ICS Affirms that Black Lives Matter

As an organization solely organized to advance equity and social justice, ICS stands in solidarity with Black communities and allies advocating for justice for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and countless others. For generations, Black communities have disproportionately been subjected to police militarization and brutality. The extrajudicial killing of Black men and women by police must stop now. Excessive police force targeting all communities of color must stop now.We acknowledge the trauma and despair this creates for all of us, especially for the Black Community and other communities of color who are already experiencing disproportionate impacts from the coronavirus crisis. We call for equal treatment under the law. We call for justice to the wronged. We call for the basic right of bodily integrity for all people of color. Black lives must be respected, valued, uplifted, and protected.The movement for racial justice and the struggle for immigrant and refugee rights are fundamentally connected. Too often the same brutal tactics are deployed against detained and deported immigrants. At ICS we see the impact of state-sanctioned profiling in the actions of ICE, who strip black and brown people of their rights and their humanity. We know of all too many clients who are brutalized and then refused medical treatment for the injuries they sustain. The treatment of unaccompanied minors and children separated at the border is harrowing, with children kept in freezing cold rooms – nicknamed “hielera” or “icebox” – for days, with nothing but a thin aluminum blanket.ICS remains a stalwart partner to all immigrant members of our community. We are your ally in times of discrimination and injustice. We are here to address any prejudice you are experiencing and any concern you may have about your safety and wellbeing during this time. Contact us at (503)221-1689. We can help.In solidarity,The Board of Directors and Staff of Immigration Counseling Service