Defend Immigrants w/Grace & the IDP

Friends, countrymen, the world at large: 

We are stuck in a relentless news cycle of breaking headlines, each seemingly darker and more urgent than the last. I think it's safe to say that we currently reside in a place where, between the Russian investigation, late-breaking updates on healthcare, and Trump's boycut pantyline, there isn't much room left to highlight the crisis of xenophobia and hatred affecting millions of immigrants and refugees right here and right now. 

Which is precisely why I've decided to take the occasion of my birthday to call attention to this critical issue. 

I'm Grace Parra, and today - June 27th, 2017 - I'm launching a 2-week effort to raise $5,000 for the IMMIGRANT DEFENSE PROJECT. The crisis facing immigrants & refugees (undocumented and documented) is neither sexy nor frequently trendworthy, but between calls for "The Wall" and the Muslim Ban, it's plainly evident that immigrants & refugees are under increasing scrutiny in the US. Trump's executive orders have led to a 38% increase in the number of people detained by ICE in the first quarter of 2017 alone. And the stories of the ways in which people are being detained and deported are increasingly cruel and heartless. What immigrants and refugees need most right now is protection and legal counsel, and the Immigrant Defense Project provides just that. 

The video link above is my quick, 3-min explanation about why this topic is so urgent, why I'm so passionate about it, and even how it dovetails with our current healthcare crisis. For further reference, please check out the website of the IDP so you can see exactly what they do, who benefits from their honorable work, and precisely how they will utilize your very necessary donations: 

https://www.immigrantdefenseproject.org/

And there's one other link I want to share. It's hard to cut through the entropy of the internet to find reliable sources of journalism these days, but this Slate cover story called "Days of Deportation" does a chilling and remarkably thorough job of displaying the crossbody of people who have been affected by Trump's immigration crackdown since he took office: 

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2017/06/immigration-enforcement-in-trumps-america-one-day-at-a-time.html

It would mean the world to me if you'd donate some money to this cause, and spread the word on behalf of the IDP. You will be helping a community that frequently lives in the shadows, unable to find outlets to even seek help until it's too late. I'm so #grateful (s/o #DJKhaled #Asahd) and can't wait to present this incredible organization with fiscal relief that will truly be of service to a very precious community. 

<3, 
Grace
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