This blog post was written by Saima Anjam and Max Hadler from the New York Immigration Coalition for our 2018 PowHer The Vote campaign.

Immigrants under the Trump administration are under attack. Since January 2017, the administration has railed against communities of color, of women, of immigrants, and countless others. We have seen targeted legislative and administrative attacks – against immigrants from certain countries (see Muslim Ban versions 1, 2, and 3), maliciously separating families at the border, terminating status for individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and admitting the lowest number of refugees since the 1970’s, to only name a few.

Each and every time we have stood up, taken to the streets, used our voices to empower ourselves and those who couldn’t speak. Earlier this year, on June 30, we mobilized nearly 30,000 people in New York City alone to fight back against the Trump administration’s policy of separating children from their parents. Across the state we led or supported seven other rallies. People across the country spoke out forcefully: We will not stand for mercilessly separating families, we will protect each other.

One of the most recent attacks, a proposed change to “public charge” rules, which would force families into an impossible choice between feeding their children and remaining together in this country, dropped yesterday. We have already started to fight back. Two weeks ago, two days after it was announced, we took to the streets with a protest on the Lower East Side (a neighborhood that has historically been home to immigrant communities) that led to 14 arrests. People spoke out and refused to sit idly by. Now it’s time to carry that fight forward by exercising our civic right and duty to submit a public comment on Trump’s latest inhumane attempt to separate families. Go to ouramericanstory.us for more information on how to submit your comment repudiating this blatant attack on our communities and our values.

What we’ve seen from this administration is nothing short of horrific. We should honor the women, men, and families who have been courageous enough to stand up. We will continue to support them, to stand up and be there for those who cannot. To do nothing would empower those who are committed to attacking our communities. And on November 6, we will go to the polls to fight back.