Dear John,
Since Israel and the U.S. illegally attacked Iran last month, a disturbing trend is growing: ICE is making sweeping arrests of Iranian nationals with uncertain status across the country. In just 1 week, over 130 Iranian nationals were taken by ICE last month, adding to the upwards of 670 Iranian Americans in detention nationwide. More arrests have happened since.
This chilling development is an example of how war abroad intensifies repression at home in the name of “national security.” We’ve seen inflammatory rhetoric about “sleeper cells” and “threats” while ICE arrests our elders, neighbors, loved ones and friends.
In just one example, on June 28, ICE arrested Reza Zavvar [[link removed]] without warning while he was walking his dog. Reza has lived in the U.S. for decades and was in the process of updating his legal status. He was ripped from his home and family in Maryland and is detained hundreds of miles away in Texas, where he faces deportation to a third country - Australia or Romania.
Just last week, ICE stopped Mahdi Khanbabazadeh [[link removed]] in his car as he was on his way to drop off his young child at daycare in Beaverton, OR. He asked calmly for them to give him the chance to drop his kid off at daycare, which they allowed, but then broke his car window and arrested him right outside of the daycare - sending the school into a soft lockdown and alarming other families.
These traumatizing and outrageous arrests reflect the cruelty and lawlessness of ICE nationwide, and will only get worse with the latest funding bill passed by the current Congress that supercharges the deportation machine with a record $178 billion. There are approximately 5,840 Iranians on ICE’s nondetained docket.
This has been a devastating time for our community, and is likely to get worse before it gets better.
Today, we are re-launching our comprehensive Travel Ban and Immigrant Justice Resource Center [[link removed]] , now updated with critical information and resources.
niacouncil.org/travelban/ [niacouncil.org/travelban/]
SHARE THE RESOURCE CENTER [[link removed]]
Help for detained Iranians: If you know an Iranian detained by ICE who needs help, you can reach out to [email protected] [[email protected]] . Our team works to:
* Connect impacted families to their Members of Congress to advocate to ICE for release and against harmful actions like third country deportation.
* Help you find legal support.
* Activate our grassroots chapters to mobilize support for impacted people; and more.
Know your rights: it’s critical right now that we all know our rights. Whether you are a U.S. citizen, green card holder, legal permanent resident, here on a student visa, or out of legal status, you still have rights under the law. Learn and share more below.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS [[link removed]]
Urge Congress to act: You can also message and call your reps to condemn this targeting, investigate ICE’s conduct, and take urgent action to protect Iranian Americans and all immigrant communities.
Call Congress [[link removed]]
TAKE ACTION [[link removed]]
The Trump administration’s cruel and harmful immigration policies are affecting all communities, not just ours. We stand with all impacted immigrants who deserve to live, work and follow their dreams in what should be the land of the free.
Please share these resources widely. Our team is working hard to support detained Iranians and their families who reach out for help, while fighting to prevent more war abroad and defend our rights at home.
If you can, chip in to support this work today.
SUPPORT THIS WORK [[link removed]]
In solidarity,
Jamal Abdi
Executive Director, NIAC Action[[link removed]]
Donate - power this movement [[link removed]]Find us on social media:
* Follow NIAC's Persian Language Telegram [[link removed]]
* Follow NIAC on Instagram [[link removed]]
* Follow NIAC on Twitter [[link removed]]
* Follow NIAC on Facebook [[link removed]]
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