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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jennifer, Immigrant from Venezuela
4:13:21
ยท
4 min
Jennifer, an immigrant from Venezuela, shares her traumatic experience of having her confidential information shared with ICE by local agencies, leading to her detention and separation from her children. She urges the city council to pass legislation to protect immigrant families and hold agencies accountable for violating sanctuary laws.
- Jennifer arrived in New York last year with dreams of a better life for her children, but encountered violations of her rights by local agencies.
- She describes how a request for therapy services led to an ACS investigation and eventual ICE detention due to information sharing.
- Jennifer calls for the passage of Intro 214 to create accountability for violations of sanctuary laws in New York City.
Jennifer (via Spanish Interpreter)
4:13:21
Hello.
4:13:22
My name is Jennifer, and I am an immigrant from Venezuela.
4:13:25
And I arrived in New York last year.
4:13:27
But when I came to New York when I came to New York, I came with many dreams to give a better life to my 2 children.
4:13:34
But that dream turned into a nightmare when local agencies violated the law and my rights when they shared my confidential information with ICE.
4:14:09
When I was at the shelter, I asked the shelter workers for therapy services for me and my children because of the trauma of our trip from Venezuela to the United States was affecting us greatly.
4:14:20
Instead of giving us therapy support, the shelter workers called ACS to talk to my children.
4:14:25
When ACS arrived, I didn't know they were investigating me, and I was under the impression that they were providing therapy support.
4:15:22
After ACS spoke with my children, I had an appointment with ICE.
4:15:25
When I went to my second appointment with ICE, they detained me.
4:15:29
And when I asked the ICE officer when they were going to release me, he mocked me and said that they were going to deport me because he had a criminal case against me.
4:15:37
I was shocked because I had never I never had any contact with the police.
4:15:42
I had a panic attack and passed out and was taken to the hospital.
4:15:45
My lawyer later discovered that ACS shared my confidential information with ICE, and that's why they detained me.
4:15:53
A month passed without being able to see or talk to my children.
4:15:56
With the support of my attorney, I was released, but I am still suffering from the trauma of the actions of ACS.
4:16:02
I'm here to reveal the injustices that also happened to many families across New York.
4:16:16
With the incoming Trump administration, what happened to me and my family will likely happen to many more New York families without impunity.
4:16:34
I stand here today to urge city officials to protect mothers and families like mine from local agency collusion with ICE.
4:16:54
I call on our council to pass council member Janice Bill intro 214 to create a system of accountability for the violation of the sanctuary laws that exist in New York City.
4:17:19
No agency should feel emboldened to violate the law, and there should be consequences for when they do.
4:17:24
Let's do what is right to keep families in New York City safe and together.
4:17:28
The time for our city council to act is now.
4:17:31
Thank you.