When the artist and activist throughout her life Susan Jekarl returned to Philadelphia last month, she was surprised by the faces she saw during anti-ice protests.
“I just want to be born and raise in Philly, we as people always get up and talk about others,” she said. “But this time I meet so many people who tell me that they have never protested before.”
Recent protests from the White House and his immigration policy have brought millions of Americans to the streets – some for the first time in rebellion – and occupies dozens of organizations and thousands of volunteers to enable this.
On Saturday, artists from all over the city gathered in West Philadelphia at Arts Nonfit Spiral q To produce dozens of works protesting against the actions of American immigration and customs enforcement and the current White House immigration policy. Soon they will be in the hands of protesters during the upcoming marches and appear in government buildings related to the enforcement of immigration law.
Philadelphia is a “welcome city”, which means that local government and police do not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. And although the deportations of undocumented immigrants are generally supported by Two -thirds of AmericansGallup study published on Friday showed that fears of immigration are decreasing, with Record 79% of Americans Considering “immigration is good for the country.”
Jasmine Rivera, executive director Immigration Coalition in Pennsylvania who organized the Saturday event said that Philadelphia – Z 15% of his population He was not born in the USA – it is better because of the various inhabitants.
“We see it sharply in Philadelphia, where we see our city, in some districts, lively by immigration. The 9th Street corridor, Castor Avenue, Chinatown,” said Rivera. “We see that it not only translates into economic revival, but also see that it translates into cultural vibration.”
The focal point of the workshop workshop was painting Monarch Butterfly cardboard cutouts, a generational symbol of immigration for decades, especially in the USA and Mexico, where Monarch Butterfly conducts annual migration from Mexico to Canada.
“Governor Shapiro, Protect Public Benefit Data Program before ICE” read a 6 -foot banner, painted with black font. Another reading: “they never rent a state institution for ice” – both in relation to ICE attempts to provide access to state data on citizens and immigrants AND Planned extension of detention facilities in the USA
Rivera said that these messages would become more vital because the efforts of immigration enforcement will boost after ICE received an unprecedented amount of financing through “a large, beautiful account of President Donald Trump.”
Governor Josh Shapiro criticized Trump throughout his second term, for example when he joined all democratic governors of the nation, condemning the apply of soldiers of the National Guard in California, California to the police and Quells protesters during the marches “No Kings” last month. But Shapiro employees claimed that Pennsylvania is not a “sanctuary state” and that state agencies cooperate with ICE.
Philadelphia mayor Cherrelle L. Parker maintained the ten -year policy of the city “Sanctuary City”, but Tammy Murphy with Make the path of pennsylvania He believes that the mayor and governor distance themselves from the topic.
“What we do here is also associated with the mayor of Parker and Shapiro governor, who both silent in this matter of immigration and deportation,” said Murphy. “Both have their power to do many things, but one of the main things they don’t do is just talk about it.”
