"Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. . . . Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door."

- Inscription on Statue of Liberty, 1883 

"Very soon, this facility [Alligator Alcatraz] will house “deranged psychopaths . . . and some of the most menacing migrants, some of the most vicious people on the planet.”

- Donald Trump, July 1, 2025 

The Trump agenda to detain and deport hundreds of thousands of persons of foreign origin without due process violates the very essence of “America” as expressed in the immortal Statue of Liberty inscription. It also threatens to cripple many sectors of the U.S. economy that rely on immigrant workers, including construction, manufacturing, agriculture, health care, and the hotel/restaurant industry. And it inflicts needless fear and suffering upon millions of individuals and families who have come here––whether legally or not––“yearning to breathe free.” 

The full program is as follows:

WELCOME (1:00 pm —1:15 pm): Rutherford H. Platt and Pastor Sarah Buteux, First Churches

PANEL ONE (1:15–-2:30): AMERICA’S IMMIGRATION DIVIDE: WELCOME VS. EXCLUSION

• Moderator: Michael Kane, Activist on National and International Issues

• Joyce Avrech Berkman, Professor of History Emerita, UMass Amherst

• “Resisting Xenophobia: Inspiration from the Past”

• David Hernandez, Associate Professor of Latina/o Studies, Mount Holyoke College

• “Immigrants in the U.S. Economy Today”

• Pamela Stuart, Attorney and Former Federal Prosecutor, Washington DC

• “Perspectives on Trump Immigration Policy Upheaval”

• Sara Weinberger, LICSW, Professor Emerita of Social Work, Western New England University,

• “What Have We Become?”

BREAK

PANEL TWO  (2:45–3:30): CONFRONTING THE IMMIGRATION CRISIS IN THE VALLEY

• Moderator: Lilly Trauss Gaev, LCSW Therapeutic Associates, PC., Member, Congregation B’Nai Israel, Northampton

• David Entin, “Circle of Care and Co-Housing Experience”, joined by Olivier __ (Personal Story)

• Lena Entin, Neighbor to Neighbor and the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network

• Laurie Millman, Center for New Americans, Northampton

KEYNOTE SPEAKER AND BENEDICTION (3:30—4:00):

• Rev. Cristina Rathbone, Mass. Council of Churches

• Introduction and Benediction by Pastor Sarah Buteux

CALL TO ACTION TABLE FAIR (4:00—5:30): Lyman Hall

The important "Call to Action" following our speakers provides an opportunity to interact with members of immigrant-serving organizations and immigrant safety activist groups and to pick up their literature and gain opportunities for volunteerism. Please join us in Lyman Hall following the Keynote and learn more about the work of the following organizations who are joining us today:

• Pioneer Valley Workers Center:  The Pioneer Valley Workers Center builds power with low-wage immigrant workers throughout Western Massachusetts. Together they educate our community, organize for systemic change and empower our members to lead the immigrant worker movement.

• LUCE Network: The LUCE immigration justice network is a statewide ICE watch hotline and immigration advocacy organization. They are grounded in principles of justice and equity, with a deep commitment to keeping all of our communities safe through grassroots organizing, information sharing, and mutual aid.

• Center for New Americans: Center for New Americans (CNA) is a community-based, non-profit adult education center that provides the under-served immigrant, refugee, and migrant communities of Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley with education and resources to learn English, become involved community members, and obtain tools necessary to maintain economic independence and stability.

• Jewish Family Services of Western MA: Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts serves as a community leader, partnering with people to achieve fulfilling lives. Their programs strengthen our community by strengthening the individual–from resettling refugee families, to supporting New Americans to become self-sufficient, counseling young adults through life’s transitions, equipping older adults to age well, protecting elders from abuse, leading caregiver support groups, and helping individuals enhance their Jewish connections.

• Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice (JAIJ): The overall goal of the Jewish Activists for Immigration Justice of Western MA is to end the current U.S. immigration policies that lead to family separation and child detention.

• Western MA Immigration Legislation Advocacy Network (WMILAN): WMILAN is a network of local faith and activist communities, committed to promoting pro-immigrant legislation in MA and responding with education and actions to immigration events.

• Western MA Asylum Support Network: Asylum seekers come to the US seeking safety, but often have zero support when they arrive. Navigating a complex and difficult system to achieve asylum is exceedingly difficult and expensive.  The Asylum Support Network is here to support our new neighbors and stand up for their presence as a vital and welcomed part of our communities.

• Valley Interfaith Refugee Action Group: Representatives from Jewish, Christian and Muslim houses of worship in Western Massachusetts with a mission of welcoming, protecting, and supporting refugees and immigrants.

Come and speak to representatives from these organizations and see how you can get involved! The fair also features a table from Broadside Books, where Rev. Cristina Rathbone will be signing copies of her book The Asylum Seekers, and local author Gwen Agna will be signing copies of her children’s book Finding Home: Words from Kids Seeking Sanctuary. Light refreshments will be served