For Media Contact, further inquiries or interview requests, please contact:
Uchechukwu Onwa – uchechukwu@qdep.org
Dzana Ashworth – dzana.ashworth@gmail.com
New York, NY | Though 2020 has been a tumultuous year, the announcement of a change in the White House does bring some relief to many. The Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP) is hopeful that our communities will soon get a much-needed break from horrific treatment under the Trump Administration.
Even before taking office, Donald Trump vilified and spread false claims about certain groups of people seeking entrance to the United States. During his presidency, he has continued to abuse immigrant communities by empowering the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention activity, enacting numerous harmful travel bans in often racialized attempts to prevent entry into the United States, and intending to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Trump Administration’s narrow-minded nationalistic, racist outlook puts people in cages, separates families, and attempts to delay or deny asylum to many who are fleeing the effects of European colonialism and Western capitalism in their home countries. Trump’s policies have particularly endangered LGBTQ+ individuals, many of whom traveled to the USA to escape heavily homophobic cultures and governments abroad.
“President Trump spreads hate and appears as if he doesn’t believe that Black lives matter. Trump has never mentioned that Black lives matter nor has he denounced white supremacy publicly,” says QDEP member Shaphan, a Black, gay immigrant, who points out that he is a triple minority in the United States.
“I believe the majority of the people here in the USA are compassionate and caring people,” Shaphan continues. “But President Trump is harsh and makes people believe that immigration is a terrible thing, and because of his rhetoric some people just don’t like immigrants and treat us differently.”
Trump Administrations’ immigration policies don’t just affect people already in the U.S., they also have an impact abroad. QDEP member and proud mother Juliet is extremely thankful that Biden will take office in January. “[I] hope he lifts the ban for me to re-unit with my kids again,” she says. In June 2020, the Trump Administration placed a temporary suspension on most entry into the U.S. from Juliet’s home country of Nigeria, where her children still live.
“The moment I came to America, I couldn’t help but feeling my dreams of peace and a new chance to live eclipsed by the threat of the migration policies,” admits Erik, a teacher, and QDEP member-volunteer. “I experienced so much evil in my own country, and all of a sudden there was a huge chance the country that claims to protect human rights wouldn’t find me worthy to be saved.”
Though Erik arrived in the U.S. in November 2018, it is still important that we recognize the nation’s history of capitalizing on immigrant communities. Such policies led to the criminalization of any “unproductive” communities, while American workers began to feel threatened by competition — two combating factors that paved the way for Trump’s recent policies. QDEP deeply believes that from the moment he steps foot in the Oval Office, President-elect Biden must take immediate action to reverse course on the Trump Administration’s immigration policy, as well as rewrite Clinton, Bush, and Obama era legislation — including Biden’s own.
“We cannot go back to Obama-era policies that also targeted, incarcerated, and deported thousands of our family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to devastating situations. No matter who is in the White House the legacy and promise of Lady Liberty must be upheld and restored,” says QDEP organizing director, Uchechukwu Onwa.
In their first 100 days in office, QDEP calls upon President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to:
- Reject the discriminatory travel bans and immigration policies introduced under the guise of “security” by the Trump administration
- Open the U.S. border so that people can claim asylum
- Protect LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers
- Enable mass releases from ICE facilities as a response to COVID-19 and its threat to people who are currently incarcerated
We sincerely hope that during these last four years under Trump, the election cycle, and the ongoing pandemic that President-elect Joe Biden and VP-elect Kamala Harris have had the opportunity to learn and grow as leaders. There is also great significance to Harris’ election, as she is the first Black and first Indian-American woman to be elected Vice President, and QDEP celebrates her making history three times. We would urge Vice President-elect Harris to continue to reflect on the experiences of immigrant families like her own when she takes office.
“I hope when Biden and Harris take over the White House, they’ll keep their world working for everyone without conditions, and my LGBTQIA+, refugees and asylees communities will be treated with the serious treatment that our cases deserve,” Erik adds.
To change history yet again, QDEP believes that our short list is just the start to undoing years of unjust, inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers by this nation. In the last week, along with announcing his Covid-19 response team, Biden has also addressed his plans for immigration. We ask that President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris not only make good on their promises but truly take charge of reversing this pattern of harm and abuse. While some power will be placed into the hands of the U.S. Senate, we demand that all branches of the U.S. government protect immigrant rights, queer and trans rights, and human rights. With many years of work and advocacy still ahead, QDEP members are hopeful that the outcome of the 2020 election signals more leverage and bargaining power as we move toward a greater goal of abolition and liberation.
The Queer Detainee Empowerment Project (QDEP) assists folks coming out of immigration detention in securing structural, health/wellness, educational, legal, and emotional support and services. We work to organize around the structural barriers and state violence that LGBTQIA TS & GNC detainee/undocumented folks face related to their immigration status, race, sexuality, and gender expression/ identity.
We are committed to assisting folks in building lives outside of detention, to breaking down the barriers that prevent folks from building fulfilling and productive lives, and to keeping queer families intact by demanding an end to deportations/ detention/ policing. We believe in creating a narrative of thriving, not just surviving.
QDEP is a proud member of the Detention Watch Network, Freedom For Immigrants, New York Immigration Coalition, as well as the International Detention Coalition, QDEP is a fiscally sponsored project of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA). CTA, an educational 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is legally and financially responsible for all our project activities.
Informative References:
A Biden Immigration Policy
Biden will stop the border wall and loosen immigration again
Biden’s Biggest Promises Likely Hinge On Who Controls The Senate
The Facts On Trump’s Travel Restrictions
Obama’s Mixed Immigration Legacy
U.S. Post-War Immigration History
