To: Karen Weaver, The Mayor of Flint, Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Stop Denying Undocumented Residents Access to Clean Water!
Undocumented residents of Flint, Michigan are being denied access to free clean water, water filters, and water testing kits. Drinking water in Flint has extremely high levels of lead which causes permanent brain damage in children as well as a host of other health problems. Access to clean drinking water is a human right! We demand:
*The immediate resignation and replacement of Gov. Rick Snyder
*The immediate resignation and replacement of Flint Mayor Karen Weaver
*Immediate availability of clean water, water filters, lead poisoning test
to all undocumented residents in Flint, MI
*No questions asked! Ban on asking for social security numbers, IDs, and
other form of identification when going to retrieve water, water filters,
and lead poisoning test
*Elimination of ICE raids
*Investigation into the discriminatory practices that are keeping
undocumented residents in Flint, MI in fear and without access to clean
and uncontaminated water
*Prompt and complete full replacement of all lead service lines in the
water system at no cost to customers
*The immediate resignation and replacement of Gov. Rick Snyder
*The immediate resignation and replacement of Flint Mayor Karen Weaver
*Immediate availability of clean water, water filters, lead poisoning test
to all undocumented residents in Flint, MI
*No questions asked! Ban on asking for social security numbers, IDs, and
other form of identification when going to retrieve water, water filters,
and lead poisoning test
*Elimination of ICE raids
*Investigation into the discriminatory practices that are keeping
undocumented residents in Flint, MI in fear and without access to clean
and uncontaminated water
*Prompt and complete full replacement of all lead service lines in the
water system at no cost to customers
Why is this important?
Undocumented residents of Flint, Michigan are being denied access to free clean water, water filters, and water testing kits and being kept in the dark about the toxic water crisis. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder states "making sure the people of Flint immediately have access to safe, clean water, and that includes reaching every home to supply water, filters, replacement filter cartridges and water testing kits.” But if that was the case, why are undocumented immigrants being denied access to these very things?(1)
The state’s disregard for the latino community continues as they failed to distribute information about the water crisis in spanish. Flint’s latino community is mostly Mexican and there are about 1,000 undocumented residents in the area. And many, as a result of not being properly informed, are just now learning about the contaminated water as a result of community and grassroots efforts. On top of the negligent actions of city and state officials, Flint has seen a series of predatory Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented residents -- creating an environment of fear and intimidation for many Latino families. And thus making it increasingly more difficult for undocumented residents to get access to the information about the water crisis (2).
Access to clean drinking water is a human right! It is a human rights violation to deny individuals to access clean, uncontaminated, and safe drinking water. Individuals, regardless of legal status or whether or not they have IDs, should not be refused access to a resource that all humans need to survive.
References
1. “Undocumented immigrants in Flint say they’ve been denied free water and are scared to get help, ” Fusion, 01-25-2016, http://fus.in/1NvHrbX
2. “ICE raids may have worsened woes for undocumented community in Flint,” Latino Fox News, 01-28-2016, http://bit.ly/1ND2nh8
The state’s disregard for the latino community continues as they failed to distribute information about the water crisis in spanish. Flint’s latino community is mostly Mexican and there are about 1,000 undocumented residents in the area. And many, as a result of not being properly informed, are just now learning about the contaminated water as a result of community and grassroots efforts. On top of the negligent actions of city and state officials, Flint has seen a series of predatory Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented residents -- creating an environment of fear and intimidation for many Latino families. And thus making it increasingly more difficult for undocumented residents to get access to the information about the water crisis (2).
Access to clean drinking water is a human right! It is a human rights violation to deny individuals to access clean, uncontaminated, and safe drinking water. Individuals, regardless of legal status or whether or not they have IDs, should not be refused access to a resource that all humans need to survive.
References
1. “Undocumented immigrants in Flint say they’ve been denied free water and are scared to get help, ” Fusion, 01-25-2016, http://fus.in/1NvHrbX
2. “ICE raids may have worsened woes for undocumented community in Flint,” Latino Fox News, 01-28-2016, http://bit.ly/1ND2nh8