June Is National Immigration Heritage Month

Immigration Heritage Month, first established in June 2014 and observed every year since, is a time to honor and celebrate the shared diversity that continues to transform and shape our country.

NOW members in 30 cities and counties across the nation will be able to participate in the month-long celebration that, organizers say "is intended to inspire, uplift, and support immigrant communities in our cities and the nation."

Here's a list of participating municipalities and moreabout the "You Belong" campaign being launched in honor of Immigrant Heritage Month by Cities for Action, a bipartisan coalition of nearly 200 U.S. mayors and county executives.

As Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said, "This National Immigrant Heritage Month, we want to say clearly and firmly: Chicago will always be a welcoming city. You belong here."

"You belong here." Those three simple words that ought to be universally understood and accepted are being challenged by a crackdown on immigrants that undermines our most basic principles of fairness and democracy.

Instead of celebrating the ways immigration has strengthened our society, the Trump Administration is obsessed with deportation, travel bans and revoking student visas. "You don't belong here," they say, but NOW members strongly, powerfully disagree.

NOW opposes the Trump Administration's cruelty in dealing with immigration. The list of ways they subvert the rule of law grows by the day:

• attacks on habeas corpus
• blatant ignoring of court orders
• bans on refugee settlement
• revoking protected status for hundreds of thousands of refugees from dangerous countries such as Venezuela and Haiti
• declaring an end to birthright citizenship
• arresting legal asylum seekers at their immigration check-ins
• arresting and deporting people for expressing political beliefs

The I Stand With Immigrants campaignposted this:

"As we kick off #ImmigrantHeritageMonththis year, we're reminded that our ability to thrive despite adversity comes from our communities' unwavering resilience, vibrancy, and determination.

"We know the current environment has brought enormous challenges to immigrant communities across the U.S. But in a time of uncertainty, fear, and division, #ImmigrantHeritage Month remains a vital moment of solidarity and celebration."

Here's their video, "I Stand With Immigrants," featuring artists and their loved ones sharing what makes them proud about their own heritage and the value of our collective recognition of everyone's unique story.

In years past, Immigration Heritage Month was more of a time to commemorate proud achievements. But this year, this month is also a call to action, one that NOW members are ready to meet.

We stand with immigrants this Immigration Heritage Month and remind ourselves that diversity isn't only something we celebrate, it is who we are.