NEW YORK, CMC – The New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) has launched a campaign against the imminent threats posed by a second Donald Trump presidency in the United States and his proposed Project 2025 agenda.
NYIC, an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, led a rally in Foley Square in lower Manhattan on Thursday night with member organizations, allies, and Caribbean and other immigrant New Yorkers in “standing up for immigrants.”
NYIC president and chief executive officer Murad Awawdeh told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that Project 2025 “seeks to create a nationwide deportation system that will have devastating consequences for many vulnerable communities.
“Donald Trump has explicitly threatened to deploy local law enforcement to deport all undocumented immigrants in the US – an estimated 11 million people – including around 4,500,000 people residing in New York,” Awawdeh said.
“These policies undermine the rights and dignity of immigrants but also aim to dismantle the principles of inclusion and justice that define our country. Mass deportations would cost New York City alone billions of dollars in economic activity, reducing the workforce by hundreds of thousands of people and destroying countless small businesses,” he warned.
On the campaign trail, Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, had constantly disparaged immigrants, particularly Haitians residing in Springfield, Ohio.
Trump had frequently falsely claimed, even during his only Presidential Debate with US Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of retired Jamaican economist Dr. Donald Harris, that Haitians were eating the dogs, cats, and other pets of their neighbors in Springfield. The mayor of Springfield and the governor of Ohio had repeatedly stated that there was no evidence to support Trump’s claim.
The US President-Elect also said that deporting immigrants will be his top priority on Day One when he assumes the presidency on Inauguration Day, on January 20, 2025.
“Trump’s victory won’t stop our movement from standing up to his racist and fascist agenda,” Awawdeh told the rally, adding, “New York would not be the same without the 4.5 million immigrants who have helped shape our culture and fueled our economy for generations.
“Donald Trump has demonized our communities and promised to tear our families apart starting on Day One, but we will not be intimidated. Trump has underestimated our strength before, and we will show him again that we are united and resilient.
“The work ahead will be challenging but united. We can ensure New York remains a beacon of hope for our immigrant neighbors and future generations. We will keep fighting for a future where every New Yorker can thrive.”
The staff attorney with the Haitian Bridge Alliance (HBA), Erik Crew, said it’s sad to think that the people of the United States elected a candidate who demonized immigrants and Black people in migration, who lied about Haitians in Springfield to inflame hatred and fear and incite intimidation and violence.
He said Trump promotes racist and xenophobic narratives, is willing to put an entire town in a state of emergency for weeks to score political points, has threatened to deport people in Springfield and across the country, and has said the Haitians in Springfield were not legal in his mind.
“But Haitian Bridge Alliance was made for this moment, and we are dedicated to protecting the communities we serve and fighting for human rights, using all the tools – humanitarian, legal, and social – that we have built over the last near-decade.
“We are committed to working together with every partnership we have, and to building more whenever possible, to protect our community and promote a just world – now, as much as ever (adding in Haitian creole ‘anpil men chay pa lou’).”
The HBA is a grassroots nonprofit community organization that advocates for fair and humane immigration policies and provides migrants and immigrants with humanitarian, legal, and social services, with a particular focus on Black people, the Haitian community, women and girls, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and survivors of torture and other human rights abuses.
New York State Assembly Member Michaelle C. Solages, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, who represents District 22 in Nassau County, Long Island, New York, said the outcomes of Tuesday’s US Presidential Elections “have instilled a wave of uncertainty in marginalized communities across New York, particularly within our Haitian community, who are grappling with the looming threat of deportation under the new administration.
“Despite these obstacles, we remain resolute in our dedication to safeguard our neighbors and strive toward a just and equitable immigration system,” said the fifth-term legislator.
“We won’t dwell on the challenges; instead, we will mobilize,” vowed Solages, the first person of Haitian descent elected to the New York State Legislature. She is the Assembly Deputy Majority Leader and chair of The New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus.
The Guyanese-born founder and executive director of the Caribbean Equality Project, Mohamed Q. Amin, said that while “the political landscape may shift, in these times of uncertainty and change, we at Caribbean Equality Project remain steadfast in our dedication to empowering Caribbean LGBTQ+ New Yorkers.
“Our journey, as LGBTQ+ individuals, is marked by stories of courage and resilience. We have faced challenges head-on, from advocating for our civil rights, immigration reform, and trans equity to navigating continued racism and the complexities of the COVID-19 crisis.
“Each obstacle has only served to fortify our resolve and deepen our commitment to one another. Our history is a testament to the power of community, solidarity, and unwavering hope. Our mission is to empower Afro- and Indo-Caribbean LGBTQ+ immigrants, asylum seekers, and vulnerable working-class people to lead healthy, successful lives. We stand ready to face any challenges that come our way with courage and conviction.”
New York City Council Member Alexa Avilés said, “Now is the time for our community to stand strong and fight to protect one another.
“As the chair for NYC Council’s Committee on Immigration, I know that every New Yorker has a role to play in protecting our city’s sanctuary status – policies that have kept our community members safe for decades,” said Avilés, describing herself as “a proud Boricua mom, Brooklynite, and democratic socialist dedicated to public service and ensuring all people have what they need to thrive.”
A Boricua mom is a Puerto Rican mother known for her strength, love, and resilience. “Boricua” is a slang term used to refer to a person of Puerto Rican descent or a native of Puerto Rico. The word derives from the Spanish name for Puerto Rico, Boricua, a variation of the Indigenous name Boriquén.
“I will not stand by and allow deportation policies proposed by an ultra-conservative administration to incite violence, economic disruption, or the devastation of our vibrant immigrant communities,” said Avilés, who also serves on the City Council’s Taskforce to Combat Hate. “We must put an end to hateful rhetoric and protect our immigrant communities that make NYC whole.”
Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA), Manuel Castro, said, “New York City will continue to stand firmly by the values that have made it a thriving city of immigrants, where all residents—no matter their immigration status—should feel able to trust their local government and seek a better future for themselves and their families.
“We understand that our immigrant communities are facing heightened fear and uncertainty,” said Castro, who, at the age of five, crossed the southern border of the United States with his mother and grew up undocumented in Sunset Park and Flatbush, Brooklyn, home to some of the largest immigrant communities in New York City, including Caribbean immigrants.
“They must know that New York City is fully committed to following our Sanctuary City laws,” added Castro, who was part of the early generation of undocumented youth activists known as DREAMers, fighting for the right to an education and legal status.
New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams said the city “and the people who call it home are resilient, and we will always remain steadfast in our commitment to the values that shape our communities.
“We remain prepared to protect New Yorkers from any anti-democratic and unconstitutional attacks that threaten the people of our diverse city. New York City is home to affluent immigrant communities who have built our town and powered its economy, and we will continue to be a beacon for them.
“Our city has consistently persevered in adversity, including a previous Trump presidency. Standing together is how we emerge stronger, safeguarding our neighbors, rights, and shared values,” Adams added.
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