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SCREEN CAPTURE
Immigration activist Ravi Ragbir |
Before reporting to ICE, immigration rights advocate Ravi Ragbir said, "I am going to basically turn myself in and hope … that they will allow me to come back out." He lost that bet.
Ragbir, executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition, was arrested in New York City Thursday, (Jan. 11) during a routine check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and ordered immediately deported.
“Ravi Ragbir is an extraordinary man, beloved in his community and dedicated to fighting for immigrant rights. Today, after more than two decades of living in this country, he was detained by ICE and removed in an ambulance,” said Williams in a tweet confirming his arrest.
“This is not how you treat people who are protesting for human rights. This is not what democracy looks like. We can’t call ourselves progressives and pro-immigrants when the NYPD is doing chokehold to us,” said Rodriguez after his arrest.
Vivek Trivedi, Indian American communications director for South Asian Americans Leading Together, alleged to India-West that protestors were “dragged through the streets” by New York police.
Ragbir, a Trinidad and Tobago native of Indian descent, arrived in the U.S. in 1991 on a visitor’s visa. In 1994, he became a lawful permanent resident.
In 2006, Ragbir was ordered by an immigration judge to be detained and deported, stemming from a 2001 conviction of wire fraud – an aggravated felony. He spent 22 months in immigration detention.
Ragbir was then granted a stay of deportation until 2018 by ICE officers who used prosecutorial discretion. He was mandated to periodically check in with ICE.
Trivedi told India-West that after Ragbir was released from immigration detention in 2008, he was inspired by his experiences while incarcerated to speak out on prison reform and immigrant rights.
“Ravi has served as a leader in the immigrant community, creating channels for access to information and legal resources. He is an inspiring leader for the immigrants’ rights movement, one that we need now more than ever,” said Trivedi, noting that in 2017, Ragbir received SAALT’s “Changemakers” award, alongside Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations; law professor Jayesh Rathod; and Gurbani Kaur.
Ragbir is married to Amy Gottlieb, an immigration advocate for American Friends Service Committee. The couple lives with their daughter, Deborah, in Brooklyn.
Despite being eligible to adjust his status to that of permanent resident based on his marriage, the Board of Immigration Appeals recently denied Ravi’s request for an opportunity to be heard, according to a petition on change.org.
Hundreds of people – including several Indian Americans – gathered in front of the Jacob Javits Federal Building where Ragbir was detained. According to India-West, New York city councilmen – Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane Williams – were handcuffed and taken into custody, along with 16 others, while trying to prevent the ambulance transferring Ragbir to a hospital after feinting when he was arrested.
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said it “got crazy” when ICE agents emerged from the building and claims he was shoved and that Rodriguez was put in a headlock.
“A peaceful gathering in support of immigrant rights activist turned needlessly violent at the hands of ICE agents and some members of the NYPD,” Johnson said. “The behavior I witnessed from ICE agents and select members of the NYPD was totally unacceptable.”
City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said it “got crazy” when ICE agents emerged from the building and claims he was shoved and that Rodriguez was put in a headlock.
“A peaceful gathering in support of immigrant rights activist turned needlessly violent at the hands of ICE agents and some members of the NYPD,” Johnson said. “The behavior I witnessed from ICE agents and select members of the NYPD was totally unacceptable.”
“Ravi Ragbir is an extraordinary man, beloved in his community and dedicated to fighting for immigrant rights. Today, after more than two decades of living in this country, he was detained by ICE and removed in an ambulance,” said Williams in a tweet confirming his arrest.
“This is not how you treat people who are protesting for human rights. This is not what democracy looks like. We can’t call ourselves progressives and pro-immigrants when the NYPD is doing chokehold to us,” said Rodriguez after his arrest.
Vivek Trivedi, Indian American communications director for South Asian Americans Leading Together, alleged to India-West that protestors were “dragged through the streets” by New York police.
Ragbir, a Trinidad and Tobago native of Indian descent, arrived in the U.S. in 1991 on a visitor’s visa. In 1994, he became a lawful permanent resident.
In 2006, Ragbir was ordered by an immigration judge to be detained and deported, stemming from a 2001 conviction of wire fraud – an aggravated felony. He spent 22 months in immigration detention.
Ragbir was then granted a stay of deportation until 2018 by ICE officers who used prosecutorial discretion. He was mandated to periodically check in with ICE.
Trivedi told India-West that after Ragbir was released from immigration detention in 2008, he was inspired by his experiences while incarcerated to speak out on prison reform and immigrant rights.
“Ravi has served as a leader in the immigrant community, creating channels for access to information and legal resources. He is an inspiring leader for the immigrants’ rights movement, one that we need now more than ever,” said Trivedi, noting that in 2017, Ragbir received SAALT’s “Changemakers” award, alongside Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; Zahra Billoo, executive director of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations; law professor Jayesh Rathod; and Gurbani Kaur.
Ragbir is married to Amy Gottlieb, an immigration advocate for American Friends Service Committee. The couple lives with their daughter, Deborah, in Brooklyn.
Despite being eligible to adjust his status to that of permanent resident based on his marriage, the Board of Immigration Appeals recently denied Ravi’s request for an opportunity to be heard, according to a petition on change.org.
Previously, ICE officials had granted Ragbir prosecutorial discretion, including a stay of removal that was in effect until next week.
Known as a fixture in the immigrant rights movement, Ragbir was awarded the 2017 Immigrant Excellence Award by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, given to those who show "deep commitment to the enhancement of their community."
ICE justified its decision and said he will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad.
Known as a fixture in the immigrant rights movement, Ragbir was awarded the 2017 Immigrant Excellence Award by the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators, given to those who show "deep commitment to the enhancement of their community."
ICE justified its decision and said he will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad.
"Over the last 12 years, Mr. Ragbir's immigration case has undergone extensive judicial review at multiple levels of the nation's judicial system, including both immigration courts and federal appeals courts," said Rachael Yong Yow, ICE public affairs officer. In each review, the courts have uniformly held that Ragbir does not have a legal basis to remain in the US, ICE said.
In an exercise of discretion, the agency had previously allowed him to remain free from custody with periodic check-ins, while his case was under court review, Rachael said. "He has since exhausted his petitions and appeals through the immigration courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the US District Court. He will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad," she said.
"In addition to Mr. Ragbir's immigration violations, he has a previous federal conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, rendering him an aggravated felon. He was sentenced to 30 months incarceration, and ordered restitution in the amount of $350,001," said ICE spokesperson.
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In an exercise of discretion, the agency had previously allowed him to remain free from custody with periodic check-ins, while his case was under court review, Rachael said. "He has since exhausted his petitions and appeals through the immigration courts, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the US District Court. He will remain in custody pending removal to Trinidad," she said.
"In addition to Mr. Ragbir's immigration violations, he has a previous federal conviction for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, rendering him an aggravated felon. He was sentenced to 30 months incarceration, and ordered restitution in the amount of $350,001," said ICE spokesperson.
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