Families Belong Together March - Concord, California

The U.S. immigration policy of family separation, instigated by Jeff Sessions and Donald J. Trump, is egregious, horrifying and evil. Tearing families apart at the southern U.S. border as punishment for attempting to immigrate, and many of these families are trying to immigrate here legally due to deadly violence at home, is fascism, pure and simple. And that is not the law. Neither is the mass incarceration of children, who are being held in detention centers without parental contact. That is racist, sociopathic cruelty.

Tonight we held a small rally and march organized through Families Belong Together at Todos Santos Plaza in Concord, California. I grew up in Concord, by way of San Francisco. Concord used to be majority white. It's not any more. It's ground zero for immigration policies, especially due to recent activities by the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, who are cooperating with ICE through a loophole in California's sanctuary state status.

Some photos from tonight's lovely march and rally. Below the photos is an excellent list of actions you can do TODAY to end family separation in the U.S.

What can we do? Here's a good list from Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin's Resistance Live. We need you! Let's work together to end family separation policy forever.

• Families Belong Together is a site for protest, organizing and resources.
  
• The RAICES Family Reunification and Bond Fund is raising money to support families seeking reunification and in need of bond money. Donate here.
  
• The Catholic Charities Humanitarian Respite Center in McAllen Texas, is on the front lines for post-court support and is seeking donations for families once released. They need diapers, Pedialyte (flavored only), feminine hygiene products, and other items listed here:

1. Toiletries for men and women (deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, etc)
2. Shoes (sandals, tennis shoes, loafers, etc) for men, women, children and infants of all sizes
3. Clothes (pants, t-shirts, blouses, underclothing, etc) for children and adults of all sizes
4. Baby supplies for toddlers (Pampers, baby wipes, baby bottles, etc.)
5. Sealed snack food (granola bars, chips, peanut butter & cheese crackers, etc)
6. Gift cards to purchase food items
7. Phone cards
8. Plastic bags for families to pack sandwiches, snacks, and water for their trip.
9. There is an Amazon Wish List as well as a donation mailing address here.

• CALL THE HILL RIGHT NOW and demand the passage of the Joint House/Senate Bill known as the Keep Families Together Act. Call as many people as you can whether they represent you or not. The main number for the Capitol switchboard is (202) 224-3121. You can also send five free faxes a day to Reps and Senators (any of them who have a fax line--I'm sending faxes to the majority of the GOP every day this week) by using FaxZero. Here's all the GOP Senators who are currently doing nothing to end this travesty. The text of the Keep Families Together Act is here.