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Immigrant advocates take a stand in

BY TEQUILA MINSKY one month earlier when Ragbir was initially detained. The tone on the morning of Feb. 10 started a bit He noted that, had the stay not been granted, “We lighter than had been expected as immigrant-rights were going to make history today. It was going to be advocates fi lled Foley Square at the “You Can’t Deport the showdown of showdowns — surrounding Federal a Movement” rally in support of activist Ravi Ragbir. Plaza.” Ragbir had been ordered report the Immigration Stalwart supporters of Ragbir, Rep. Nydia and Customs Enforcement offi ce Downtown for depor- Velazquez and Rep. Yvette Clarke, Councilman tation that morning. But in a last-minute reprieve, the Brad Lander, former Council Speaker Melissa Mark- federal government delayed this action while the courts Viverito, Borough President Gale Brewer decide if his rights have been violated. His lawyers had and Public Advocate Letitia James also spoke in sup- fi led a First Amendment lawsuit in Manhattan two port of immigrant rights and on his behalf. days earlier. “We are here to celebrate this immigrant-rights Ragbir is now to report to ICE on March 15. leader being with us today,” said Bronx state Senator After an op-ed by Amy Gottleib, Ragbir’s wife, Gustavo Rivera, to loud applause and cheers. “Let’s all appeared in the Jan. 18 Times while Ragbir be clear: What is happening from this administration, was in detention for a week, the law fi rm Arnold & the orange madness,” he continued. Porter decided to take his case. “There is an attack on the immigration-rights In her op-ed, Gottlieb wrote about how they had movement. They attempted to deport him but there feared checking-in with ICE that Jan. 11 because, are two, three, four people who have already been just a week earlier, ICE agents had detained another deported; we know of brother Montreveil, an immi- local immigrant-rights leader, Jean Montrevil, the day grant-rights leader. before his scheduled check-in. Montrevil, a co-founder “It is up to us,” Rivera stressed, “to us privileged with Ragbir of the New Sanctuary Coalition, was enough to be citizens, privileged enough to stand here deported to Haiti soon afterward. Photo by Tequila Minsky without fear, to defend those individuals. Gottlieb wrote of other immigrant-rights lead- As his wife, Amy Gottleib, looked on, immigrant- “We cannot allow our immigrant-rights leaders to ers who have recently been targeted, such as Eliseo rights activist Ravi Ragbir addressed the supportive be taken from us.” Jurado in Colorado, who also was detained, and noted crowd at the Feb. 10 rally at Foley Square in Lower New Sanctuary Coalition lawyer Steve Sacco that a week after that, activist Maru Mora-Villalpando Manhattan. emphasized how this is a nonviolent movement, but announced that she received a notice to appear in that ICE, in fact, is violent. immigration court in Seattle. Gottleib commented on Manhattan First Amendment case to consider his own “ICE agents should do the right thing and resign,” how these leaders posed no threat — yet were targeted ruling. he stated. because they lead their communities with dignity and Meanwhile, Saturday’s Foley Square rally went on Brewer mentioned how a government worker in courage. as scheduled with a full program of advocates, activ- Montana resigned rather than give information to The Times op-ed was further argument that a First ists, clergy, electeds and a speaker from Ragbir’s legal ICE. Amendment, freedom of speech issue was at stake, team. “We are nonviolent,” Sacco said, “especially our and Arnold & Porter got on board. They spoke of the pain of these deportations, the words. We are coming for ICE.” Ragbir’s wife, Gottleib, They fi led suit in the Southern District of New need to keep pushing back “and pushing forward,” of spoke from the heart of how just two days earlier, she York, claiming that ICE singled out their client fi ghting to keep the DACA Dreamers here, compared had felt terrifi ed, as she put it, that “Ravi would walk because he is an outspoken activist. A spokesman for ICE to the Gestapo, and called for increased activism. into that building and not walk out.” ICE denied the charge that arrests were retaliation. Linda Sarsour, the well-known Arab-American “March 15, we have to fi ght again,” she said. “We Seeking a separate stay, Ragbir’s lawyers appeared and women’s activist, observed how this kind of sup- are not going to stop for Ravi or everybody else who in New Jersey Federal District Court, hoping to per- port is needed everywhere in the country. has to deal with this. We’re behind you. And, we’re suade a judge to vacate Ragbir’s original criminal A new chant was taught: “The movement united going to do this with love.” conviction for wire fraud from 20 years ago. That can never be deported.” judge said he would take advantage of the pending City Councilman Jumaane Williams was arrested FOLEY SQUARE Continued on page 19

On the march for DACA, from NYC to DC

BY EDDY MARTINEZ Trump — unless Congress takes action, have offered a pathway to citizenship Eleven young men and women set and the 11 DACA recipients will walk for DACA recipients and also fund a off from The Battery on Feb. 15 for 250 miles to Washington, D.C., on a border wall. a march on Washington to demand two-week-long journey to garner sup- It was the fourth failed attempt this action of protecting undocumented port for a so-called “clean” DREAM year to pass a bill to protect so-called immigrants brought into the country act — a broadly supported, bipartisan Dreamers — a track record that has as children. bill narrowly tailored to legalize those made one marcher wary of relying on The men and women who gath- covered by DACA. politicians and join the march as a way ered at the tip of The march, organized by immigrant- to take matters into his own hands by within sight of the advocate organization Cosecha, comes building support among the public at Photo by Eddy Martinez are currently protected from deporta- as repeated attempts to pass an immi- large. The 11 DACA recipients marched tion under the Obama-era program gration bill have failed in Congress. “I’ve lost faith in them, I stopped from The Battery to the ICE offi ce at called Deferred Action on Childhood Most recently, senators from both the taking pictures with them, I stopped Foley Square before boarding a to New Jersey to begin their march to Arrivals, but that protection will end Democrat and Republican parties Washington, DC. as of March 5 — by order of President rejected a compromise bill that would DACA Continued on page 11

4 Feb 22 – Mar 7, 2018 DowntownExpress.com Falling debris kills man in Soho BY COLIN MIXSON The engineer suffered minor injuries Falling debris from a Soho fi re as a result of the accident, according to escape struck and killed a Long Island a spokesman for the fi re department. man on Feb. 16, and severely wounded Inspectors with the city’s buildings a woman. department descended on the nine-story A privately contracted engineer was commercial structure following the inci- working her way down to the seventh dent, and issued the owner a violation fl oor of the fi re escape as part of a for failure to safeguard the building, routine inspection at 434 according to Department of Building’s between Grand and Howard streets at spokesman Andrew Rudansky. 1:37 pm, when a loose tread broke off The building’s owner ordered a side- the metal stairway and plummeted to the walk shed built beneath the fi re escape sidewalk, striking 58-year-old Garden over the weekend, and hired engineers City resident Richard Marchhart and who on Saturday found an additional another passerby, according to police. three loose treads, which they secured, Paramedics rushed both wounded and removed some unstable railing, pedestrians to Bellevue Hospital for according to Rudansky. treatment, but were too late to save The engineer involved in the accident Marchhart, who perished at the Kips was inspecting the building’s facade and

Bay medical center, cops said. fi re escape for faults as required by city Photo by Milo Hess The other victim was in serious but law for all buildings over six-stories tall, Falling debris dislodged from a fi re escape in Soho struck and killed 58-year- stable condition, according to police. the buildings spokesman said. old Garden City resident Richard Marchhart on Feb. 16.

DACA Continued from page 4 “It represents the fi ghters that fi ght for this country and for lib- talking to them, and I’ve seen that erty, and it’s the same thing that we we get better responses from the do,” he said. “We’re fi ghting to stay community,” said Li Adorno. in this country and we’re fi ghting Thurs., Feb. 22–Wed., Feb. 28 take one, the Williamsburg is probably best His attitude toward even sym- for our liberty.” ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING on Saturday, and the on Sunday pathetic politicians mirrors that of The marchers fi rst walked RULES ARE IN EFFECT ALL because Foley Square will be clear. The other disenchanted DACA recipi- from The Battery to City Hall WEEK Manhattan Bridge is a must to avoid, par- ents who have recently protested and then paused at Foley Square, Lower Manhattan will be jam-packed ticularly Sunday. against Sen. Charles Schumer and where they placed roses on the all weekend with a labor rights rally in Rep. Nancy Pelosi. ground near the Immigration and Foley Square and a Lunar New Year event Mailbag: A young marcher named Cata Customs Enforcement offi ce, in Saturday, followed by the “Granddaddy of Dear Transit Sam, Santiago said that she is taking the honor of the many immigrants Them All,” Chinatown’s annual New Year’s I don’t agree with Gov. Cuomo. extraordinary action of walking to who were arrested and deported. parade Sunday celebrating the Year of the Congestive charging is not the way to go. the nation’s capital in order to help The marchers then made their Dog. Uber is the problem. It seems everyone is make the only country she has ever way past the World Trade Center Brooklyn Bridge Alert! Lafayette St. afraid to clamp down on Uber. More people known a place where she and her and onto a ferry that took them to from Worth to Reade Streets is likely to should take public transportation again. family can feel safe again. New Jersey. close around 9 a.m. Saturday for DC 37, Bob “This walk is about home. It’s While only 11 people from New the ALF-CIO, and other unions to rally, about a right to stay home and, York City gathered to begin the trek, reopening in the late afternoon. Broadway, Dear Bob, home is where my family is, it’s also they will be joined by other march- Park Row and the area around the Brooklyn The problem is too many vehicles, too where I can open the door and have ers from around the country as they Bridge will also be affected until about 3 little street space. So, what do you do a good night’s sleep,” she said. head south. p.m. when demand for a precious resource (in Zac Montiel explained that They are expected to arrive in Nearby, lion and dragon dancers will be this case space) far exceeds supply? My the decision to start the march in Washington by March 1st, just a out on Chinatown side streets like Mott and answer is price it appropriately. I think front of The Battery’s World War II few days before the scheduled end Bayard, prompting temporary closures from all people entering Manhattan’s Central memorial was not a coincidence. of DACA. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Business District (the area south of 60th Late that night, Mott St. will start to St.) should have to pay. That includes sub- close again in preparation for the Sunday way riders, Uber and Lyft passengers, taxi parade, from Worth to Kenmare Streets. riders, truckers, drivers of private cars and By late morning Sunday, East Broadway others. I agree app-based car services, that from Chatham Sq. to Forsyth St. will close, only appeared this decade, have contributed as will parts of Elizabeth, Hester, Forsyth signifi cantly to congestion. You cite Uber and Eldridge Streets. Dispersal will be on in your letter; interestingly enough,, Uber Broome and on Forsyth Streets. is a supporter of congestion pricing even Canal, Grand and Delancey Streets, though they will be charged directly. The and the Manhattan Bridge will all money raised from congestion pricing will be affected as well. Streets should reopen help repair and expand mass transit, which Photo by Eddy Martinez by 6 p.m. will get more people riding which is cor- The DACA marchers joined hands and laid roses in front of the ICE I’d avoid the Downtown bridges this rectly your fi nal point. offi ces at Foley Square in honor of the many immigrants deported weekend during the day, but if you have to Transit Sam from there.

DowntownExpress.com Feb 22 – Mar 7, 2018 11