CIL denounces deportations and all acts of violence against our immigrant communities. Such actions tear apart families, destabilize communities, and violate foundational principles of justice and human dignity. Further, CIL condemns the escalation and repression being deployed in Los Angeles by federal troops and local police alike. These tactics are meant to intimidate our movements from showing out in solidarity with our immigrant neighbors–but we refuse to back down. Immigrants are an essential part of our nation’s fabric—building strong, resilient communities and deserving of dignity, safety, and belonging. We know that immigrants contribute to our economy, while we also reject the false narratives of ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ immigrants, and push back against valuing people for their labor or economic contributions. We refuse the idea that anyone must earn their humanity. Dignity is not conditional and our solidarity is not transactional—we fight for immigrant, Black and Brown, and Disability communities because they are our communities: people with families, dreams, struggles, and stories who deserve to live fully and freely, just as they are.
CIL understands the many reasons why people migrate from their homelands, and the many connections between migration (and forced displacement) and the climate crisis, economic exploitation, political instability, and the ‘War on Drugs’ –all things which the United States contributes to or is wholly responsible for in many of the places where people migrate from. There is an intimate connection between migration and disability, as there are innumerableinnumerous stories of people seeking refuge in the United States to access life-saving medical care or specialized treatments; we also know that experiences of migration itself can often cause disabilities, physical, psychological, or otherwise.
Mass deportations and family separations inflict lasting trauma, particularly on children, elders, and people with disabilities who rely on the stability of family structures for care and support. Deportations echo the legacy of state-sanctioned violence that disproportionately harms Black, Brown, disabled, and low-income families in cities across America. We call for the end to expedited removals and deportations. We urge elected leaders to support and protect grassroots movements towards immigrant solidarity, and to continue to invest in legal defense funding, such as One California, the Immigration Services Program, and the Removal Defense Program. Moreover, in moments of chaos and confusion, there are agents that seek to divide and obstruct genuine connections of solidarity. Resist these detractors. Now is the time to lean in and lock arms with immigrant communities because we are one. We know that when we fight, we win–recent acts of collective resistance and mobilization in Concord and San Francisco disrupted court hearings. CIL urges disabled communities to engage in sustainable actions, whether it’s participating in protest or direct action, a court watch, attending a Know Your Rights workshop, or tapping into your local rapid response network, everything is important. Each one of us creates a powerful collective force to disrupt, slow down, and stop deportations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The Disability Rights Movement knows that liberation is collective. We stand in solidarity with immigrant communities and will continue to fight for a future where all people can live, move, and belong without fear.
Finally, there are many ways communities can show up in this moment. Donate to Clue Justice to help detained immigrants make bond. Share accurate and vetted information on immigrant rights from Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), share rapid response networks in your community, and sign up for action alerts to mobilize in solidarity with immigrant communities. We are not powerless but powerful together. Keep resisting.
Sincerely,
The CIL Advocacy Team
Center for Independent Living
Advancing justice, equity, and community inclusion for all.
