PRESS STATEMENT
Monday, November 14, 2016
Contact: Lisa Sherman-Nikolaus | Lisa@tnimmigrant.org
Newly elected president declares he will move swiftly to deport millions of undocumented immigrants
NASHVILLE – Last night, in an interview with 60 Minutes, President-elect Donald J. Trump told Americans that he would follow through on his anti-immigrant campaign promises, starting by deporting three million undocumented immigrants.
His pledge to separate millions of families comes just days after his acceptance speech when he declared, "[n]ow it's time for America to bind the wounds of division...I say it is time for us to come together as one united people."
Since the election, immigrants, refugees, Muslims, black communities, LGBTQ communities, and others have experienced acts of hate violence, threats, harassment, and intimidation. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported 200 such incidents in the first three days following the election. TIRRC has received dozens of calls reporting bullying and harassment in schools, businesses, and at individuals’ homes from across the state.
The following is a statement from Stephanie Teatro, Co-Executive Director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC):
“After he spent more than a year campaigning on extreme, anti-immigrant policies, the election of Donald Trump has unleashed a nearly unprecedented level of fear and panic in the immigrant community.
This deep fear and uncertainty is compounded by frequent acts of harassment and intimidation many community members have faced each day since the election. In this climate, it is cruel and traumatizing for Donald Trump to send a message to millions of families across this country that they could be separated by mass deportations when he becomes president.
The fear and outrage many in the community are feeling now will be harnessed to fight against mass deportations and the countless other injustices that Trump pledged during his campaign, like banning Muslim migration and surveilling mosques.
Our coalition – made up of thousands of immigrants, refugees, and their allies in Tennessee – is committed to using every strategy and tool we have to stop Trump from enacting his anti-immigrant agenda and protecting communities from deportations.
We want to be incredibly clear: immigrants are here to stay.”
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TIRRC is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to empower immigrants and refugees throughout Tennessee to develop a unified voice, defend their rights, and create an atmosphere in which they are recognized as positive contributors to the state. Since its founding in 2001, TIRRC has worked to develop immigrant leadership, build the capacity of its immigrant-led member organizations, help immigrant community members understand and engage in the civic process, and educate the public about policies that would better promote integration of new immigrants and facilitate their full participation in US society. In just a few years TIRRC has grown from a grassroots network of community leaders into one of the most diverse and effective coalitions of its kind, a model for emerging immigrant rights organizations in the Southeast and throughout the United States.
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COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
Lunes 16 de noviembre de 2016
Contacto: Leticia Alvarez | Leticia@tnimmigrant.org
TIRRC responde a la entrevista que se hizo al presidente electo Trump en el programa 60 Minutos
El presidente electo declara que procederá rápidamente a deportar a millones de inmigrantes indocumentados
NASHVILLE - Anoche, en una entrevista en el programa 60 Minutes, el presidente electo Donald J. Trump le dijo a los estadounidenses que cumpliría una de sus promesas anti-inmigrantes de su campaña, comenzando por la deportación de tres millones de inmigrantes indocumentados.
Su promesa de separar a millones de familias viene apenas unos días después de su discurso de victoria, donde declaró, ahora es el momento en los Estados Unidos de sanar las heridas de la división... Yo digo que es tiempo de que nos unamos como una sola gente.
Desde la elección, los inmigrantes, refugiados, musulmanes, comunidades negras, comunidades LGBTQ y otras han sufrido actos de violencia, amenazas, hostigamiento e intimidación por odio. El Southern Poverty Law Center reportó 200 incidentes de este tipo en los primeros tres días tras la elección, TIRRC ha recibido docenas de llamadas notificando sobre acoso (bullying) y hostigamiento en escuelas, negocios y hogares de personas a través del estado.
La siguiente es una declaración de Stephanie Teatro, Codirectora Ejecutiva de la Coalición por los Derechos de los Inmigrantes y Refugiados de Tennessee (TIRRC):
"Después de haber pasado más de un año basando su campaña en políticas extremas en contra de los inmigrantes, la elección de Donald Trump ha desatado un nivel casi sin precedentes de temor y pánico en la comunidad inmigrante.
Este profundo temor e incertidumbre se multiplica debido a los frecuentes actos de hostigamiento e intimidación que muchos miembros de la comunidad han enfrentado a diario desde la elección. En este clima, es cruel y traumatizante que Donald Trump envíe el mensaje a millones de familias a través de este país de que podrían ser separadas por deportaciones masivas cuando él asuma la presidencia.
El temor e indignación que muchos miembros de la comunidad están sintiendo ahora será empleado para luchar contra las deportaciones masivas y contra las múltiples otras injusticias que Trump prometió durante su campaña, como prohibir la migración de musulmanes y vigilar mezquitas.
Nuestra coalición, que consta de miles de inmigrantes, refugiados y aliados suyos en Tennessee, se compromete a emplear todas las estrategias y herramientas que tenemos para evitar que Trump ponga en práctica su agenda antiinmigrante y para proteger a las comunidades contra las deportaciones.
Queremos que quede bien claro: Los inmigrantes han llegado para quedarse.”