PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Cresenciana Morales, Community Advocate at Mixteca, on Immigrant Community Concerns and Protection
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Cresenciana Morales, a community advocate at Mixteca, testified about the increasing concerns and fears within the immigrant community following the recent presidential election. She highlighted the need for stronger protections and resources for immigrants in New York City.
- 70% of surveyed community members expect to face immigration-related issues due to the change in administration.
- There's been an increase in inquiries about deportation preparation, including custody issues for children.
- Morales advocated for maintaining New York City's status as a sanctuary city and supporting campaigns like New York for All and the Access to Representation Act.
Cresenciana Morales
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Good afternoon.
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My name is Chrisenciana Morales, and I'm a community advocate at Mixteca.
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Since the results of the recent presidential election, our community has been on high alert.
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Many of our community members have been asking questions about whether New York City will be complicit with federal authorities and whether it's safe to share their information for resources like New York City Care, Fair Fairs, and ID New York City, all New York City benefits that benefit many low income immigrant households.
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We have seen an increase in community members concerned about their families, jobs, and overall stability.
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Over the past weeks, we've surveyed over 200 community members and collected data on the community's top concerns.
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Some of the concerns were potential interactions with ICE, lack of representation in immigration courts, and cooperation with ICE and state agencies.
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70% of our community members surveyed surveyed expressed that they will face an immigration related issue in the future due to the change in administration.
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Additionally, we've also seen an increase in community members asking about resources to help families prepare for deportation.
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In the in the month of November alone, we had several members inquire about custody issues and how to protect their children in the event of deportation.
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After the rumors of possible ICE raids in the capital region upstate, the number of immigrant related questions at Mixteca has increased in the past weeks.
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Every day, we receive several calls asking questions like, what are my rights in New York City?
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What do I do if ICE agents show up at my workplace?
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And how do I prepare a letter to give guardianship of my children to another family member if I'm detained in the rain?
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It is unfair that our community has been targeted for years with xenophobic comments about how they don't belong here.
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There was a time when we were proud of the protection that New York City provided to its immigrant community.
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In recent weeks, however, we've become concerned that these protections will disappear and that our immigrant communities will be at greater risk.
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Children should not be afraid to go to school and not see their parents after.
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Our community should not be afraid to do daily activities for fear of being taken away by ICE agents.
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At MiXteca, we try to reassure community members of their rights and the hospital schools and nonprofits organizations will not reveal the immigration status if asked by federal authorities.
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However, we cannot do this alone and have asked New York City to maintain its that it will remain a sanctuary city.
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This is why we are also here to advocate for campaigns like New York for all and access to representation act to provide coverage for immigrant families and to support funding for immigrant services for all immigrants.
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We are not only asking that New York City remains a sanctuary city, but the New York State becomes a sanctuary state because all New Yorkers deserve to be loved, to be safe, and to have the rights upheld.
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Thank you all for your attention.