Amid threats of raids, advocates demand local elected officials “to not leave anything to chance”
AUSTIN — Today, Grassroots Leadership released a statement in response to the recent announcement from President Trump regarding mass immigration raids:
“The Austin immigrant community will not be easily intimidated. On Monday, President Trump announced a supposed plan for U.S. immigration agents to make mass arrests starting “next week” that aim to round up thousands of immigrant parents.
“ICE Fuera de Austin and Grassroots Leadership are investigating with local sources to confirm if there have been requests for collaboration between local law enforcement agencies Austin Police Department or Travis County Sheriffs, and ICE. We ask that members of the Austin City Council, Mayor Adler, and Austin City Manager Cronk be bold and stand with the Austin immigrant community by asking if requests for collaboration between local law enforcement agencies have been made; and if so, for an alert to be sent to the community.
“We have learned to not leave anything to chance under this administration, especially during the summer, when ICE has historically carried out some of their most horrific actions.
“We are asking for a commitment from local entities to not collaborate in this type of terrorization activities not only because they are inhumane, but also because it would be a huge waste of financial resources. We encourage other groups in different parts of the city and country to do the same and be proactive. Ask questions and ask for commitments from local elected officials, churches, businesses, schools and community members; whether this particular enforcement action will happen now or later, what we have to counter is the harmful terrorizing of our communities - and this is a clear example of how it happens.
“We will be ready to take action if this information is confirmed. The only safe community is an organized one, and the only way that our community won't live in fear in the face of so many threats is by fighting back and taking action.
“We ask that the community follow ICE Fuera de Austin/ ICE Out of Austin for community protection steps and alerts in Spanish.”
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Grassroots Leadership is an Austin, Texas-based national organization that works for a more just society where prison profiteering, mass incarceration, deportation, and criminalization are things of the past. Follow us @Grassroots_News.
