New York Taxi Workers Alliance Halting JFK Airport Pickups To Protest Immigration Ban
Justin T. Westbrook
The New York Taxi Workers Alliance has announced on Twitter that it is halting passenger pickups at JFK airport in protest of the dozens of people detained under President Trump’s Muslim immigration ban.
The Alliance announced that it would be halting pickups at JFK from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. to protest reports of at least a dozen people who have been detained in the airport due to the immigration ban executive order signed by President Trump yesterday. One green card holder was released from detainment earlier today.
The immigration ban prevents people born in predominantly Muslim Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S., despite many who have been previously vetted, hold green cards with permanent U.S. residence, or even UK politicians. The ban also suspends the Syrian refugee program indefinitely, and prioritizes minority religions, like Christianity, in the seven named countries for entry into the U.S.
The NYTWA also released a statement earlier today:
NYTWA STATEMENT ON MUSLIM BAN:
Professional drivers are over 20 times more likely to be murdered on the job than other workers. By sanctioning bigotry with his unconstitutional and inhumane executive order banning Muslim refugees from seven countries, the president is putting professional drivers in more danger than they have been in any time since 9/11 when hate crimes against immigrants skyrocketed.
Our 19,000-member-strong union stands firmly opposed to Donald Trump's Muslim ban. As an organization whose membership is largely Muslim, a workforce that's almost universally immigrant, and a working-class movement that is rooted in the defense of the oppressed, we say no to this inhumane and unconstitutional ban.
We know all too well that when government programs sanction outright Islamophobia, and the rhetoric of hate is spewed from the bully pulpit, hate crimes increase and drivers suffer gravely. Our Sikh and other non-Muslim brown and black members also suffer from anti-Muslim violence.
Today, drivers are joining the protest at JFK Airport in support of all those who are currently being detained at the airport because of Trump's unconstitutional executive order. Drivers stand in solidarity with refugees coming to America in search of peace and safety and with those who are simply trying to return to their homes here in America after traveling abroad. We stand in solidarity with all of our peace-loving neighbors
Two Iraqi men detained at JFK who were granted visas and have working connections with the US military have filed a lawsuit against the President and the US Government, and have also filed to expand and cover all other detained immigrants and travelers.
Meanwhile, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance work stoppage joins a growing protest against the immigration ban outside of JFK airport.
UPDATE [9:17 p.m. ET]: A federal judge has granted those with valid U.S. visas an emergency stay, per Reuters
SELECTED COMMENTS:
Magnox to Justin T. Westbrook
1/28/17 6:24pm
Somewhat unamusingly, an edict came down from our airline management via email about this. They were going to start holding the flight crews accountable for anyone who got on board who was turned away from the USA (it costs the airline an enormous amount of money when this happens.)
The pilot’s union essentially told them to ‘fuck off and grow a pair’ and their statement to the company pointed out that it is not the job of airline crew to enforce US immigration policy. I think the new policy lasted about an hour before it was rescinded.
Because there is now a huge amount of uncertainty and unpredictability around who may be detained or returned to their country of origin, airlines are not really sure what to do. We don’t generally carry any passengers whose nationalities fall under the new US President’s ‘I don’t do business there so it’s ok to ban them’ rule, but we do carry a huge number of Muslims and people who wear head-scarfs/sport exceptionally large and striking Muslim beards (not at the same time usually...)
This is a clusterfuck of epic proportions and I have a suspicion we are going to see our US routes, especially into the South, shrink dramatically whilst this is ongoing or there is any uncertainty over the policy.
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On a personal note, I was disappointed to see Theresa May, our unelected Prime Minister refuse to condemn this policy, rather offering a mealy-mouthed ‘it’s for Americans to decide American policy...’ kind of statement.
Well, yes it is, but everyone else is still allowed to have an opinion on it. Problem is, we can’t alienate the USA at the same time we’re removing ourselves from Europe so I think we can enjoy more of this tacit support from the British govt. for anything Trump does for the forseeable future. It doesn’t mean the British people support it though....
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codfangler to Justin T. Westbrook
1/28/17 7:26pm
For those who don’t think that they have a dog in this fight, remember this. Even if you are not from one of the affected countries, you should be aware of this arbitrary action, it could happen to you. In the nineteenth century it was Irish, Italians, etc., I have read that even Lou Gehrig (an American icon if there ever was one) was given a hard time during WWI because his parents came from Germany. In WWII, it was Japanese-Americans, now it is folks from some predominantly Muslim countries. Whatever group you belong to could find that it is (in the words of a very old and very tasteless joke), “your turn in the barrel.” President Trump is an old white man like me, I do not rule out the possibility that he could come up with a reason to punish old white men, without including himself or other billionaires and members of the political class.
Watch out for the actions of our lawyers and judges. If our lawyers and judges roll over on issues like this and do not protect the rule of law, it is over. The doctrine of separation of powers may be sorely tested. I don’t mean that all of these immigrants have to be admitted in a legal status, just that they all must be given due process under the law and I fear that things are not headed in that direction.
This is not the only issue arising for Jalops under this new administration, we also are going to get the privilege of paying more for cars as a result of the trade wars which appear to be brewing.
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