Immigration issues have been at the forefront of our national dialogue for the last year. Family separations at the border, calls for the abolition of the U.S. Immigration Custody and Enforcement (ICE) agency, and simultaneous calls for funding a full border wall have ensured immigration remains a contentious topic.
During that time, the WyoSayNo campaign, led by the ACLU of Wyoming, has been partnering with organizations throughout the state to push back against the proposed private immigration prison in Uinta County and to lift up the importance of keeping families together – not just at the border, but in Wyoming as well.
On Sunday, the ACLU of Wyoming will be hosting a WyoSayNo letter writing party with Highlands United Presbyterian Church in Cheyenne. Attendees will write letters to Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Edward Buchanan, State Auditor Kristi Racines, State Treasurer Curt Meier and Superintendent of Instruction Jillian Balow – all elected officials who have the power to approve or deny the build of MTC’s proposed prison near Evanston.
“Private immigration prisons separate families and cause fear in residents who have documented and undocumented relatives. We don’t need a company like MTC that cannot manage its facilities properly and is responsible for human rights violations coming here to tell us what is best for our community and our state,” said Antonio Serrano, organizer for the ACLU of Wyoming. “Letters and emails sent directly to our public officials can be a very useful advocacy tactic and can be extremely effective in making change in our state. We want to make sure Wyoming voices are heard.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: WyoSayNo Letter Writing Party
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Sunday, May 12
WHERE: Highlands United Presbyterian Church, 2390 Pattison Ave., Cheyenne
FOR INFORMATION: Go to www.aclu-wy.org
About the ACLU of Wyoming
The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of civil liberties and civil rights. The ACLU of Wyoming is part of a three-state chapter that also includes North Dakota and South Dakota. The team in Wyoming is supported by staff in those states.
The ACLU believes freedoms of press, speech, assembly, and religion, and the rights to due process, equal protection and privacy, are fundamental to a free people. In addition, the ACLU seeks to advance constitutional protections for groups traditionally denied their rights, including people of color, women, and the LGBT communities. The ACLU of Wyoming carries out its work through selective litigation, lobbying at the state and local level, and through public education and awareness of what the Bill of Rights means for the people of Wyoming.
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