NATIONAL WEEKLY | THURSDAY, FEB 1 – FEB 7, 2018 | VOL. 15 NO. 5
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Caribbean American Congresswoman Calls For A Statue Of Congress' First Black Woman A Caribbean-American Congresswoman is calling for a statue of the US' first black congresswoman to be erected in the United States Capitol.
FROM DETENTION TO SOTU
Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, who now serves in the seat that Caribbeanroots lawmaker Shirley Chisholm first occupied, has introduced H.R.4856, “to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Chisholm for placement in the Capitol.” The bill was introduced in the House on January 19th and has since been referred to the House Committee on House Administration. It has so far garnered 56 cosponsors, including Caribbean-born Congressman Rep. Adriano, Espaillat and Florida Representatives Frederica Wilson and
Caribbean Immigrant Makes It To First State Of The Union After ICE Detention
By Daniel Strom
On Monday morning, Caribbean-born immigrant activist Ravi Ragbir woke up in a U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Orange County, New York. But on Tuesday, January 30th, he was in Washington, D.C., attending his first State of the Union. It was a rare moment of celebration for immigrant rights activists and immigrant families, who have too many times in the past year, seen their friends and loved ones in ICE detention, deported. But New York-based, Trinidad-born Ragbir has managed to buck that trend - at least for now - as a federal judge in New York City on Monday ordered ICE to immediately free him. District Judge Katherine Forrest ruled his detention “unnecessarily cruel” and said the executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition must be given “the freedom to say goodbye.” “I'm still in an outer body experience,” he
U.S. immigration officials are engaging in "psychological warfare" by targeting him and other activists for detention and deportation.
Ragbir said the President's speech was "lled with cruel, empty, hollow words" and that that U.S. immigration ofcials are engaging in "psychological warfare" by targeting him and other activists for detention and deportation.
RAGBIR'S ARREST
related to Democracy Now Tuesday, before hopping with his wife, immigrant rights advocate Amy Gottlieb, to attend their first State of the Union as President Donald Trump addressed the joint session of Congress, in a speech peppered with anti-immigrant rhetoric. Ragbir was invited to the speech as a guest of U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke of Brooklyn, who didn't attend. New York Rep. Nydia Velázquez brought Ragbir's wife as her guest. After the speech, Ragbir told the Associated Press that it was difficult to see the reaction from people in the room who “totally bought into what he (Trump) was saying.” He said the President's speech was "filled with cruel, empty, hollow words" and that that
Ragbir was arrested on Jan. 11th during a routine immigration check-in at 26 Federal Plaza in NYC. He had migrated to the United States from Trinidad in 1991 and got a green card in 1994. But in 2001 he was convicted of wire fraud and spent time in jail. Ragbir was then detained following his release from jail in 2006 - for nearly two years - after a judge ordered deportation because of his conviction. But he was subsequently released after ICE determined he wasn't a danger to the community and years of checking-in with the agency followed. But all that changed on Jan. 11th when he was told then that he would be detained. Ragbir said he passed out upon hearing the news and was then taken by ambulance to Bellevue hospital - where 20 officers were posted to guard him – 10 from ICE and 10 NYPD despite New York claiming to be a sanctuary city. Ragbir told Democracy Now he was then taken shackled alone and taken to Newark
Chisholm, born Shirley Anita St. Hill in Brooklyn in 1924 is of both Guyanese and Barbadian heritage. She became involved in politics while running a child care center. By the 1965, was elected as a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly and in August 1968, she was elected as the Democratic National Committeewoman from New York State.
continues on B3 – From Detention To SOTU
continues on B3 – Chisholm
Clarke
Chisholm
Alcee Hastings.
“Proud to have intro'd HR 4856 a bill that would give a permanent home to Shirley Chisholm among other defining figures in our nation's history,” Clarke tweeted. “The statue would honor her life and living legacy.”
WHAT’S INSIDE NEWSMAKER
CARIBBEAN
ENTERTAINMENT
SPORTS
GUYANESE ACTRESS AMONG TOP NOTCH BLACK PANTHER CAST A3
JAMAICA’S POLICE CHIEF CALLS IT QUITS A4
CARIBBEAN TAKEOVER AT 2018 GRAMMYS C1
SENTENCING FOR FORMER CONCACAF PRESIDENT DELAYED AGAIN D3