1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to It could happen here, the podcast about the 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: world falling apart and how we can put it back 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:13,120 Speaker 1: together again. I'm your host, Christopher Wong. Now. Three months 4 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: ago we covered Great Abbot's attempt to shut down the 5 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:17,440 Speaker 1: border and how he was forced basically to back down 6 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: by a Mexican trucker strike. And in that episode we 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: mentioned that Abbot's newest stunt was deporting people from Texas 8 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: to Washington, d C. To make Biden look bad by 9 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:29,440 Speaker 1: you know, moving the problem to him. And as a 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,839 Speaker 1: political stunt, this has largely failed as a humanitarian disaster, 11 00:00:32,920 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: inflicting untold human misery on completely innocent people. It is 12 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: still continuing to unfold. And here today to talk about 13 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: this with us is Amy Fisher with Sanctuary d m 14 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: V and the Migrants Solidarity Mutual Aid Network. Amy, thank 15 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: you for joining us, and welcome to the show. Thank 16 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: you so much for having me so excited to be here. Yeah, um, 17 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: somewhat less excited that this is happening because dear God. Yeah, So, 18 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:01,320 Speaker 1: I guess to start off, do you want to tell 19 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: us a bit about what's been I guess how this 20 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: started in what the sort of initial reaction and non 21 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:13,039 Speaker 1: reaction of the d C government has been sure so UM. 22 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 1: In April, Governor Abbotts started bussing people from the border 23 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 1: to d C. UM. We knew from the get go 24 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,119 Speaker 1: that this was a racist publicity stunt, um, particularly because 25 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: the first few busses were dropped off right in front 26 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:36,560 Speaker 1: of the Fox News building. UM, and we all initially 27 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 1: thought it was going to be a few weeks of 28 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:46,760 Speaker 1: bussing people. And here we are, um in the middle 29 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: of July, and the buses have kept coming. Um. Buses 30 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: arrive to d C basically every single day of the 31 00:01:56,360 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: week except for UM Monday evening and Tuesday mornings, and 32 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: there have been probably around thirty people bussed from Texas 33 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: to d C. And uh, not too long after, Governor 34 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: Juicy of Arizona started doing the same thing and bussing 35 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: people from the Arizona border to d C. And the 36 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: d C government has basically been unwilling to grapple with 37 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 1: the reality of what's happening. You know, people are arriving 38 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: to d C with very very little resources, typically like 39 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: the clothes on their back. Sometimes they don't even have 40 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: shoes on their feet. When they get off the buses, 41 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: and it's been, um kind of amazing to see the 42 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: way that the d C community has responded. It's been 43 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:58,240 Speaker 1: like the type of response that makes me remarkably proud 44 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: of being a DC resident and being from the area. 45 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 1: And also, um, it's something that the DC government is 46 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:14,359 Speaker 1: turning in a blind eye to UM and pretending like, um, 47 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: the reality that we are seeing when we are talking 48 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 1: to people that are getting off the buses day in 49 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: and day out, it's just it's like entirely different from 50 00:03:23,160 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 1: what you know, the DC mayor is saying about the situation. Yeah, 51 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: and I guess, well, okay, so before we talk, I 52 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 1: guess fully about the DC governments just catastrophic. I don't 53 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: even want to know if I want to say incompetence 54 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 1: so much is just like we'll just let these people suffer. Um. 55 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: Can we talk a bit about what what what the 56 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: community responses look like and what y'all have been doing. Sure, 57 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 1: so maybe to back up a little bit to to 58 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 1: tell you about sort of like what the experiences of 59 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: the people that are getting off the buses. These are 60 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: people that are typically UM coming to the United States 61 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: to seek asylum. They're being processed at the border for 62 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: a few days. And I think what like have been 63 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:13,240 Speaker 1: commonly started to be referred to as like the Pereiras 64 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: and jeleras at the border, so like the dog kennels, 65 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:18,080 Speaker 1: the ice boxes and the at the border and that 66 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: are being paroled into the country and um, so the 67 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: Customs and Border Protections CBP is releasing these folks to 68 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: um like respite centers type of places at the border. 69 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: UM in Texas. Most of the folks are coming from 70 00:04:37,839 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: Del Rio and Eagle Path UM and then they're being 71 00:04:43,279 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: told that there's these free busses to d C. And 72 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,880 Speaker 1: it's it's a little bit mind boggling because we know 73 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:55,240 Speaker 1: that Governor Abbott is doing these bus this bussing purely 74 00:04:55,400 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: out of the most like racist xenophobic in pensions. And 75 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: also for many of the folks, it's a free bus 76 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: to to get to where they're trying to go. And 77 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: so people are riding on the buses arriving in d 78 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: C and then you know many of them are trying 79 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: to get to other places along the east coast UM 80 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 1: and many are planning on staying in d C. UM. 81 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: And so what has happened is we've um developed a 82 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:38,479 Speaker 1: massive mutual aid response, which has been super cool. So, 83 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: you know, we have a crew of volunteers that meet 84 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: the buses when they arrive UM at Union Station. And 85 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,320 Speaker 1: if you're not familiar with d C, Union Station is 86 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: sort of the big transit center and in the middle 87 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: of d C UM actually relatively close to where the 88 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: capital is. UM. It's sort of like the DC equivalent 89 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: of like Penn Station in New York or something like that. UM. 90 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: And so they're dropped off in front of Union Station. 91 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: We have folks that will welcome them and UM typically 92 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: we bring to folks to uh different churches around the 93 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: area that have opened up their spaces as respite centers 94 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: for us, and we uh you know, sit down with folks, 95 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:28,880 Speaker 1: We offer them some food and really try and talk 96 00:06:28,960 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: through what their needs are and help them as best 97 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: as we can meet those needs, whether it is you know, 98 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 1: folks may have UM medical or like trauma that they 99 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 1: need to work through. UM. Maybe they're trying to get 100 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: to New York, and so we'll help them, you know, 101 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 1: communicate with family members or help them find their way 102 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 1: to New York. We you know, for the folks that 103 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:57,800 Speaker 1: are staying in DC, we've done our best to help them, 104 00:06:57,839 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 1: you know, find a way to kind of get settled 105 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,720 Speaker 1: and put down roots in their new community, getting them 106 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: connected to community members that help them you know, navigate DC, 107 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,320 Speaker 1: teach them how to use the metro, help them get 108 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,520 Speaker 1: to their you know, check in appointments as they're you know, 109 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,239 Speaker 1: having to jump through all of the hoops of ice 110 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: and being surveilled by the state, and and helping them 111 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:26,119 Speaker 1: you know, have access to lawyers to explain their legal 112 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: process and really just kind of like I don't know, 113 00:07:29,200 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: I took a dude to to Target to be to 114 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: like help them get go shopping, and you know, took 115 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: folks to get uh, just like the random stuff that 116 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,720 Speaker 1: people need when they arrive in a new place in 117 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,040 Speaker 1: the same way that like, I don't know, if I 118 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 1: had a friend moving to d C, I would be like, hey, 119 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: what do you need? Like how can I help you 120 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: get to know this place? Like this is how our 121 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: bike share program works, Like just the most basic welcome 122 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: get settled. Can we tell a little bit more about 123 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: what the sort of legal process looks like here and 124 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: what like, for example, like explained what check ins are 125 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:11,880 Speaker 1: and yeah, so um, the folks that are arriving are 126 00:08:11,920 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: being parolled in UM and so basically what it means 127 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: is that they are then under surveillance from the federal 128 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: government UM from ICE, which is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 129 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: And what that looks like is a little bit of 130 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: a crapshoot. UM. So many many of the folks are 131 00:08:36,120 --> 00:08:39,360 Speaker 1: UM at the border given cell phones UM that have 132 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 1: tracking on them, and so with that cell phone, they're 133 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: being tracked by the government. They basically have to take 134 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: like selfies ever so often to UM check in and 135 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: then they're basically being enrolled in this program called is APP, 136 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: which is the I can't remember the acronym, it's it's 137 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,679 Speaker 1: UM a supervision program. And so they have to go 138 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,200 Speaker 1: to an ICE office once they arrive in whatever city 139 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: that they're arriving to UM. Oftentimes they're being asked to 140 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:14,319 Speaker 1: turn in the ICE the ICE cell phones and having 141 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,320 Speaker 1: to download an app on their cell phones. If they 142 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 1: don't have a cell phone, they might be given an 143 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: ankle monitor or what many of the Spanish speakers called 144 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: like a great They be basically like an ankle shackle 145 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: UM for electronic monitoring. They'll have UM officers, you know, 146 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: show up at their house, so sometimes they have to 147 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: you know, be at home from seven am to seven 148 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: pm so that you know, immigration come come by and 149 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: make sure that they're like still there. And basically that 150 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: part of the program is entirely so the government can 151 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:53,719 Speaker 1: keep a track of where these folks are. It has 152 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: nothing to do with like the actual legal process that 153 00:09:57,760 --> 00:10:00,240 Speaker 1: they are trying to go through to to be able 154 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: to stay here permanently. So separate and apart from that, 155 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 1: the vast majority of these folks are asylum seekers. And 156 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: so what that means is that you know, once they're here, 157 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 1: they have a year to apply for asylum and then 158 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: they're thrust into the like totally broken asylum system that 159 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 1: has you know, years long backlogs and things like that, 160 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: and so then they'll be basically trying to find a 161 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 1: way to um get an asylum grant to be able 162 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:35,680 Speaker 1: to stay here permanently while also navigating the surveillance that's 163 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: happening on the ice side of things are so I know, 164 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 1: something that happens with like I guess regular prison a 165 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: lot are people being forced to pay for the ankle 166 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: bracelets no thank god, okay, which is which is like 167 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:55,719 Speaker 1: something from their minimum but yeah, it's still Jesus. I mean, 168 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,240 Speaker 1: I will say that we've one of the issues that 169 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:03,520 Speaker 1: we have started, um sort of trying to figure out 170 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: how to navigate, is that what we're seeing is people, 171 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: you know, they get the ICE cell phones at the border, 172 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 1: and then at their check in they're supposed to turn 173 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:15,480 Speaker 1: in the ICE cell phones and then download this at 174 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:20,280 Speaker 1: this surveillance app on their phone. Um, many folks don't 175 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: have a cell phone, or the app only works if 176 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: you have I think a five G phone, So you 177 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 1: basically have to have like the fanciest of the phones, 178 00:11:30,080 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 1: which if you're an asylum secret and you just risk 179 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 1: it all to come here to seek safety and you 180 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,120 Speaker 1: don't really have a support in the US, and now 181 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: you're being told that you have to have this super 182 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 1: fancy phone or you get an inkle shackle. It's it's 183 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 1: just kind of a ridiculous thing knowing that it's okay, 184 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: maybe you're privileged enough to be able to be surveilled 185 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:58,720 Speaker 1: on your own personal cell phone, or you just have 186 00:11:58,800 --> 00:12:10,839 Speaker 1: to have an inkle shackle at all times. So much 187 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,480 Speaker 1: of this process just like it really feels just like 188 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:16,640 Speaker 1: it's it's just it's surveillance, just sort of for the 189 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 1: purpose of humiliation. It's surveillance for the purpose of humiliation. 190 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 1: It's surveillance for the sake of some Um. This idea 191 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: that we've been dealing with in the US since September eleven, 192 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:41,839 Speaker 1: that uh, immigration is a national security concern that you know, 193 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,839 Speaker 1: if if immigrants aren't being surveilled twenty four hours a day, 194 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: then like, lord knows what they could do. Um. When 195 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:51,679 Speaker 1: the reality is is these are folks that are just 196 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: like normal people trying to live their best lives. UM. 197 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: And I also think how I think it's really important 198 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 1: to say how much of this is also entirely based 199 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 1: on government funding and availability that so oftentimes the decision 200 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 1: as to what kind of surveillance you're under is based 201 00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: upon what is available, um, based on contracts with you know, 202 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: private surveillance companies and private prison companies that have a 203 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 1: surveillance arm and things like that. It's it's entirely profit driven. Yeah, definitely, definitely. Again, 204 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,599 Speaker 1: I keep thinking about prisons, it's just like, yeah, I 205 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 1: mean literally literally the same companies doing this kind of stuff. 206 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 1: And how Yeah, and like I think, I don't know, 207 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: there's there's this kind of like I mean, I guess, people, 208 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: it's just a prison industrial complex. But yeah, there's this 209 00:13:50,880 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: whole there's a sort of like state private sector complex 210 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 1: that both feed on each other, where you have these 211 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: companies taking federal money to do stuff. You have these 212 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: companies who are like have figured out ways to extract 213 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: like money from the people that are surevailing. And I guess, okay, 214 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: keep keeping on the thread of the state making people's 215 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 1: lives miserable. Um, yeah, so Muriel Bowser not doing anything. Yeah, 216 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 1: we're talking about that a bit. So Mariel Bowser's messaging 217 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,160 Speaker 1: that we have received has evolved a little bit here 218 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: and there. So sometimes she says that the majority of 219 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 1: people that are getting off the bus have everything they 220 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,360 Speaker 1: need and have family supporting them, and so there actually 221 00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: is no reason for the government to step forward because 222 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: these people already have all of their needs met, which 223 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 1: I would say maybe one person or one family every 224 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:56,640 Speaker 1: every few days has someone that's you know, ready to 225 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: meet them when they step off the bus, but the 226 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:02,360 Speaker 1: vast majority of people don't. And I would say that 227 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: we're seeing an ever increasing amount of people that don't 228 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: have anybody in the United States, and so they really 229 00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 1: are in need of a lot of supports to help 230 00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: them really figure out their way here because they don't 231 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,560 Speaker 1: have cousins or family friends or extended family, whatever it 232 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:27,240 Speaker 1: may be, to help them, you know, put down roots 233 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: in the in their new communities. UM. And in recent 234 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: weeks her messaging has shifted a little bit because there 235 00:15:36,200 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: is actually a Spain based organization that got a grant 236 00:15:40,920 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: from FEMA to support on the buses. UM And so 237 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:52,400 Speaker 1: now Bowser's response is this organization, SAMU has it, It's covered. 238 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 1: There's there's no like refuse one refusing to even acknowledge 239 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 1: the fact that the Mutual Aid Network has been and 240 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 1: continues to do the vast majority of the welcoming of 241 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: the folks that are arriving. And two once again refusing 242 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: to acknowledge that there is any role that DC could 243 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: be or should be playing here. Yeah, and it definite. 244 00:16:24,720 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: It seems like I don't know. I mean, it's it's 245 00:16:28,720 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: a kind of classic like State two steps, which was 246 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: like yeah, on the one hand, it's like, okay, there's 247 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 1: no problem. The second thing is we found an NGO 248 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: we can sort of like pretend is doing the actual work. 249 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: UM And I guess one of your things that that 250 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: I saw from y'all recently was a bunch of people 251 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 1: got exposed to COVID while doing this and there was like, basically, 252 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: you guys did basically a work stoppage. So last week, UM, 253 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: we basically hit a ball. UM. Many of our core 254 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 1: organizers had been exposed to COVID. UM, we were running 255 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:17,639 Speaker 1: out of funds because this work is expensive, UM, and 256 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,320 Speaker 1: we had been doing this as volunteers around the clock, 257 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: you know, twenty four hours a day, sevent days a 258 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: week for months, and last week we kind of hit 259 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: a wall. And UM told this NGO that is receiving 260 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: female funding that UM, we needed to take a beat, 261 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: UM and take two days where you know, folks kid 262 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: get COVID tested and make sure they were in the 263 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: clear to come back to work and rest and also 264 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: spend time like we you know, call it a work stoppage. 265 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 1: But we were all too working. We were all you know, 266 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,359 Speaker 1: having conversations as to how we make this work more sustainable, 267 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 1: how we find you know, systems of support to to 268 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:17,959 Speaker 1: make this this welcome last And unfortunately that resulted in 269 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: people basically getting stranded at Union station. UM. And when 270 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 1: our folks were able to return to welcoming buses on um. 271 00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: You know. Later in the week they ended up with 272 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: like I don't know, thirty additional people that had basically 273 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:43,560 Speaker 1: been sleeping at Union Station because this other NGO that 274 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,159 Speaker 1: you know is receiving federal funding to do the work 275 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: that the mayor is saying has it and therefore she 276 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 1: doesn't have to do anything didn't show up and and 277 00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:59,399 Speaker 1: there were a handful of good Samaritans that like you know, 278 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: would be at Union Station and see a bunch of 279 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 1: folks and they you know, spoke different languages and would 280 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: be able to support them kind of here and there. 281 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: But it really showed how um. I think it really 282 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: proved the work that the futual Aid Network had been 283 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: holding and that you know, if we tried to take 284 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:24,240 Speaker 1: a step back, things things fall um and really showed 285 00:19:24,320 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: how much we need others to step in because the 286 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: work that we've been holding has is has been you know, 287 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:40,800 Speaker 1: wearing us down and hiding the situation a little bit 288 00:19:40,920 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: right that people don't people, you know, when we're able 289 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: to really show up and and provide the folks that 290 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,919 Speaker 1: are arriving with the support that they need. What it 291 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 1: means is that the government isn't paying attention because it's 292 00:19:57,760 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 1: it's not their problem. In that moment um, it means 293 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 1: that DC residents don't have to walk by asylum seekers 294 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:09,520 Speaker 1: when they're trying to get to the metro after work. 295 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: It means that, um, you know, the people are cared 296 00:20:17,320 --> 00:20:19,640 Speaker 1: for and and that's great, and it's work that we're 297 00:20:19,680 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 1: proud of it. It's work that we're doing well. Um, 298 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:28,680 Speaker 1: But it's also work that we need support doing, um 299 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: because it's it's a lot and the numbers have increased, 300 00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:38,879 Speaker 1: you know, and and we want to be able to 301 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:43,399 Speaker 1: provide welcome. We want to be able to give the 302 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 1: folks what they need. But as long as we're sort 303 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 1: of living in this world where bus tickets are massively 304 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:56,640 Speaker 1: expensive and food is expensive and you know, we gotta 305 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:01,040 Speaker 1: we gotta help clothes people and and help people meet 306 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 1: their needs, then then we have to have support. And 307 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 1: that's just that's just the reality. Yeah, That's one of 308 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 1: the things that is really frustrating about this too, is 309 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: it's like it's not like the resources that you just 310 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: don't exist, Like it's not it's not even like the 311 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:16,760 Speaker 1: state hasn't like attempted to put resources out, but it 312 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,000 Speaker 1: just got fed into this NGO complex people who are 313 00:21:19,040 --> 00:21:25,920 Speaker 1: just doing nothing. And I don't know, like the the 314 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 1: the way you get to see sort of both arms 315 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 1: of what the state does, or it's like, okay, on 316 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: the one hand, you have the part of the state 317 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 1: that's just hitting people with clubs, that's just doing this stuff, 318 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 1: and you get the sort of political army of the 319 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,959 Speaker 1: state who just like again, are just literally shuffling people's 320 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: lives around as as you know, as political theater, and 321 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,200 Speaker 1: the political theory doesn't matter because these people's lives don't 322 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 1: matter to the state or to anyone who has even 323 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,000 Speaker 1: a tiny bit of power unless you know they're it's 324 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: visible enough that people are like the people have to 325 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 1: see it, and that people, you know, get annoyed because oh, hey, 326 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,000 Speaker 1: look at this thing happening. That's like interfering with my 327 00:22:00,119 --> 00:22:02,959 Speaker 1: life now, and you know, and then it's like, oh, hey, 328 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: they're supposed to be part of the state that like 329 00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 1: tastes care of people just isn't and that's just incredibly frustrating. 330 00:22:09,840 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's I think of a few things. 331 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: So when we first started seeing buses coming to d 332 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 1: c Um, you know that people are dropped off in 333 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 1: front of Union Station and at the time, there was 334 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,600 Speaker 1: an encampment of an housed people um that you know, 335 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: had their tents and stuff in front of Union Station. 336 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,359 Speaker 1: And so folks would get off the bus and say, 337 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 1: you know what are the tents? Like who are these 338 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 1: people living in tents? And so be like, welcome, welcome 339 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: to the nation's capital of this place that you just 340 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 1: came to seek opportunity, to seek safety. And you're immediately 341 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: showing getting showed in in the most you know, visible 342 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: terms possible of a way that the state is failing 343 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:06,359 Speaker 1: its own people because people in d C don't have 344 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: housing um, and housing here is immensely expensive. And then um, 345 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 1: I say in the early days because uh in I 346 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 1: think it was in May uh that encampment was cleared 347 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: um and so those people lost their homes um. And 348 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: now it continues to be a struggle that you know, 349 00:23:34,160 --> 00:23:37,800 Speaker 1: if we are unable to provide housing for the people 350 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:41,080 Speaker 1: that get off the bus, they are going into the 351 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:45,760 Speaker 1: DC shelter system that is already overrun because there is 352 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:51,479 Speaker 1: a housing crisis and DC and aluming eviction crisis, and 353 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: even for the folks that are arriving here, on the buses. 354 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: If they don't have support, they're they're thrust into this 355 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 1: situation in which the state is preventing them from working. 356 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: They don't have a way to work legally for at 357 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:19,800 Speaker 1: least a few months, um, presumably until you know, they 358 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 1: can apply for a work permit, presumably after they file 359 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:26,960 Speaker 1: for asylum. But these are folks that don't have a 360 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 1: way to work legally, that are have that have zero 361 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 1: support from the state. So how like, tell me how 362 00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:44,359 Speaker 1: somebody is supposed to live in the United States, feed themselves, 363 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,680 Speaker 1: feed them their feed their families, um, have a roof 364 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:54,400 Speaker 1: over their head, survive, have a cell phone for your 365 00:24:54,800 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 1: surveillance app have the means to travel an hour, you know, 366 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: once every few weeks to check in with ICE. If 367 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:15,479 Speaker 1: they're legally prevented from working. It's just it's a total 368 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:27,880 Speaker 1: abandonment of people who need and wholeheartedly deserve support. Yeah, 369 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 1: and I think like it's it's honestly, like honestly think 370 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,320 Speaker 1: it's it's worse than abandoned, right Like if they just like, 371 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: if these people were allowed to come into the US 372 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,840 Speaker 1: and the state did literally nothing at all, it would 373 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:39,600 Speaker 1: be better in the situation that exists now, Like it's 374 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 1: not even just that they're being abandoned, is that they're 375 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,919 Speaker 1: actively being prevented from like doing the things they need 376 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: to live. And it's I don't know, I think this 377 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:49,439 Speaker 1: is something you see on a sort of broader level, right, 378 00:25:49,440 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 1: whether there's a lot of I don't know, Back when 379 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 1: I was in sort of social theory land, there's a 380 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 1: lot of talk about like necropolitics and the state letting 381 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 1: people die, and it's like, well, yeah, but like they're 382 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 1: also actively helping to kill them too, like that that's 383 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: like it's not just that the state abandoned people. It's 384 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:05,560 Speaker 1: that the state abandoned people and then it it takes 385 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: the resources and prevents anyone else from using them, and 386 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 1: then you know, and when it when it does sort 387 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: of yeah, I mean going back to sort of this 388 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 1: NHO that's not doing anything, it's like, yeah, when it 389 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 1: when it does sort of send these resources out, it's 390 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,919 Speaker 1: sending them into these like into its own sort of 391 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: Paris state complex with the sort of geo sector that's 392 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 1: just not doing anything, And it's just I don't know, 393 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,560 Speaker 1: like it's it's this bind, right, because it's like, yeah, 394 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: like on the one hand, like communities have to be 395 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 1: able to support each other, but it's like we don't 396 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: have the resources for it, and that has to come 397 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 1: from somewhere, right, Yeah, it's impossible, and it's it's heartbreaking 398 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 1: to see when DC is barely doing anything for the 399 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: people that have been living here for generations, and then 400 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:59,680 Speaker 1: when we have new folks arrive, they're thrust into this 401 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: impossible situation and no one's really willing to engage with 402 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:13,959 Speaker 1: that problem. Um, and there are resources, it's just a 403 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:18,680 Speaker 1: matter of whether you want to use them for these purposes. 404 00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:23,880 Speaker 1: And this is a problem that we're seeing intimately here 405 00:27:23,880 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: in d C, but it's a problem that's existing everywhere 406 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:30,159 Speaker 1: around the country. And DC is supposed to be a 407 00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 1: sanctuary city, Like this isn't This isn't d C with 408 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: a mayor that's, you know, politically aligned with Governor Abbott. 409 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:42,760 Speaker 1: This isn't a d C with a mayor who is 410 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: attempting to be vehemently anti immigrant. It's a mayor who 411 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 1: is claiming to represent a sanctuary city, a city that 412 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: is supposed to welcome immigrants, and yet m saying welcome 413 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:12,240 Speaker 1: doesn't actually mean welcome. Yeah, I remember, like I'm in Chicago, 414 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 1: and you know Chicago's also sanctuary city and I I 415 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,080 Speaker 1: you know, we had to physically stop deportation flights with 416 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: our bodies. Like what the this like haunting memory always 417 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 1: remembers like the first big like anti ice like anti 418 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: quids in cages protests that we had one of the 419 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:28,880 Speaker 1: groups that showed up to this thing like what it's 420 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,000 Speaker 1: called Heartland Alliance and then you know they describe itself 421 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,200 Speaker 1: as like this human rights, an anti poverty organization and 422 00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 1: they were literally running five child attention centers in Chicago 423 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:40,719 Speaker 1: and it was like, I don't know, the doesn't mean 424 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: that that was like this the sort of like the 425 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:48,520 Speaker 1: it's it's it's the rubber hitting the road of saying 426 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:50,239 Speaker 1: you're a sanctuary city and what does it look like. 427 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: It's like, well, it means that your microjestice organizations like 428 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: run child prisons for immigrants. It's a refusal to engage 429 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: with reality a little bit. And you know the NGO 430 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: SAMO that is receiving female funding to presumably abandoned people. 431 00:29:08,520 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: Union Station is also you know, if things go their way, 432 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:19,880 Speaker 1: trying to open up a facility and DC too, you know, 433 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: detain an accompanied children and that's welcome to things. Racity, 434 00:29:34,080 --> 00:29:38,040 Speaker 1: it's probably worth meshtioning. It's like, you know, Spain another 435 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 1: country that has just like people getting like people. So 436 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:46,160 Speaker 1: Spain like has a part of North Africa they control, 437 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 1: and you know they're like people like people get shot 438 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,120 Speaker 1: at the border by soldiers trying to like trying to 439 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: climb fences getting in, and you know, it's it's it's 440 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:57,680 Speaker 1: this fun thing where we're seeing like, I mean, this 441 00:29:57,720 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: is this what's been happening for the last I mean 442 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: really like forever, like least five hundred years has been this. 443 00:30:04,560 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 1: But this the sort of this, this incredible racist border 444 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: system is not just an American thing. It's in Europe, 445 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:14,240 Speaker 1: it's in it's been exported like into Mexico itself. It's 446 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,880 Speaker 1: been I don't know, it's it's it's it's it's it's 447 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:20,280 Speaker 1: a politics that's just sort of everywhere and like frontexs 448 00:30:20,280 --> 00:30:22,640 Speaker 1: and THEU does this stuff like it's it's all just 449 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:28,760 Speaker 1: I don't know, it's borders are racist and they kill 450 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 1: people and they kill people and it feels I don't 451 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:37,280 Speaker 1: actually think we have to go to it's it's I 452 00:30:37,280 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: think it's helpful to make those analogies of how this 453 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 1: is replicated across the world. But I also think that 454 00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:53,840 Speaker 1: you know, just a few weeks ago, there were over 455 00:30:54,000 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: fifty uh migrants that were found dead in the backup 456 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:07,240 Speaker 1: attractor trailer in San Antonio, including you know, young indigenous folks. 457 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: And we know that there have been thousands of thousands 458 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:18,959 Speaker 1: of Haitians removed under Title forty two um and Haitians 459 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:24,239 Speaker 1: that are drowning in the water trying to find a 460 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: way to come to the United States to seek safety. 461 00:31:28,320 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: People are literally dying trying to get here. And what 462 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:40,920 Speaker 1: the folks that are coming to d C in a 463 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:47,680 Speaker 1: way are the lucky ones because they're from countries like Venezuela. 464 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: They're from countries like Cuba where U. S Foreign policy 465 00:31:52,600 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: finds it beneficial to allow them to enter. Two publicly say, 466 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,720 Speaker 1: you know, these are the quote unquote right asylum seekers 467 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:10,640 Speaker 1: and they're able to be paroled into the country and 468 00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: still have to deal with all of this crap that 469 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: they're dealing with. But there's countless other black, brown, indigenous 470 00:32:25,040 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: folks that are arriving at the border and literally risking 471 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:33,240 Speaker 1: their lives and many losing their lives trying to get 472 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:37,200 Speaker 1: here because of these like racialized border systems that we 473 00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: have and that we're exporting all throughout the America's like 474 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 1: go south to Mexico to Tapatula and you basically have 475 00:32:45,360 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: an open air prison of black asylum seekers. Yeah, I 476 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,960 Speaker 1: mean this is something that like like my my the 477 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: reason my family's here is because we were able to 478 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:58,080 Speaker 1: like my grandpa got drafted into the Taiwanese army and 479 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,800 Speaker 1: he was like no, and because we were Taiwanese, we 480 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: were able to get to the US. But it's like, 481 00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:04,880 Speaker 1: you know, lots and lots of people like you know, 482 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:06,600 Speaker 1: if you if you were from South Vietnam, sometime to 483 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 1: let you and if they if you were from Taiwan, 484 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,280 Speaker 1: they will let you in. But like God help you 485 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 1: if you're from like Indonesia or just like from I mean, 486 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: so sometimes you get people from China. But it's like, yeah, 487 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: the I don't know the way that just all of 488 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:25,160 Speaker 1: these people's lives are being used at geopolitical tools. They're 489 00:33:25,160 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 1: being used and then you know, once they get here, 490 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:30,400 Speaker 1: they're being used as just sort of internal American political tools. 491 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 1: And yeah, it's just as a lot of people getting 492 00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: killed with the borders and until we fucking make borders 493 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,680 Speaker 1: go away. Like the stuff is just going to keep happening, 494 00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: and people are getting boarded onto buses and sent to 495 00:33:42,160 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 1: d C because Governor Abbott thinks this is the way 496 00:33:44,960 --> 00:33:49,920 Speaker 1: that he can run for president by being the most racist, 497 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,720 Speaker 1: xenophobic guy in town. Maybe maybe, and and these folks 498 00:33:54,720 --> 00:34:04,320 Speaker 1: are just political tools, and um, it's it's devastating, um, 499 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:12,719 Speaker 1: and it's it's really also kind of amazing to be 500 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,560 Speaker 1: able to then also just like hang out with them 501 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:19,759 Speaker 1: and break bread with them and and realize that we're 502 00:34:19,800 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 1: all sort of fighting this this mess together. Yeah, And 503 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,719 Speaker 1: I think I don't know, like we we do. We 504 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:33,880 Speaker 1: do a lot of episodes here that are incredibly depressing, 505 00:34:34,200 --> 00:34:37,520 Speaker 1: But yeah, like I guess, yeah, it isn't I guess 506 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,239 Speaker 1: important as a as a thing to sort of end on, 507 00:34:39,320 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: is it? Like yeah, I know, like we like we 508 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: can take care of these people, like we can if 509 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,200 Speaker 1: we actually fight this together, we can beat these guys, 510 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:54,320 Speaker 1: like we I don't know, like it is actually possible, 511 00:34:54,320 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 1: like these these all of the things that we're talking about, 512 00:34:56,840 --> 00:34:58,839 Speaker 1: Like the stuff didn't used to exist. It's not it's 513 00:34:58,880 --> 00:35:01,000 Speaker 1: not something that inherently has to exist. And we can 514 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:08,360 Speaker 1: make it not exist again. I think the the response 515 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 1: that we've had in DC has been are really like, 516 00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:16,839 Speaker 1: I can't say it enough how beautiful it is that 517 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:23,520 Speaker 1: we have a group of like over two volunteers that 518 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 1: have stepped up, UM and we've been able to raise 519 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:30,319 Speaker 1: a remarkable amount of money. And we've had like, you know, 520 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:37,800 Speaker 1: little kids sell cookies to support our efforts and UM, 521 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:43,920 Speaker 1: it's it's really heartwarming, UM and people using their neighborhood 522 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,360 Speaker 1: listeners to you know, get donations of car seats to 523 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: be able to you know, make sure that when we're 524 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:53,880 Speaker 1: you know, helping families, we can make sure that like 525 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:56,440 Speaker 1: the little kiddos are able to travel in car seats 526 00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: safely and all of that. And we've been able to 527 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:02,480 Speaker 1: and we're doing more of this of like building relationships 528 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 1: with folks around the country that are doing similar work. 529 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:08,920 Speaker 1: Or you know, if someone is taking a bus to 530 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:12,840 Speaker 1: New York and it you know breaks down in Philly, 531 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: we're able to mobilize other volunteers and Philly to just 532 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:18,480 Speaker 1: like make sure that folks are like fine and okay 533 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:21,640 Speaker 1: and like get on their next bus. And that is 534 00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:25,799 Speaker 1: amazing and beautiful and to me, I think the thing 535 00:36:25,880 --> 00:36:29,080 Speaker 1: that makes me optimistic and like mad at the same 536 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:33,959 Speaker 1: time is that there are both at the federal level 537 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,520 Speaker 1: and local levels, just billions and billions and billions of 538 00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: dollars that are being invested into into solutions that are 539 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:56,759 Speaker 1: based on like detention, surveillance, border militarization. When God like, 540 00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,920 Speaker 1: if instead we just devoted those billions, billions and billions 541 00:37:00,920 --> 00:37:04,080 Speaker 1: of dollars into making sure that like when folks arrive 542 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:08,840 Speaker 1: here they can have like a comfy bed to to 543 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: to like lay in at night and have food and 544 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:16,400 Speaker 1: be able to like support their families. I mean, it 545 00:37:18,520 --> 00:37:21,399 Speaker 1: kind of sounds revolutionary, but but it's just like it's 546 00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:25,360 Speaker 1: so simple, um, and there is such a concerted effort 547 00:37:25,400 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: to do the opposite of the most basic Hey, welcome 548 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:35,200 Speaker 1: to my town. How can I welcome you? There was 549 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 1: if I remembering my like immigration history right there, they 550 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:44,239 Speaker 1: used they had this program in the UK where for 551 00:37:44,280 --> 00:37:46,440 Speaker 1: a while where they would bring, okay you, you'd have 552 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,160 Speaker 1: a family they're coming to the US and they get 553 00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:50,040 Speaker 1: paired with their British family, and the British family would 554 00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:51,920 Speaker 1: like show them the ropes and it worked really well. 555 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:53,839 Speaker 1: Everyone loved it and they stopped doing it because they 556 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 1: once they brought people in like that, they couldn't deport 557 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: them because the entire community would show up and just 558 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 1: be like no, And so they up doing it. And 559 00:38:01,040 --> 00:38:03,799 Speaker 1: it's like that's a problem, Like that's the problem that 560 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 1: like people are then welcomed and loved by their communities, 561 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:09,719 Speaker 1: Like that shouldn't be a problem that we have to solve. 562 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:13,160 Speaker 1: That should be like, oh, this is a resounding success. Yeah, 563 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:16,520 Speaker 1: And instead it's like it's like actually living in a 564 00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,080 Speaker 1: better world, actually having a community where people care for 565 00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:20,799 Speaker 1: each other and where people take care of each other 566 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:22,719 Speaker 1: and where people love each other or people will fight 567 00:38:22,760 --> 00:38:24,680 Speaker 1: for each other, like that is something that the state 568 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:30,000 Speaker 1: sees as a threat. And I don't know, I guess 569 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:32,239 Speaker 1: it's it's it's it's this, it's this weird thing where 570 00:38:32,280 --> 00:38:36,440 Speaker 1: it's like, you know, we like the better world we 571 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:40,520 Speaker 1: could be living in, like is is literally being built 572 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:42,520 Speaker 1: right Like you know, you can, you can you can 573 00:38:42,560 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 1: walk down the street and you can see people taking 574 00:38:44,280 --> 00:38:46,880 Speaker 1: care of each other. And then it's like here is 575 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,040 Speaker 1: the state, who's the only thing that they want to 576 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:55,880 Speaker 1: do is just make everyone's lives increasingly miserable. It's yeah, 577 00:38:56,040 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 1: like is it? Is it? That's hard to just say. Hey, Like, 578 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:05,840 Speaker 1: folks want to be able to just like live. That's it. 579 00:39:06,040 --> 00:39:07,759 Speaker 1: That's all they want to be able to do is 580 00:39:07,800 --> 00:39:12,320 Speaker 1: just like live. They want to be able to work, 581 00:39:12,520 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 1: they want to be able to support their family, they 582 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:17,960 Speaker 1: want to be able to be safe, they want to 583 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,880 Speaker 1: be able to like eat good food and have fun. 584 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:26,920 Speaker 1: And the state is doing everything but allowing that to 585 00:39:27,000 --> 00:39:33,000 Speaker 1: be and are like mutual aid work is helping folks 586 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:38,799 Speaker 1: navigate and do as much of that as possible. Yeah, 587 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:40,400 Speaker 1: I think I think that's a good note to end on, 588 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,400 Speaker 1: unless you have anything else, I don't think so cool. 589 00:39:44,520 --> 00:39:47,000 Speaker 1: Um okay, so where where can people go to find 590 00:39:47,040 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 1: and support this work? And where can they go to 591 00:39:48,719 --> 00:39:51,560 Speaker 1: like give money if they want to or actually help 592 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:54,840 Speaker 1: volunteer too if you're in the area. Yeah, so, um, 593 00:39:54,920 --> 00:40:01,080 Speaker 1: we have a link tree that has all of the 594 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:03,440 Speaker 1: links to support us in all the ways. So if 595 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:07,239 Speaker 1: you're here in d C and you want to be 596 00:40:07,320 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: able to support or if you want to donate, Um, 597 00:40:11,280 --> 00:40:15,239 Speaker 1: we have really cool t shirts that we sell that 598 00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:20,560 Speaker 1: say melt Ice that are designed by one of our volunteers. Um. 599 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:24,640 Speaker 1: And so it's the link tree is uh like the 600 00:40:24,719 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 1: link tree h slash d C t X Solidarity twenty 601 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:33,560 Speaker 1: two and if you follow that link, you will be 602 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 1: able to um see all about our work. Um, you know, 603 00:40:39,239 --> 00:40:42,480 Speaker 1: get the demands that we have for Mayor Bowser, support 604 00:40:42,560 --> 00:40:46,200 Speaker 1: us in person, financially, whatever it is. All of that 605 00:40:46,239 --> 00:40:48,600 Speaker 1: lives there. And yeah, we will. We will put the 606 00:40:48,600 --> 00:40:51,160 Speaker 1: link in the description. So cool, that'd be great. I'll 607 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:54,680 Speaker 1: make sure you have it. Yeah, thank you, um and yeah, 608 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 1: thank you, thank you so much for joining us, thank 609 00:40:57,000 --> 00:40:59,799 Speaker 1: you for having me. Yeah, and this is be nicked 610 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:02,560 Speaker 1: app here. Go help your neighbors and go make the 611 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:04,799 Speaker 1: state not be able to prevent you from doing that. 612 00:41:09,960 --> 00:41:12,320 Speaker 1: It could happen here as a production of cool Zone Media. 613 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:15,240 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 614 00:41:15,239 --> 00:41:17,360 Speaker 1: cool zone media dot com, or check us out on 615 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:19,960 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 616 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:22,799 Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It could 617 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:25,799 Speaker 1: Happen here, updated monthly at cool zone Media dot com 618 00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:27,760 Speaker 1: slash sources. Thanks for listening.