her car and taken away leaving her children in panic. At a rally at the Federal Building later that week her daughter courageously spoke. “I need my mother,” she said, flanked by Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center and Leslie Blatteau, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers. Mayor Justin Elicker shared his outrage, thinking about his own children of the same age and pledging New Haven will always remain a welcoming city.

In Southington four workers were snatched away from their job at a carwash and arrested. At that moment in Hartford union and immigrant organizations were holding an emergency rally at the State Capitol. It was one of dozens held around the country called by Service Employees International Union demanding the release of their California president David Huerta who was arrested while observing an ICE raid of his workers in Los Angeles. Huerta was released later that day and now faces federal charges of interference.

The rally at the New Haven Federal Building was joined by 150 community leaders, immigrant rights organizations, and allies to denounce this wave of unjust detentions, as well as to oppose attacks on social activists and the growing criminalization of social protest and migrant communities across the United States.

The crowd chanted along with Kica Matos, “We are a city of immigrants. ICE stay out of our city.”

Demands included: An end to ICE raids and the military’s involvement in immigration enforcement; Accountability for all agencies and officials; Protection for the right to protest; ICE out of CT; End Deportations NOW!

Peoples Center Re-opens Jobs and Unemployed Committee

 

Even before the threatened MAGA billionaire budget's massive cuts, as many as 40 percent of people in Connecticut have been living on the edge, struggling with food, housing and financial insecurity. A report from Data Haven shows the emergency need for more funding for basic needs, not less.

Addressing this crisis, the Peoples Center has re-opened its Jobs and Unemployed Committee. During the pandemic the Committee prepared and publicized information about increased federal funding that was available. Now, the information being amplified is where to go as funds are cut.

A Know Your Rights flier issued this week asks, “Worried about cuts to human needs funding? Looking for resources that can help? Turn fear into power. Know your rights. Organize.”

Information about how to “Make Your Voice Heard” features an appeal to call Connecticut Senators Blumenthal and Murphy to demand that everything be done to stop the people-hurting budget now before the US Senate.

The flier lists Resources for housing, food security, healthcare access, immigrant rights and diversity-equity-inclusion. Recognizing that the agencies and organizations attempting to bridge the gap have limited capacity, the Committee is pledged to help navigate resources with those in need as possible.

At the same time the Committee is geared to bring people together to demand fully funded state and cities by taxing the rich and cutting military and deportation funds.

Listed emergency Resources include:

CTLawHelp.org which provides self-help materials on housing, your rights, and how to file a Fair Rent Commission complaint in your town: Call 1-800-453-4420

Connecticut Food Share which has information about local food pantries and community kitchens and applying for SNAP Call 203-469-5000

The Office of the Health Care Advocate assists with accessing affordable health insurance or services, including Medicare, Husky, Access Health CT, Employer-Sponsored Insurance, and TRICARE. Call 866-466-4446

CT Immigrant Rights Community Resources has know your rights videos, legal resources, family preparedness, resources for schools, public events calendar. On-line at https://sites.google.com/view/ctimmigrantcommunityresources/home

State of Connecticut Judiciary Branch has information about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion rights. 1-800-833-8134

Contact the Peoples Center Jobs and Unemployed Committee at 203 624-8664.

Students and Teachers Demand Fully Funded Schools

 

New Haven Public School teachers, paraprofessionals, librarians, art educators, union leaders, parents, and students turned out in force to Monday night’s Board of Education hearing to use their voices, and powerful moments of silence, to show opposition to the devastating teacher cuts being proposed for next school year.

Trump's sweeping elimination of social programs and massive cuts to the Department of Education are making their direct impact on New Haven.  The national cuts, and Connecticut Governor Lamont's resistance to releasing the state's "rainy day" funds into educational spending, are leaving New Haven with a $16.5 million deficit for its school budget in the 2025-2026 academic year.  

New Haven's Superintendent of Schools made it known this past April that 129 teaching and coaching positions are at risk of being eliminated in the fall of 2025.  This would include 29 art teachers, 25 literacy and math coaches, 25 school librarians, 19 paraprofessionals, 4 clerical staff, and 27 other teachers.  Many of these positions, including all 25 school librarians in the district, have already been proposed for elimination.  

One teacher, who has served New Haven for 31 years, explained that between New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport, these three districts serve 49 percent of all Black and Brown students in the state, and all three of these districts have proposed librarian and reading coach layoffs.  “It is a question of equity,” she said in her powerful testimony.  New Haven Federation of Teachers Executive Vice President Jenny Graves emphasized that "management has not faced cuts to their wages or positions, while our student-facing teachers are in this unimaginable situation."  She also explained that a number of buildings that are not in use could be officially closed to save costs and save teachers' jobs.  

The New Haven paraprofessionals union, AFSCME Local 3429, took a particularly moving series of actions  during the hearing.  Union members signed up to testify, and whenever one of the local’s members was called up to speak, their entire union delegation approached the podium and stood in silence for the full three minutes of allotted time, holding up signs that said: “We Support Every Child.”  Their action was repeated at least 8 times during the hearing.

High school senior, student member of New Haven's Board of Education, and organizing leader Juan Carlos Serana Musser was given a standing ovation for his leadership in the battle to protect funding for New Haven’s Schools.  Juan Carlos and other high school students have organized hundreds of their peers in the last four months to testify at the capitol (March 19th), turn out to union and May Day rallies (May 1st and May 3rd), face arrest in civil disobedience (May 21st), and participate in coordinated school walkouts (May 30th), demanding the funding that they deserve for their education and supporting their teachers. 

Other students testified on Monday night about the profound impact that their teachers have had on their lives, and how angry they feel that their teachers are being targeted by the budget cuts.  The students' efforts have gotten legislators' attention, and have demonstrated their mature solidarity with the labor movement.  

The bottom line?  As Trump and his billionaire friends continue to completely devastate our country's resources for every day working families, the people continue to fight back.  New Haven's Public Schools and community are standing strong and unified in the face of unprecedented attacks. 

Gov. Lamont: Which Side Are You On?

 

A top legislative priority of the Connecticut Afl-CIO this session is SB 8 to allow Unemployment Insurance for striking workers after two weeks. The Senate and House passed the bill, but Governor Lamont says he plans to veto.

Union members and advocates have been asking the Governor, “which side are you on?” In a statement Connecticdut AFLCIO president Ed Hawthorne said,

“The passage of this bill in both chambers with a bipartisan vote marks a critical victory for working people in our state. For too long, working families have had to choose between exercising their legal right to strike for fair treatment and putting food on the table.

“All Senate Bill 8 would do is provide a basic safety net to ensure that working people can stand up for fair wages and job security without the risk of complete financial ruin.

“What really scares corporations is that this legislation would prevent employers from using the financial hardship of workers as a bargaining tool. And it would help create a more level playing field between working people and large corporations.

“Once again, we’d like to remind Gov. Lamont that RTX, Electric Boat and other large corporations are not his constituents. The thousands of hardworking people who work there are.

June 14 - Defeat the MAGA Billionaire Budget

 

The State Capitol grounds is a state focal point for the national No Kinds National Day of Definace on June 14, expected to attract huge crowds. The Hartford rally starts at 11 am.

A key demand will be to defeat the MAGA Billionaire Budget in the U.S. Senate. This is the moment to make our voices heard. There are rallies in other Connecticut towns as well inlcuding Glastonbury, New London, Bethel, Waterbury, Westport, Cornwall, Enfield, Stamford, Torrington, Willimantic, East Lyme and New Haven.

A wide array of organizations are co-sponsoring the rallies, building on May Day and other rallies in April.

Union Calls for Declaration of a Fiscal Emergency

 

Gov Lamont and House members were welcomed to the Capitol the last Saturday of the legislative session demanding funds for needed programs. The 200 CSEA SEIU Local 2001 union members called for taking down the fiscal guardrails that are siphoning away funding. 

“With the second largest surplus in our state’s history projected, we should not be fighting over crumbs,” they said. They called on the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and adjust the archaic fiscal guardrails to allow for critical investment in core programs that will meet immediate needs and improve economic stability. 

“It is morally unjust and fiscally irresponsible to sit on billions in surplus while core programs are woefully underfunded. We can do better - we can’t afford not to.,” their statement declared.

In his remarks, president Travis Woodward emphasized,“Too many people in this state are scraping by while billionaires hoard more and more. Our communities are shortchanged by broken budget rules and a political system too afraid to tax the wealthy,”

“We need affordable health care, paid time off, and stability. We can’t keep holding the system up while we’re being crushed underneath it,” added Maria Reyes, President of the SCEA Childcare Council.

“This is personal. It’s about whether students like my son AJ have the support they need. Whether paras like me can stay in this profession. Whether this state is going to stand up and do the right thing—or keep hiding behind roadblocks and excuses,” said Vicky Celyan, a Danbury Public School Paraeducator declaring, “Connecticut has the money.”

“What happens when you stack this kind of uncertainty—on top of an effective pay cut come July 1st, on top of grants being canceled, on top of federal attacks on immigrants and science? You lose the next generation of public service workers,” explained Meghan Cahill, an Agricultural Research Technician, “This is a turning point. An inflection point. Our state can either commit to the values and people that make Connecticut strong—or it can abandon us the same way the federal government has.”

Avelo Boycott National Protest Demands End to Deportation Flights

 

New Haven was joined by 25 cities in a national day of protest on May 31. as the boycott of Avelo Airlines grows. demanding they end their contract with ICE for deportation flights.

During the seven hour vigil at Tweed Airport protesters lined the entrance gates “to mourn and stay in solidarity with those who have been and will be removed without due process,” said the Community Engagement Team of the New Haven Immigrants Coalition that organized the action.

Participants wore black funeral garb, brought flowers and images of those who have beem unlawfully removed.

Anger erupted in April when the deportation flights became known. Protests drew members of the immigrant community, clergy, state and local elected officials, and others who oppose the unprecedented mass deportation policies of the Trump administration being challenged in court.

A petition pledging to boycott the airlines until they stop the flights has garnered 38,000 signatures.

"This business decision of deporting using commercial planes contradicts New Haven's values, especially for a company that markets itself as 'New Haven's hometown airline,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “Travel should connect people, not separate families."

The deportation flights have operated began on May 12 from the Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona where protests have been held.

When Connecticut Attorney General William Tong requested information on the DHS contract and the flights, the company arrogantly directed him to make a “Freedom of Information Act” request. Tong also asked the airline to confirm that it won’t operate deportation flights from any Connecticut airport and that it will never operate flights with shackled children.

Reacting to the corporation's non-response Tong said, “It is clear all they intend to do is take state support and make money off other people’s suffering.” Avelo, which established operations in New Haven in November 2021, as its East Coast hub, enjoys an aviation fuel tax break from the State of Connecticut.

The national day of protest came two days after New Haven and five other Connecticut cities appeared on a DHS list of ​“sanctuary jurisdictions” that the Trump administration ordered to ​“immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”

East Haven, Hamden, Hartford, New London, and Windham wee also on the list. 

Last December New Haven City government began working with immigrant rights groups and community allies to build relationships and prepare for whatever actions the federal administration would take against this City, a welcoming city since 2007. New Haven Immigrants Coalition, with a strong component of youth leaders, holds weekly know-your-rights trainings and has helped the city create a list of resources.

The city has joined San Francisco and several other municipalities suing the Trump administration in federal court arguing that withholding funds from municipalities that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is unconstitutional.

At a press conference called by Mayor Justin Elicker in response to the DHS list, he affirmed that New Haven is following the law and is proud to be a welcoming city.

“We are not afriad, they want us to be afraid, but we are going to come together,” said Ambar Santiago-Rojas a high school student and leader of the New Haven Immigrants Coalition, who had just helped lead a walkout of 300 students for school funding. “The undocumented community, and the Black community, and women, lgbtq+ and students must come together and we will come together,” she aid.

Rev. Scott Marks, director of New Haven Rising, the community organization related with Unite Here condemned the attack on the city saying, “Imagine the workers who make this city work, who are undocumented, the nervousness that they may have. We want to fight to make sure that this city remains safe.”

During the national day of protest against Avelo in New Hampshire, where Avelo Airlines flies routes out of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, proesters stood along I-293 exit in Manchester leading to the airport. Among them was State Rep. Seth Miller from Dover New Hampshire who purchased two billboards near Tweed New Haven Airport that read: “Does your vacation support their deportation? Just say AvelNO!” When the billboard company took down the ads Miller went to court suing Avelo on Firt Amendment grounds.

“I'm under no delusion that Avelo stopping these flights means these flights stop,” he said. “But it makes it a little harder, makes it a little more expensive. It means other people have to do it. And once that's done, we'll go after the next ones.” said Miller.

 

Lakeland is one of three cities in Florida that held actions on the national day of protest, along with Palm Beach, Fort Myers and Sarasota.. "Avelo is a financially struggling company, poorly managed, poorly financed and by their own admission is taking the ICE contract in order to maintain their bottom line and to profit," said Matthew Boulay at a press conference called by the Stop Avelo campaign in Lakeland. "It’s profit over people. It’s blood money. It’s shameful." he said.

 

A protest in Houston, Texas was held outside Avelo Airlines national headquarters on Greenway Plaza. In Rochester, New York protesters held signs and banners on the Brooks Avenue overpass at I-390 near the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport opposing Avelo's collaboration with ICE deportation flights. 

 

Protests were held in three Oregon cities including at the Eugene Airport, Mahlon Sweet Field, from which Avelo operates weekly flights directly to the Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles. where a protest was also held. Organized by Indivisible the call said:. “Let’s stand together against fascism, family separation, and corporate complicity. No more silence. No more flights. #StopAvelo.” .

 

California's US Senator Alex Padilla said in a news release “Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants – without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders – it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is ‘too valuable not to pursue.” 

 

Protests were also held in Albany, New York; Arcata, Santa Clarita and Sonoma California; Chicago, Detroit; Kalispell, Montana; Las Vegas; McLean, Virtinia; Medford and Salem Oregon; Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington North Carolina; Traverse City, Michigan and Wilmington, Delaware