Thursday, June 19, 2025

Mass deportations are not the answer

 In 2024, the U.S. deported approximately 142,00 people, an increase over previous years. This year so far, according to the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse (tracreports.org), there have been 157,948 people removed from the U.S. under the Trump administration.  

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
Photo by Jason Leung on unsplash.com
While many in this country might applaud these deportations, others will deplore them on the grounds that they cause needless trauma, fear, anxiety and displacements. These mass deportations break up families, interrupt the lives of hardworking residents, disrupt businesses and send ripple effects of distrust through communities. 

The current disturbances in L.A. and San Francisco vividly demonstrate the harm these deportations are causing – negating individual dreams and destroying the normal rhythms of entire communities.

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. with an estimated 1.8 million in California.

Census data taken in 2023 shows that 41% of East Palo Alto residents were born outside of the U.S. So, East Palo Alto is particularly vulnerable with its large immigrant community, where families often pool resources and support each other.  Since 6.1 million children in the U.S. live with at least one undocumented immigrant, it’s easy to see how deporting a breadwinner can destabilize entire households.         

Yes, Trump did say that he would launch “the largest deportation program in American history,” and it seems that he is intent on keeping his promise.  Weren’t there initially promises to deport criminals and illegal gang members? The answer is yes. But, now, even those with green cards and those appearing for legitimate court cases are being swept up in immigration raids and deportations.     

Considering the negative effects that ICE raids are having on communities throughout this country and the traumatic aftereffects that result, many might rightly conclude that the mass deportations we are seeing need to be condemned not lauded. After all, they fall disproportionately on Black and Brown immigrants and communities, particularly people from Africa and the Caribbean. One has only to look at Trump’s proclamation on June 5, 2025, banning nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States to see those who are being targeted, detained and denied entry.

If mass deportation is not the answer, then what is the answer? There are three approaches that offer solutions. First, it is widely recognized that our immigration system is broken.

 What has seldom been mentioned, and certainly not much lately, is immigration reform. If the U.S. is to act fairly and enact and enforce just immigration policies, then it must reform the current immigration system, so that there are legal pathways for those who seek to enter this country. 

 Second, deportation should focus on those who commit crimes and pose a threat to public safety and not focus on parents, caregivers and longtime community members. Yet, even criminals deserve their day in court before being deported. So, with everyone, there are laws of “due process” that need to be respected.

 Third, countries need to work together to positively address the conditions that force people to seek asylum in this country. Foreign aid programs that address violence, poverty and climate displacement are one step in this direction.

 Surely, mass deportations only hurt not help and we need to find another way of dealing with this country’s immigrant communities. The future of East Palo Alto and of other communities, like it, depend on our finding and enacting solutions that are just and humane.

Monday, February 19, 2024

Reparations - An Idea Whose Time Has Come

 



The topic of reparations has become an issue for discussion in a number of cities, counties and states throughout the U. S. 

In fact, at least 10 states -- including California, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Tennessee – have cities which have established commissions to research the feasibility of adopting a reparations program.

Not only are Los Angeles and San Francisco included in this category, but the California State Legislature, itself, has a set of bills before it that resulted from the recommendations of a state appointed reparations task force. 

Given the momentum that this issue is having, it became the focus of my latest show with five guests who are advocating for the payment of reparations in California. 

See the show and hear the arguments that they give to justify the payment of reparations to Black Americans living in California. 

Certainly, reparations is an idea whose time has come! 

So, what do you think? Feel free to share your ideas below.

Monday, June 26, 2023

The Truth about the Model Minority Myth: Talking with Henrietta


Have you heard the term, Model Minority? Do you know to which group it refers? On this show, we discuss the term and the repercussions it brings with it. 

Make sure you see this show!

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Combating Racial Hatred and Violence:Talking with Henrietta

Combating Racial Hatred and Violence - 


Racial hatred and violence permeates our society. It always has existed in our society and it's time that, working together, we do everything thing that we can to end it! The time is now!

Friday, March 10, 2023

Stopping Anti-Asian Hate:Talking with Henrietta


https://youtu.be/IzK_EG6bkr8

The  East Palo Alto Center for Community Media (EPACCM), the 501c3 East Palo Alto nonprofit, which runs the East Palo Alto Today newspaper and supports the Talking with Henrietta television show, has launched a Stop the Hate Media Campaign.

The campaign is designed to address the surge in anti-Asian hatred and violence.  The grant that supports the campaign is funded by the State of California and administered by the California State Library. In the above video, we discuss some of the activities that we have incorporated into the EPACCM's media campaign.

Since the campaign is a public campaign, we would like to get your ideas as to what you think the campaign should cover. What would you like for us to incorporate into our campaign that will assist in reducing the incidents of violence committed against Asians and other communities of color. In other words, what elements and activities would you like to see in the campaign that you think would bring us together - regardless of our race, religion, cultural background, sexual orientation and all of the other individual characteristics we have that might serve to divide us.

Let me know what you would like to see in the East Palo Alto Center for Community Media's Stop the Hate Media Campaign. What you think is important. So, I look forward to hearing from you. 

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Assisting Distressed Small Landlords and Renters:Talking with Henrietta



There is a concerted attempt to get back to some of the things we did pre-COVID, before the shelter-in-place orders were made in the beginning of 2020. Now that many routines are being normalized, what is being done and can be done to repair some of the negative effects the pandemic brought to small landlords and many of those, who are renters who've faced eviction?

The participants on this edition of Talking with Henrietta address this question and others that involve landlords and tenants. You can see the show on Youtube above and also get more information about the show on the East Palo Alto Today website at www.epatoday.org/tv.html#landlordsandrenters