Caribbean Immigrant Advocacy Groups Outraged, Heartbroken Over Results of Presidential Elections

NEW YORK, CMC – Caribbean and other immigrant advocacy groups in New York have expressed outrage over the results of the United States Presidential Elections on Tuesday, fearing the worst with the election of former President Donald J. Trump.

Trump, who defeated Caribbean-American Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of retired Jamaican-born economist Dr. Donald Harris, allegedly vowed on the campaign trail to begin deporting immigrants on day one, on his inauguration day on Jan. 20, 2025.

“We are outraged and heartbroken by the results of the election,” said Theo Oshiro, co-executive director of Make the Road New York, an immigrant advocacy group that operates five community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island; and White Plains, Westchester County.

“The policies peddled by Donald Trump are racist, misogynistic, and anti-immigrant,” he told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC). “We are clear-eyed about the dangers posed by a second Trump administration, especially as he has made vilifying and dehumanizing immigrants the centerpiece of his campaign.

“It is now up to us—immigrants, working-class people, youth, women, the TGNCIQ community, and allies—to protect our futures,” Oshiro continued. “We believe in a better United States. We know that all people, regardless of citizenship status, skin color, or gender expression, have the right to respect. Ours is a country that—since its earliest days—has served as a haven for anyone searching for a better life for themselves and their families. To see that value betrayed is a slap in the face of generations of immigrants who have made this nation what it is.

“And yet, while we mourn, we find strength in each other. Our commitment to collective action and social justice does not begin or end on election day,” he said. “We are organizers, advocates, teachers, and lawyers; our work is to turn love into power. Even in the darkest days, that dedication to and belief in our community compels us to harness our sadness and fear into a force prepared to stand against whatever comes our way.”

Oshiro said that, on Saturday, thousands of immigrant New Yorkers, union members, and allies will rally and march “to send a clear message to Donald Trump: communities are prepared to spend the next four years working aggressively to protect their future from racist, misogynist and classist attacks.

“Donald Trump made racism, transphobia, misogyny and xenophobia the centerpiece of his campaign,” he said. “New York is crucial in setting the tone for what’s to come. It is critical to clarify that New Yorkers will continue to stand together in the community to protect the most vulnerable.

“The groups organizing this protest are prepared to take Donald Trump at his word,” Oshiro added. “The president-elect has promised the most significant mass deportation in this nation’s history, to round up millions of undocumented immigrants into camps on the border, and to separate families.

“At Saturday’s action, immigrant New Yorkers will come together in community and declare their determination to fight to protect their freedoms, families, and futures throughout the second Trump presidency,” he continued.

On Thursday evening, the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York, said member organizations, allies, and immigrant New Yorkers will rally at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan “to stand up for immigrants and fight back against the imminent threats posed by a second Trump presidency and his proposed Project 2025 agenda.”

“Project 2025 seeks to create a nationwide deportation system that will have devastating consequences for many vulnerable communities,” said NYIC Executive Director Murad Awawdeh. “Donald Trump has explicitly threatened to deploy local law enforcement to deport all undocumented immigrants in the US – an estimated 11 million people – including around 4,500,000 people residing in New York.

“These policies undermine the rights and dignity of immigrants but also aim to dismantle the principles of inclusion and justice that define our country,” he told CMC. “Mass deportations would cost New York City alone billions of dollars in economic activity, reducing the workforce by hundreds of thousands of people and destroying countless small businesses.

“Trump will not defeat us. New York would not be the same without the immigrants who have built and rebuilt our culture and economy for generations,” Awawdeh continued. “Donald Trump has demonized our communities at every turn of this election and has promised to tear apart the families that have contributed so much more to our great state than he has. We stopped him before, and we will stop him again.

“Together, we will fight the fascist President-elect and his racist deportation agenda every step of the way – to ensure that our immigrant neighbors, families, and communities will live in safety and with dignity,” he urged. “We must stand together to protect our immigrant neighbors and to build a just and inclusive future for all New Yorkers.”

Conclusion

The election of Donald Trump as President has sent shockwaves through the immigrant community in New York and beyond. The threats to deport millions of undocumented immigrants and separate families are a stark reminder of the need for continued resistance and advocacy. As the Trump administration takes office, it is crucial that we stand together to protect our communities and fight for a better future.

FAQs

Q: What is the New York Immigration Coalition?
A: The New York Immigration Coalition is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization that represents over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York.

Q: What is Project 2025?
A: Project 2025 is a proposed nationwide deportation system that would have devastating consequences for many vulnerable communities.

Q: What are the consequences of mass deportations?
A: Mass deportations would cost New York City alone billions of dollars in economic activity, reducing the workforce by hundreds of thousands of people and destroying countless small businesses.

Q: How can I get involved in the fight against the Trump administration’s immigration policies?
A: You can get involved by contacting your local immigrant advocacy group or attending one of the many rallies and protests planned throughout the city.