Race and Immigrant Rights
Overview
In the aftermath of 9-11, our country has seen a steady erosion of basic human rights. Some of our laws have denied basic due process to thousands of people in the United States, and many policies discriminate against people on the basis of national origin, race, religion, or citizenship. Immigrants have borne the brunt of harsh policies, with the U.S. government allowing raids and arrests without warrants, holding thousands in inhumane detention conditions, and deporting people without a fair trial, while people of color continue to face racial profiling and violations as suspects, defendants, and prisoners. We shouldn’t let the government treat anyone like this because denying human rights and due process to some puts all of our freedoms at risk.
Within this context, Breakthrough aims to foster an understanding and celebration of our racial and ethnic differences and to inspire people to create a culture without discrimination and violence. Using exciting and cutting-edge media and technology, our campaigns allow audiences to engage with the issues of race and immigration.
In order to have a broader public dialogue around immigration and racial justice, we must look towards policies that uphold due process and human rights.
We produce media, toolkits and events that emphasize the need to build connections across our many concerns and identities. These include:
• The Restore Fairness campaign is calling on the U.S. government to support fair immigration and racial justice by providing tools for action. Watch our documentary films: Face the Truth: Racial Profiling Across America and Restore Fairness. Please click HERE for our other documentaries on immigration and racial justice.
• Our I AM THIS LAND video contest was Breakthrough’s call for a more positive and open-minded future for our country.
• Video games like, ICED – I Can End Deportation, that puts players inside the shoes of an immigrant to see what its like to have no due process or human rights.
• Interactive sites like Homeland Guantanamo, where you’re the undercover investigative reporter exposing inhumane detention conditions and learn about DHS accountability.
MediaView All
Juana Villegas: A pregnant immigrant woman detained
video | Posted: 06/20/2012Juana Villegas was nine months pregnant when she was stopped for careless driving, taken from her children, and then detained in jail where she remained shackled while giving birth.
Mallika Dutt: The “war on women” is bigger than you think
video | Posted: 04/25/2012As the Supreme Court considers key elements of Arizona’s SB 1070 law, which legalizes racial profiling of and blatant discrimination against immigrant communities and people of color, stories from around the country show that this and other laws like it, such as Alabama’s H.B. 56. are causing intense damage to families, communities and economies, with […]
Mansimran: How a Sikh teen deals with bullying
video | Posted: 04/06/2012Meet Mansimran. He’s an all-American guy who likes Starbucks, hoops, and robotics. He’s a student, an older brother, and an active member of his Sikh religious community. Sometimes, when strangers see his turban, and the color of his skin, they lean out their car window and call him a “terrorist.” He’s not alone: especially since […]
Checkpoint Nation? Building Community Across Borders
video | Posted: 09/09/2011Early one morning, Maria–then nine months pregnant–and her family were stopped by the police for no discernable reason. A special breakfast outing became a nightmare–and at one of the most intimate moments of her life, Maria found a team of immigration agents–not her husband–by her side. Maria’s chilling story, which Breakthrough captured on a trip […]
“Role Call” Winner of Breakthrough’s I AM THIS LAND contest on diversity!
video | Posted: 03/08/2011Check out the the winner for our I AM THIS LAND contest on diversity…(drumroll please!) Role Call! Role Call was created by an amazing team of students and alumni from Flushing International High School (FIHS) in Queens, New York under the supervision of FIHS Media Arts Teacher, Dillon Paul. The MTV-style video of a student […]
“Role Call” Winner of Breakthrough’s I AM THIS LAND contest on diversity!
video | Posted: 03/08/2011Native American singer, Joanne Shenandoah, does an interview for I AM THIS LAND
video | Posted: 12/15/2010Native American singer Joanne Shenandoah does an interview for the I AM THIS LAND video contest.
Documentary: “Face the Truth: Racial Profiling Across America”
video | Posted: 09/28/2010Kurdish American, Karwan Abdul Kader, was stopped and stripped by local law enforcement for no reason. Watch stories like his in this powerful new documentary showing the devastating impact of racial profiling in the U.S.
Breakthrough documentary: “Two moms fight to stay together” on immigration and LGBT rights
video | Posted: 06/21/2010Shirley Tan came from the Philippines decades ago, and built a life with her partner Jay, giving birth to twin boys and becoming a full-time mom. But Shirley faced the biggest challenge of her life as she fought to stay on in the United States, crippled by laws that do not allow gay and lesbian couples to sponsor their partners.
Breakthrough joins the masses in D.C. to march for fair immigration
video | Posted: 03/21/2010On March 21, 2010, the very same day that health care reform passed in Congress, Breakthrough joined 200,000 workers, families and communities to march for just and humane immigration reform.
Documentary: “Restore Fairness: bring back due process to the immigration system”
video | Posted: 09/07/2009The “Restore Fairness” documentary is produced by Breakthrough in partnership with 26 leading organizations and calls for the U.S. government to bring back due process and fairness to the immigration system.
“A Surprise Visit”, a mother is separated from her children because of her immigration status
video | Posted: 03/11/2009Sarah (name changed), a legal permanent resident who was in the U.S. since she was 7, and the mother of two citizen children. She never realized she could be deported for life. At least, that’s what she thought.
“Warren Joseph: Military Man Faces Deportation”
video | Posted: 03/09/2009Warren Joseph from Trinidad had a Green Card and served in the U.S. Army in Iraq. After he returned home after war, he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and served three years in immigrant detention where he faced and observed numerous counts of abuse from immigration officials.
Interview with Betsy DeWitt Acquista, whose husband’s deportation tore her family apart
video | Posted: 03/04/2009Betsy, a European American, fell in love with a man from Italy and they started a family. After having children, he faces deportation to Italy.
Go inside Homeland Guantanamos to find out what happened to Boubacar Bah in immigrant detention
video | Posted: 02/24/2009Watch the trailer for our Homeland Gitmos site to see what happened to Boubacar Bah behind the walls of an immigrant detention center.
Ali: An HIV+ immigrant man suffers in detention
video | Posted: 02/23/2009This video story gives voice to Ali, a Pakistani-born, HIV+ gay man, living in New York City for 30 years with a green card.
Breakthrough interviews immigrants in detention in “Live from Jail”
video | Posted: 02/17/2009Breakthrough went “live from jail” and interviewed several long time legal permanent U.S residents who face possible deportation. As one says, “this is a nightmare that I’ve not been able to wake up from.”
“Bringing Durban Home”, Breakthrough’s film on racism narrated by Alice Walker,
video | Posted: 02/17/2009Experience the World Conference Against Racism and watch as filmmakers around the world show seven examples of struggles for racial justice.
A sneak peek inside our ICED video game on immigration with “The Immigrant Shuffle”
video | Posted: 01/06/2009Watch the trailer to get a sneak peak of the ICED game that puts you inside the shoes of an immigrant. They have no due process and no human rights.
Interview with Agatha Joseph, who fought to get her daughter out of immigrant detention
video | Posted: 01/06/2009Agatha Joseph’s daughter was only seventeen when she was placed in immigrant detention. She spent three years fighting to prove her innocence in seven detention centers all from smoking a joint with friends as a teenager.
Anselm IFill, a veteran ordered to be deported
video | Posted: 01/06/2009Anslem Ifill is a legal permanent resident who has lived in the US for 25 years—it is his home. So much so that he was in the U.S. Army for eight years. Now facing deportation he asks, “How can you deport individuals who risk their lives for the very beliefs and freedoms of this country?”
“Laff It Up!” – South Asian comedians on race in America
video | Posted: 01/06/2009South Asian/Arab comedians crack audiences up at Breakthrough’s “Laff it Up” event at Joe’s Pub in NYC. Watch Comedy Central’s Dean Obeidallah and others dish about race in America.
Animation about racial profiling in the U.S. – “America Rocks!”
video | Posted: 01/06/2009A family watching President Bush’s public address, soon realize they are targets in the United States.
“Don’t Deport Me, Scotty”
video | Posted: 12/04/2008See what happens when a permanent member of a popular space crew finds his status is in question. In any galaxy, when we deny due process and human rights to some, we put all of our freedoms at risk.
“Death by Detention” uncovers inhumane conditions that immigrants face behind bars
video | Posted: 12/04/2008As told by her sister June Everett, watch the story of Sandra Kenley, a 52- year-old grandmother, who after living in the U.S. legally for 33 years, was subjected to degrading and inhumane conditions and died in immigration detention.
Learn
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Homeland Guantanamos – FAQ
- Download PDF
- In the Homeland Guantanamos FAQ, find out everything you need to know about inhumane immigrant... More...
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ICED Curriculum
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- Get your students’ attention with the standards aligned ICED curriculum to teach immigration,... More...
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ICED Discussion Guide
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- Use the ICED Discussion Guide to teach your org’s members about human rights and immigration.Use... More...
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A ToolKit for Immigrant Rights Advocates
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- A toolkit with videos and talking points on immigration & human rights. More...
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Combating Racism Together
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- A resource to start conversations on international dimensions of racism through a human rights... More...