Dear SONG Famlily,
This past week the North Carolina legislature passed HB318. This anti-immigrant bill attacks wins progressive and immigrant communities have fought for over the past decade. Wins that have worked to create hope for towns and cities where immigrants and families of immigrants can live free from fear of deportation and harassment of the police.
What does HB318 Do?
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It dismantles the authority and autonomy of locally elected officials to run their towns and cities as “Sanctuary Zones” free of hyper-enforcement of often unconstitutional laws that criminalize immigrants for carrying out day to day activities like driving and working.
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It limits the forms of identification that immigrant and undocumented communities can show to government officials, police, and sheriffs, and it has the potential to criminalize anyone without a state-issued ID.
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It solidifies and strengthens the role of sheriffs and police as ambassadors of harm instead of stewards of public safety.
While the devil is in the details, arguing over every tenant of HB318 doesn’t get to the meat of the matter: North Carolina politicians are manufacturing a state of fear.
At SONG, we continue to build projects and campaigns in North Carolina and throughout the region fighting for our dignity as Black, immigrant, and LGBTQ communities. The fight continues in many forms to live our lives free from fear.
What can you do to help build a North Carolina free from fear?
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Call or tweet North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and tell him to veto HB318
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@PatMcCroryNC
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Email takeaction@
southernersonnewground.org to get involved in SONG’s Free From Fear campaign in Durham -
Join our regional queering immigration membership call next Friday, October 9th at 6 PM to discuss the current moment and to strategize on how we can take action together. Click here to RSVP for the call.
