LYNN — Community members and leaders took to the streets on Tuesday to protest for the rights of immigrants in the United States. The march started at Lynn District Court and went to City Hall.
New Lynn Coalition was a part of organizing the rally in response to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) being within the city.
New Lynn Coalition’s mission is to organize all sectors of working-class people in the region into a unified, permanent, political, and economic force that is union and non-union and transcends racial, linguistic, ethnic, citizenship, faith, and gender boundaries, according to its website.
“We believe that we don’t need ICE in Lynn,” Executive Director Tanveer Malik said. “We need affordable housing. We need equal opportunities in jobs. We need quality education. The people here are scared. They are not sending their kids to school. They are not even going grocery shopping.”
Malik continued that they were there to send the message that those in fear are not alone.
“We are gathering in solidarity, and we don’t want people who are not criminals and people who didn’t do anything to be picked up [by ICE],” Malik said. He heavily referenced the Lynn teen who was recently released by ICE.
Brian Ramos, a fellow protestor and a part of Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N), spoke out against the hatred that is currently going on across the United States.
“We’re here today in protest of our safety and to send a message that we’re not bad people. We’re just people who came here to find a better future. I don’t think that finding a better future is something that should have to be earned. It’s a basic human right,” he said.
Ramos explained that he was from El Salvador and that life there consisted of a lot of hardships, including gang violence and the death of many people.
“There are people who come to this country to seek asylum and a better life. There’s people who think that we’re criminals,” he said.
Fellow N2N member Dania De La Cruz said that she believes the biggest issue is the phrasing and learning of the subject.
“We’re so active in speaking out of hatred and with language that is very harmful. We see fear in our community, and that’s something we’re trying to fight against,” she said.
She continued that they hoped to inform the community and empower them. “We want to ensure them they have rights and they have the ability to speak up for themselves. That’s what is important to me,” De La Cruz said.
She explained that both of her parents were immigrants from Guatemala and that it was painful to see them spoken about as criminals. “I know and I’ve seen firsthand their sacrifice and the work that they’ve put into this country. This march is really about equality and searching for peace,” she said.
Jeff Crosby, a founder of New Lynn Coalition, was a leader at the rally, speaking to the crowd and letting them know why this rally was so important.
“We’re gathered today to hold our community together, all of our communities. We have a president who promised to deport serious criminals. Of course, no one wants violent criminals on the street. We understand the impact of crime in our cities more than anyone,” Crosby said.
Crosby also referenced the arrest of the 18-year-old girl saying, “What does that [criminals] have to do with taking an 18-year-old girl who had an argument over a cell phone with her 12-year-old brother and sticking her in a jail cell for four days.”
He continued to say that Trump was born a millionaire living his life in a New York penthouse and that he himself was a convicted felon.
“Many of our children are afraid to go to school. Many of our neighbors are afraid to go to work or even to their place of worship. We need to put an end to this. Welcome to our fight to defend our country. Welcome to our fight to defend democracy,” he said.
City Councilor Coco Alinsug also spoke at the rally in solidarity with all of those marching.
“We are welcoming immigrants from all over the globe into our community. For well over a century, immigrant families have resided in Lynn, worked hard, raised families and contributed to the very fabric of our neighborhoods, from the Brickyard, Pine Hill area, Highlands, and the Diamond District,” he said.
Alinsug continued that Lynn has and always will be a city that values inclusion, fairness and opportunity for all.
“We as elected members of Lynn City Council pray for peace and a sense of safety and security during these unsettling times,” he said. “We urge refugees and immigrants living in the greater Lynn area to be fully aware of their rights. As elected officials, we will continue to strive to ensure that Lynn remains a city that continues to value the dignity of all residents.”
