We are (still) winning

hope in the midst of winter

Today was epic, in so many ways.

For one, there was a national shutdown. You might not have even heard about it, so I’m not going to claim that it was a total success. Plenty of businesses didn’t even acknowledge the day, and I have no sense of how much of the public participated. But. Plenty of businesses DID participate, either by closing, or by donating profits to support immigrants. We have room to grow. And there was also a feeling of momentum that cannot be ignored.

Along these lines - because today felt big, I am scared that it will be the pinnacle, and people will begin to lose interest. Please stay engaged. Did you participate today? Awesome, but you’re not finished. Talk to your friends about why you joined the shutdown. Recruit people to join you next time. Plug in to community defense and immigrant support in your neighborhood. Don’t let the news cycle distract you from this issue, even if it falls off the front page.

Second: my client won and was released from detention!!!!

This does NOT mean that the system is working. This case was truly ridiculous, and she should have gotten out a month ago, or even before that.

But today is still a day for celebration. I honestly can’t remember ever being this excited about winning a case. I am so so happy for her and her family. I’ve been giddy/on the edge of happy-crying about it all day. A lovely volunteer org arranged a ride home for her, since the detention centers/jails are always far away from where people actually live. So much love and happiness and joy.

Hope in the midst of winter.

We’re still winning. Even amidst the awfulness. The volume is way too high. I talked with two other people detained by ICE just today, and they both need attorneys. I got calls from a couple more people. I can’t represent them all, and even if I could, I couldn’t win all of these cases. The government has manipulated the law such that it is stacked against us in every single way.

But even in the arid cracks, a seed will still sprout. We will keep planting and building, and eventually that tree will grow strong enough to split the wall in which it is rooted.

Help us water and fertilize the movement. Don’t forget about those behind bars at the whim of this administration. Find a way to take action. To tear down walls.

**

And, because let’s not promote the silly social media vision of a perfect world, here’s your glimpse into my very different feelings after we finished this client’s hearing. She was released today, but the hearing took place last week.

I just got out of court. We won, kind of. But I want to cry.

The judge granted my client’s case, but the government attorney reserved appeal. That means my client has to remain detained, for now. The government attorney - who is like a prosecutor - has up to 30 days to file their appeal. If they do, my client must remain detained for the entire appeal process, which is taking 6-12 months. I don’t *think* the government will appeal. But they have the power to keep her detained, even after she won.

It’s extra painful in this case, because it should have been an easy win. But there is never an easy win any more. Especially not for someone who is detained, regardless of how strong the case is.

And because it’s so unfair, and all of the power is so unevenly weighted towards the government and deportation, it’s hard for me to celebrate - even when we win. My client isn’t celebrating tonight. She’s waiting with her fingers crossed, waiting to see whether she’ll be stuck in jail for up to a year more while dealing with extremely sympathetic/humanitarian issues. And there’s nothing either of us can do about it.

{Reminder, if you’re skimming, that this was a week and a half ago. Tonight she IS celebrating, as am I. <3 }