Rev. Kaji Douša is Senior Pastor at The Park Avenue Christian Church.
Ramya Krishnan is Staff Attorney at The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
See more video from the Teach In on our Youtube channel.
Media Advisory: Federal Appeals Court Set to Hear Oral Argument on Ragbir v. Homan, a First Amendment Case Challenging ICE’s Targeting of Immigrant Rights Activists
For Immediate Release
***Media Advisory***
New York, NY: On Monday, October 29, 2018, at 10 a.m., the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit will hear oral argument in Ragbir v. Homan, a First Amendment case challenging the government’s retaliation against immigrant activists for speaking out against immigration policies. The plaintiffs of Ragbir v. Homan seek, among other things, a court order restraining the government from deporting and otherwise targeting immigrant activists based on their protected political speech.
The Government’s attempt to silence its critics is exemplified by its targeting of New York immigrant rights leader, Ravi Ragbir, who was surveilled, arrested, and flown to Florida for deportation, in defiance of the government’s own regulations, protocol and procedure. This targeting and retaliation of its critics is unconstitutional and has a chilling effect on all those who would speak out against the Government, both citizen and noncitizen alike.
Numerous immigrant rights groups, faith leaders, elected officials, and directly impacted individuals have submitted briefs in support of the plaintiffs in this case. Their briefing is available at https://istandwithravi.org/category/legal-updates/
Stanton Jones of Arnold & Porter will deliver oral argument in the case. After oral argument, attendees and community members will gather outside of the courthouse for a press conference, featuring key figures in the lawsuit and in the community, including Mr. Ragbir, Mr. Jones and other members of Mr. Ragbir’s legal team, faith leaders, and The Hon. Tish James, Public Advocate for the City of New York.
What: A court hearing and press conference about whether the government can retaliate against people who speak out against immigration policies by targeting and deporting them.
When: Monday, October 29, 2018 at 10 a.m. (Ragbir v. Homan is the fourth case scheduled that morning)
Where: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 40 Foley Square, Room 1703, New York, NY. A press conference will follow immediately after argument in Foley Square.
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Media Advisory: New Sanctuary Coalition and NYU Immigrant Rights Clinic to Hold First Amendment Teach-in
For Immediate Release
***Media Advisory***
(New York, NY) On Thursday, October 25, the New Sanctuary Coalition and NYU Immigrant Rights Clinic will hold a teach-in about the First Amendment rights of immigrants who speak out against the injustices and inhumanity of our immigration system.
Hosted at a Brooklyn church founded as a “temple of abolition” against slavery, the teach-in will be held in anticipation of an upcoming First Amendment case, Ragbir v. Homan, that will be heard in the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit early next week. The plaintiffs of Ragbir v. Homan seek, among other things, a court order restraining the government from deporting and otherwise targeting immigrant activists based on their protected political speech.
Thursday’s teach-in will unpack immigrants’ constitutional right to free speech, even as the government lashes out against immigrant rights leaders and activists.
Ragbir v. Homan was filed by nationally recognized immigrant rights activist Ravi Ragbir, along with immigrant rights organizations New Sanctuary Coalition, CASA, Detention Watch Network, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and the New York Immigration Coalition (the “plaintiffs”).
Who: Speakers will include Congresswoman Yvette Clarke; Rev. Kaji Douša, Senior Pastor at The Park Avenue Christian Church; Ravi Ragbir, Executive Director of New Sanctuary Coalition; Ramya Krishnan, Staff Attorney at The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University; and William Perdue, Associate at Arnold & Porter. The teach-in will be followed by a Know Your Rights training for activists and public art program.
What: A First Amendment Teach-in, held in anticipation of a court hearing about whether the government can retaliate by detaining and deporting people who speak out against immigration policies.
When: Thursday, October 25, 6:00PM – 9:00PM
Where: Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, a church founded as a temple of abolition in the 1850’s. 85 S. Oxford St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
10/25 in Brooklyn: First Amendment Teach-In
Immigrant rights are under attack. How does the First Amendment protect immigrants who speak out against the injustice of the deportation system? How do we ensure that we protect the rights of all of our community members when we make our voices heard? Join us at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, a church founded as a temple of abolition in the 1850s, to learn about these issues and an upcoming First Amendment case, Ragbir v. Homan, that will be heard in federal court later this month.
Speakers include:
- Rev. Kaji Douša, Senior Pastor at The Park Avenue Christian Church
- Ravi Ragbir, Executive Director of New Sanctuary Coalition
- Ramya Krishnan, Staff Attorney at The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University
The teach-in will be followed by a Know Your Rights training for activists and a public art project. This event is sponsored by the New Sanctuary Coalition and NYU Immigrant Rights Clinic. Co-sponsors include NYU Sanctuary Coalition, Law@theMargins, and Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute at The City University of New York Lehman College.
WHEN
October 25, 2018 at 6pm – 9pm
WHERE
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church
85 S Oxford St
Brooklyn, NY 11217
United States
85 S Oxford St
Brooklyn, NY 11217
United States
Taller Sobre La Primera Enmienda:
¿QUIÉN TIENE LA PALABRA? ¡NOSOTROS! LOS DERECHOS DE LOS INMIGRANTES Y SU PRIMERA ENMIENDA
Los derechos de los inmigrantes están bajo ataque. ¿Cómo podemos proteger el derecho de los inmigrantes para organizarse en contra de las injusticias del sistema de deportación? ¿Cómo podemos proteger los derechos de todos los miembros de nuestra comunidad cuando quieren expresarse? Únanse a nosotros en la Iglesia Presbiteriana de Lafayette Avenue, una iglesia fundada como templo de la abolición en la década de 1850, para conocer sobre estos temas y el caso de la Primera Enmienda, Ragbir v. Hofman, que se escuchará en una corte federal a finales de este mes.
Los presentadores incluyen:
- Rev. Kaji Douša, Pastor principal de la iglesia Cristiana de Park Avenue
- Ravi Ragbir, Director Ejecutivo de New Sanctuary Coalition
- Ramya Krishnan, Abogada del Instituto Knight de la Primera Enmienda en la Universidad de Columbia
El taller será en inglés y se ofrecerá interpretación simultánea.
Después del taller habrá una capacitación de los derechos de los activistas y un proyecto de arte público. Este evento está patrocinado por New Sanctuary Coalition e Internado sobre los Derechos de Inmigrantes de NYU.
¿CUÁNDO?
Octubre 25, 2018 de 6pm – 9pm
¿Dónde?
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church85 S Oxford StBrooklyn, NY 11217
Legal Update: Ravi and Immigrants’ Rights Organizations File Reply Brief in First Amendment Lawsuit
On Friday, October 5, 2018, Ravi and immigrants’ rights organizations (the “Appellants”) filed their reply brief in Ragbir et al., v. Homan et al. The brief—which outlines the outrageous and unlawful targeting of Mr. Ragbir and other immigrant rights’ activists in retaliation for their vocal opposition to our broken immigration system—was filed in anticipation of oral argument which is schedule for Monday, October 29, 2018 at 10:00am before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Community members are encouraged to attend.
In addition, and preceding oral argument, the NYU School of Law Immigrant Rights Clinic and Mr. Ragbir’s Defense Committee, will be hosting a First Amendment Teach-In entitled, Whose Speech? Our Speech! Immigrant Rights and the First Amendment, in anticipation of oral argument on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 6pm – 8pm. The teach-in will be held at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Brooklyn, New York, a church founded as a temple of abolition in the 1850s, which served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Details and speaker bios forthcoming.
Link to Reply Brief: https://ravidefense.files.wordpress.com/2018/10/ragbir-ca2-merits-reply-10-05-18.pdf
Five Amicus Briefs Filed in Support of Ravi Ragbir and Immigrant Rights Groups
New York, NY — In response to the targeting of immigrant rights activists by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, numerous faith leaders, religious institutions, elected officials, civic organizations, and legal scholars have filed legal briefs with a federal appeals court in Ragbir v. Homan to condemn the government’s violation of the First Amendment.
These amicus curiae (“friend of court”) briefs support plaintiffs Ravi Ragbir, the New Sanctuary Coalition, CASA, Detention Watch Network, the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, and the New York Immigration Coalition.
The lawsuit before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction restraining the government from taking further action to effectuate a deportation order against Mr. Ragbir, the Executive Director of the New Sanctuary Coalition and an outspoken advocate for immigrants’ and human rights.
There remains a case pending before the Federal District Court for the Southern District of New York, which also seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction restraining the government from selectively enforcing immigration laws against individuals based on protected political speech.
The law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of over 60 faith leaders and 6 religious institutions and membership organizations; the firm of Covington & Burling LLP filed an amicus brief on behalf of 35 local, state and federal elected officials; and the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis filed on behalf of 25 organizations from across the United States dedicated to organizing communities struggling with burdens imposed by immigration laws and policies.
Rutgers Law School International Human Rights Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of Emilio and Oscar Gutiérrez-Soto, political asylum seekers detained for nine months by ICE, and released only after a federal court in Texas found sufficient “temporal proximity” between amici’s political speech and ICE’s detention and attempted deportation of them.
In addition, First Amendment scholars at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center, the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and the Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice Center filed an amicus brief arguing that the use of deportation as a retaliatory tool against nonviolent activists, like Mr. Ragbir, is outrageous and the kind of conduct that the U.S. typically condemns.
Oral argument in the case has been set in the Second Circuit, located at 40 Foley Square, for October 29, 2018. Plaintiffs encourage members of the community to attend. For more information and updates, please visit istandwithravi.org.
Update in Ravi’s Case: Report Date Rescheduled for October 12
Ravi had been scheduled to report to ICE on September 7th. His report date has been postponed until October 12th at 10:00 a.m. Please mark this date on your calendars.
In the meantime, we are continuing to fight against ICE’s cruel and unjust practices. In the lawsuit challenging ICE’s retaliation against Ravi and other activists, Ravi and several immigrant rights organizations filed their opening brief to the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit arguing why the federal court should restrain ICE from retaliatory enforcement against Ravi for engaging in political speech critical to American democracy.
We anticipate that a hearing in this case will be scheduled in the near future, and will update you accordingly.
While we continue our fight in the courts, we know that it is the power of community support that will keep Ravi here and shed light on the injustice of ICE’s efforts to detain and deport people in darkness.
We urge you to stay vigilant, and will be in touch shortly with upcoming actions to support Ravi and others.
In the meantime, please also save the date for the New Sanctuary Gala, to be held on Thursday, November 8, 2018. Get your tickets here.
Legal Update: Ravi and Immigrant Rights Organizations File Opening Appeal Brief
On Friday, August 31, 2018, Ravi and immigrant rights organizations (the “Appellants”) filed the opening brief in Ragbir et al., v. Homan et al., the First Amendment lawsuit now before the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In the brief, Appellants argue that the federal district court hearing the case wrongly denied their request for a preliminary injunction, which asked the federal court to restrain ICE from deporting Ravi in retaliation for his exercise of his First Amendment rights.
The brief highlights the escalation of ICE’s retaliatory tactics–denying New Sanctuary Coalition’s access to public spaces, surveilling its headquarters, abruptly arresting and deporting one of its co-founders, and arresting and attempting to deport Ravi himself. It also highlights First Amendment retaliation against immigrant rights leaders throughout the country. Briefing in the case will end in early October and the parties anticipate oral argument in the case shortly thereafter.
First Amendment Case Update
Photo by Erik McGregor
On August 14, 2018, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit heard oral argument in Ragbir v. Homan, the First Amendment case filed by Ravi and immigrant rights groups, CASA, Detention Watch Network, National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, New York Immigration Coalition and New Sanctuary Coalition (the “plaintiffs”).
William Perdue of Arnold & Porter deftly argued before a packed courthouse that Ravi and the New Sanctuary Coalition should receive a stay of deportation. Perdue stated that there is strong evidence that the government retaliated against Ravi because he has been outspoken about the injustices of our current immigration system and he, the New Sanctuary Coalition, and the community have exposed ICE’s cruel and unjust practices.
Despite overwhelming evidence of retaliation, the government, represented by Steven Kochevar, emphasized that it should have the power to immediately arrest, detain and deport someone–like Ravi–with a final order of deportation. The government also could not promise the Court that it would not arrest, detain and deport Ravi if his current stay of deportation ends.
At the end of the hearing, over a hundred supporters of Ravi and the First Amendment held a press conference and rally in Foley Square, which culminated in a recitation of the First Amendment in English and Spanish, led by Ravi and renowned immigrant and reproductive rights activist, Alejandra Pablos.
THE COURT’S DECISION
On Tuesday, August 15, the Court issued an order in the case. The Court did not issue a decision on whether to grant Ravi a stay of deportation pending an appeal in the case. Instead, the Court asked that Ravi update it immediately if the stay of deportation from the federal court in New Jersey ends.
The Court also decided to expedite the plaintiffs’ appeal and stated that it will schedule oral argument in the case.
Please be on the lookout for an oral argument date in the coming months.
RAVI’S NEXT REPORT DATE
Currently, Ravi is scheduled to report to ICE for deportation on September 7, 2018. However, because there is a stay of deportation currently in place, that report date may be rescheduled. But we will always be prepared. Please look out for updates & information about actions on September 7th.
Thank you for all of your continued support as we stand up on behalf of the First Amendment rights of all our community members. We are truly grateful.
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