Video: Manchester Immigration Action and Candidate Forum

Immigration activists stand in solidarity with Sugrat and his family.

I traveled to Manchester twice today. The first was to attend the immigration check-in for an immigrant from South Sudan. He came with his family, including his third-grade son. Our government says that he is in this country illegally. They gave him until November 18 to leave the country. He asked, “Where do you want me to go? I have no country to go home to.”

Standing outside the Norris Cotton Federal Building, we sang songs and prayed. When ICE heard sixty of us peacefully assembled and singing as loudly as we could, they turned on artificial bird noises in an attempt to drown us out.

In fact, their lawyer said that the deferred deportation order was probably the result of the people assembled outside the building. If we hadn’t been there, they may have moved to deport him immediately.

Later that evening, I returned to Manchester to attend a candidate forum. I knew I wouldn’t be able to get through the forum without testifying to what I saw in Manchester that morning. Not only did I witness how fundamentally broken and inhumane our immigration system has become, I also witnessed how people of conscience and faith—whether it’s faith in democracy, faith in our country, faith in each other, or faith in their God—came together to stand in solidarity and love and courage with their neighbors. Here is what I said:

It was a lively forum, with strong voices on stage and in the crowd. I tried to answer every question honestly, thoughtfully, and directly. People deserve to know what their candidates and public officials think. They deserve better than rehearsed responses and talking points. They deserve the truth, and they deserve politicians who can and will have the tough conversations and stay in it even when we disagree. I hope I did that tonight. Here are my closing remarks: