Introduction to Immigrant Rights Action in the Rochester Area

June 20th, 2017, 7-9 PM

First Unitarian Church

220 Winton Road South

Rochester, NY

The Trump administration is busy carrying out its hateful anti-immigrant agenda nationwide. Some 6,000 undocumented immigrants live in the Rochester area, most of whom are the backbone of our agricultural industry. Many have worked and lived here for years; they have families, they have children in our schools and they often live in mixed families with both citizens and non-citizens. It is a myth that they are dangerous criminals. They put food on our tables and they contribute to the success of our Upstate New York economy. Yet, they are being detained and deported at an unprecedented pace. The human toll is endless; when a parent is deported, the family loses their breadwinner, children lose their parent(s), and families are traumatized and torn apart. Our local farmers lose critical workers and our local economy suffers.

But, more and more people are resisting! Rochester-area residents and farmworkers themselves are standing in the way of the deportation dragnet in creative and effective ways. Come and learn what’s happening and how you can join them! There are ways everyone can help at their own comfort level, using their unique experience and skills. We are already scheduling a specific training for each initiative in the near future to follow up this orientation!