Faith, Labor and Community March Demands Immigrant Protections

 

[Hundreds of faith leaders and people of conscience marched from the Federal Building to the north side of the State Capitol on October 5 to demand Governor Lamont and state legislators call a special session and protect immigrant community members from the violence of ICE.

Organized by the Greater Hartford Immigration Action Alliance (GHIAA), they called for “safeguarding personal data, ensuring courthouse access, preventing indirect ICE support, and maintaining HUSKY coverage for all by ensuring that surplus revenue be invested in communities and not sent away as debt payments to Wall Street”

“ This is not the moment for our leaders to be silent. This is not the moment for our leaders to keep their heads down.” said Rev. Josh Pawelek, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society East, CT for All, and the GHIAA Strategy Team..

“This is the moment for speaking truth to power. There are common sense policies ready to go that would make a meaningful difference in the safety of Connecticut’s immigrant communities, and we call on our leaders to pass them in a special session this fall,”

Kevin, a member of Make the Road CT emphasized that “Without medical coverage, my health could get worse — for me, this truly is the difference between life and death. Like many immigrants, I came here looking for a better future, and now I’m just fighting to stay alive and healthy.”

“Many essential workers are immigrants who came here seeking the same thing all of us want—a chance to work hard and live with dignity,” said Rochelle Palache, Vice President of 32BJ Connecticut, “These workers clean our schools, guard our buildings, and keep our communities running. It’s unconscionable that those who give so much to our state are treated as disposable. Protecting them isn’t just an act of compassion—it’s an act of justice.”