By Anthony Barrows, Executive Director, LIFT- NY
Chloe Oliveras, Executive Director, LIFT- LA
Sarah Spunt, Senior Executive Director, LIFT -Chicago
Neils Ribeiro-Yemofio, Executive Director, LIFT- DC
It is no coincidence that we are seeing increased ICE activity and National Guard presence in Los Angeles, D.C., Chicago, and New York — the very cities where LIFT shows up to advance economic mobility and disrupt generational poverty. These places are home to vibrant, diverse, working-class communities — communities rich in culture, resilience, and possibility. Our presence in these cities is no accident.
And so, it is a surreal LIFT moment to see each of the cities being targeted, one by one. The same qualities that make them centers of hope and transformation also make them targets for fearmongering and systems built to control rather than uplift.
Families are waking up to the sound of helicopters, military convoys, and immigration raids. ICE and National Guard troops are showing up in neighborhoods where parents work multiple jobs, where children walk to school each morning, and where entire communities have worked for decades to create stability and hope. The Washington Post recently reported that hundreds of children (possibly more) are once again being separated from their parents as a result of mass deportation raids across the country. Families who have built lives, contributed to their communities, and worked tirelessly to give their children a brighter future are again being forced into impossible positions. When parents are torn from their children, the ripple effects are devastating, not only for those families, but for our entire economy and society.
At LIFT, nearly 30 years of work in communities have shown us that families are the heartbeat of economic mobility. Parents, no matter where they were born or their current immigration status, build, contribute, and sustain our neighborhoods. They are small business owners, essential workers, caregivers, and leaders. They pay taxes, create jobs, and power local economies. In fact, undocumented immigrants paid nearly $97 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2022 alone. When our communities are terrorized and fractured, it doesn’t just devastate lives – it weakens the nation’s economic strength and its moral standing.
And yet, in the face of fear, our families lift and rise.
They rise through love, the very kind that moves them to protect their children and care for their neighbors. They rise through work—the daily labor that sustains our cities and fuels our economy. And they rise with resilience—the unshakable belief that dignity is not granted by systems of power but born from the strength of community. They rise through advocating as experts about the conditions needed for them, their children, and their communities to get ahead.
At LIFT, we remain steadfast in our belief that economic mobility and justice are inseparable. To build a nation where every family can thrive, we must protect all families—regardless of immigration status, race, or zip code. So today, as our communities face intimidation and fear, we call for courage. Courage to speak truth, even in the face of threats. Courage to stand in solidarity, especially alongside groups that are under attack. And courage to work with love, power, and joy in spite of the people who want us demoralized. Because even under intimidation, our families lift and rise.
#WhyWeLift #ResilienceInAction