For immediate release: October 23, 2020
Contact: Michelle Loo, apala@apalanet.org

Let the Freedom Fighters Go! APALA Demands Shannon L Taylor to Drop the Charges Against Immigrant Community Organizers

Washington, DC - Nine activists are being persecuted by ICE and local police across three different states for protesting state sanctioned violence against immigrants. Early last month, a group of immigrant organizers and advocates, many of whom are Asian American women, used their right to protest to condemn Tony Pham, the new ICE Director. After being denied a meeting at his office, they assembled in front of Tony Pham’s house in a nonviolent street demonstration demanding the end to the detaining and deporting of immigrants, family separation, and forced sterilizations in ICE facilities. 

Nearly a month later, ICE collaborated with local police in Philadelphia to arrest one of those protestors, Nancy Nguyen, in her own home while she was changing her child’s diaper. She was handcuffed by armed officers without any warrants presented. We rallied for her release and must continue. Nancy and eight other activists from the protest at Tony Pham’s house, Tin Nguyen, Cat Bao Le, Anthony Ferguson, Ash Williams, Jamie Marsicano, Haley Pinto, Casey Strout, and Nolan Strout, also known as #PhamsNightmare9, appeared in court this week for charges related to littering and trespassing. 

National President and NEA Appointee Monica Thammarath states, “Nancy Nguyen’s arrest and these charges are bogus and a clear act of retaliation for protesting against state sanctioned violence. When the President refuses to condemn white supremacy, and when the police and federal government protect ICE Director Tony Pham during his campaign of terror against migrants, refugees, and poor Black and brown people, there is no other option for our communities but to protest and resist. We are proud of these community organizers and we will fight with them through it all.” 

Executive Director Alvina Yeh states, “It is not lost on me that women and people who care for our communities are being targeted by Tony Pham. Women are often singled out, harassed, but also underestimated. Like Nancy and Cat, I am a mother to a 1 year old and I promise there is nothing like the resilience and power that we have to fight for collective liberation.” 

We demand Henrico Commonwealth Attorney Shannon Taylor to drop all the charges. We demand the abolition of ICE and the defunding of the police. 

Sign the petition: action.18mr.org/dropthecharges