Meeting Summary for Feb. 19th, 2025
Feb 19, 2025, 12:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada). Mr. Dash is not a lawyer, and his presentation should not be considered legal advice. Additionally, his presentation is intended for the League of Women Voters and those in attendance at the Zoom meeting and should not be distributed to the media.
Quick recap
The meeting, hosted by the Williamson County League of Women Voters, featured Pratik Dash from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, discussing challenges faced by immigrant communities and strategies to increase voter engagement. Dash highlighted the importance of knowing one's rights regarding immigration enforcement and provided resources for families facing potential deportation. The conversation ended with a Q&A session addressing various concerns about immigrant rights and upcoming legislative changes, followed by announcements for future events.
Summary
TIRRC's Strategies for Immigrant Civic Engagement
Cynthia Mercante, the president of the Williamson County League of Women Voters, welcomed attendees to the monthly program. She introduced Nancy Garrett, who then introduced Pratik Dash, the political director at the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). Pratik discussed TIRRC's mission, the importance of voter turnout, and the organization's efforts to increase voter engagement among immigrant communities. He highlighted the challenges faced by immigrant communities, such as fear, lack of understanding of the voting process, and language barriers. Pratik also shared TIRRC's strategies for overcoming these challenges, including constant communication, community education, and making the voting process more accessible. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of tying civic engagement to an issue and using stories to motivate voters.
Immigration Challenges in Tennessee Discussed
Pratik discussed the challenges faced by immigrant communities in the US, particularly in Tennessee. He highlighted the threat to temporary protective services (TPS) for individuals from countries like Haiti and Nicaragua, the expansion of detention and deportations, and the slashing of legal immigration. Pratik also mentioned the rescinding of the safe zones memo, which allows ICE to enter hospitals, churches, and schools. On a state level, he noted the passing of an immigration enforcement office bill and a law that differentiates driver's licenses for non-citizens. Pratik expressed concern about the lack of training for local law enforcement officers in immigration matters and the potential economic impact of these policies on the community. He also mentioned the introduction of the proposed bill in the regular session, which challenges the constitutional right to public education for undocumented students.
ICE Visits, Rights, and Support
Pratik discussed the importance of knowing one's rights, particularly in relation to ICE visits. He emphasized that immigration is a civil matter, not a criminal offense, and that individuals should not open their doors to ICE without proper identification. Pratik also highlighted the difference between administrative and judicial warrants, stating that ICE often uses administrative warrants to gain entry. He encouraged attendees to call their legislators in support of welcoming immigrants and to sign up for their action alerts. Pratik also shared resources for preparing families in case of deportation and encouraged donations to their organization. He concluded by opening the floor for questions.
Urban Voter Turnout and Immigration
Nancy led a discussion with Pratik about the reasons behind lower voter turnout in urban areas, particularly in Tennessee. Pratik suggested that voter fatigue and a sense of apathy due to the perception of lack of change might be contributing factors. He also mentioned that voter turnout might be increasing in lower races. The conversation then shifted to questions about legal refugees and immigrants, with Pratik advising them to carry photos of their documents on their phones and only show them if asked. He also addressed questions about proposed legislation, the impact on legal residents and immigrant citizens, and the possibility of ICE rounding up undocumented immigrants at poultry processing facilities. Pratik ended the conversation by emphasizing the importance of planting seeds for change, even if immediate results are not seen.
Community Support and Debate Plans
Pratik expressed his enthusiasm for being part of a community that constantly plants seeds, even in challenging environments. He thanked everyone for their support and empathy. Nancy echoed Pratik's sentiments, appreciating his time and expertise. Cynthia then introduced the next meeting topic, a debate between award-winning debaters from MTSU and the Irish National Debate Championship.
Next steps
Pratik will email all resources and information discussed to Nancy or Peg by Monday morning.
He suggested that league members consider attending the March 5th "day on the hill" event where immigrant youth will meet with legislators.
League members should also save the TIRRC resource line number (615-414-1030) for immigrant assistance.
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