“Attorney General Sessions’ visit to Long Island is an attempt to exploit the recent tragic killings in Brentwood and Central Islip to advance the Trump Administration’s radical policies on immigration and criminal justice. These killings are appalling, and our prayers are extended to the families of the victims. But this visit by Sessions is disrespectful and not in service to the communities trying to heal from this violence.

“Instead of engaging in dangerous stereotyping and fear mongering, we should be looking at intelligent and humane approaches to public safety while working to address the systemic inequities that leave so many of these families in poverty and young people with few options to thrive.

“Jeff Sessions’ visit to our community will make these goals harder to achieve. His radical vision for immigration enforcement would make it harder for immigrant communities to communicate with law enforcement and would make all of us less safe.

“We will not allow Sessions and the Trump administration to use our community in their attempts to defame immigrants as criminals. We will continue to work with our immigrant neighbors and friends to build a more just and equitable society that lives up to American ideals.”

Bend the Arc Jewish Action has been a leader in New York and across the country in rallying the American Jewish community to fight back against the Trump administration’s policies. The organization has developed a toolkit helping Jews to take action in their communities and build a movement of Jewish resistance to Trump’s agenda.  An open letter co-authored by Stosh Cotler, CEO of Bend the Arc Jewish Action expressing solidarity with those threatened by the Trump administration, received more than 45,000 signatures.

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