Friend,

In every town and city across the United States, there are certain spaces that form the bedrock of a community. They include schools, where children learn and grow; hospitals where people seek care; and places of worship, where families and neighbors gather.

Because they are so foundational to the well-being of entire communities, presidents of both parties going back decades have kept certain sensitive locations off limits for immigration enforcement. But within the first 24 hours of his presidency, Trump rescinded these existing protections. He issued a cruel directive that unleashes ICE agents to target locations like schools, hospitals, places of worship, domestic violence shelters, and even events like funerals and weddings.

This is a blatant attempt to scare immigrants away from basic participation in community life, making them feel afraid to access basic services and survival needs.

The Trump administration wants us to feel powerless, but there are still steps that schools, hospitals, and places of worship can take to protect immigrant community members. In fact, we have put together a resource that lays out:

• Recommendations for school administrators and staff

• Recommendations for hospitals and health centers

• Recommendations for places of worship

• Recommendations for social service organizations

• Recommendation for courthouses

Friend, click here for more information on steps advocates and communities can take to help immigrants maintain access to essential community spaces and services. If you have friends or family who work in these sectors, please forward this email to them too.

Together we can protect our communities.

Lynn Damiano Pearson 
Senior Staff Attorney 
National Immigration Law Center