Indivisible Weston Speakers Forum: ICE in our Backyard
February 1 @ 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm EST
We might not see it, but ICE is in our back yard.
- Why are they here? Are they rounding up criminals and freeloaders, or are they terrorizing hard working, taxpaying, law-abiding neighbors?
- What are the historical precedents for anti-immigrant sentiment and policy in the U.S.?
- Who is and who is not entitled to due process in the U.S.?
- What does ICE activity in our neighboring towns mean for the families of those who are detained? How have their lives changed?
- What does the crackdown on immigration mean for American society?
To help us see and better understand the reality and context of ICE’s incursion into our community, this forum will feature a scholar, a clergyman, an attorney who is the CEO of a 100+ year-old immigrant and refugee settlement organization, and a volunteer at Waltham’s immigrant crisis response organization.
Moderator:
Ripley Hastings is a Boston business lawyer and current Moderator of the Weston Town Meeting. He has served in several local public offices over the past 45 years including multiple terms on the Weston Select Board and School Committee.
Panelists:
Rev. Andrew Harris is a member of the Bearing Witness organizing team and pastor at the United Church of Christ, Congregational, in Burlington. Bearing Witness is a group committed to peaceful, nonviolent standouts in front of the ICE Detention Center. They bring people together across political differences to show broad collective support for immigrants’ rights
Kelly Henderson is on several teams within FUERZA, a neighborhood watch committed to supporting immigrant neighbors in Waltham. Guided by principles of solidarity, rapid response, and advocacy, FUERZA works to uphold the rights and safety of our neighbors, keep families together, and build a more just and inclusive community.
Prof. Carrie Preston, a Weston resident, is Chair of the Department of English and the Associate Director of the Center on Forced Displacement at Boston University. Her research and teaching interests include border and critical forced displacement studies.
Jeffrey Thielman, Esq. is the President and CEO of the International Institute of New England which creates opportunities for refugees and immigrants to succeed through resettlement, education, career advancement and pathways to citizenship. They provide family reunification, education, skills training, job placement and legal services. IINE’s work is critical to the growth of the region’s economy.
