03/06/2017
"Am I Free to Go?"
President Trump's immigration policies, rights of immigrants, and anxieties of the community were discussed at a town hall meeting hosted by Interfaith Council for Cultural Development (ICFCD), Sunday, March 5, at Richi Rich Palace, Richmond Hill, Queens, NY. Dr. C. Mario Russell, director of Catholic Charities New York’s Immigrant & Refugee Services Division, reviewed the legality of Trump's executive order on immigration and advised immigrants to know their rights and take certain precautions to avoid being detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers. Although a federal judge in Washington state stayed the ex*****on of Trump's 'Muslim ban,' his administration ordered the enforcement of existing laws on deportation of undocumented aliens--criminal and non-criminal.
Anxious immigrants should know or have access to a few things (where applicable), such as certificate of disposition, state ID, criminal record, avoid skipping one's court date, lying to federal authorities, DUIs, knowing Miranda rights, giving law enforcement officers only one's name and ID and asking "Am I free to go?," having a family safety plan that includes updated travel and power of attorney docs. A warrant must be produced by an authority seeking entry into one's home, beware of scammers impersonating state and federal officers, saying "I do not consent to this or that search," if appropriate search warrant is not produced. These were some of the important things immigrant lawyers are advising that concerned people should know about.
Other presenters included NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, Eric Post of American Jewish Committee, representative of IDNYC. The event was covered by local media and brought together leaders of faith communities, public officials, NGOs, and concerned citizens. It was co-sponsored by Jawda Institute Inc, Muslim Cultural Center, Indian Diaspora Council, New Sanctuary Coalition, New American Voters Association, New American Women Forum, New Haven Ministries, Nur ul Islam, Shiva Mandir, and Trimurti Bavan Mandir.