Child of Immigrants Gets Her Turn at the Mic

New York City councilman Carlos Menchaca is pushing for more protections for immigrants in the wake of what he says are increasing crackdowns by federal immigration and customs enforcement officers under the Trump Administration.

Menchaca held a press conference in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on Thursday, along with representatives from immigrant advocacy groups. The speakers called attention to obstacles they say face immigrant New Yorkers.

“It seems like every day brings more offensive news from the federal government and threatens our people,” said Menchaca.

But it was an 11-year-old girl in a pink T-shirt who stole the show. Britney Espinoza discreetly tapped Menchaca on the back while another immigrant organizer was speaking. She got his attention and told him she wanted a turn at the microphone. Espinoza closed out the press conference, looking straight into the cameras.

“I’m here to speak up for our immigrant rights, which are also human rights,” she said.

After the press conference, Espinoza gave interviews to reporters, just like the adults who spoke. She said her parents are immigrants, and she goes to school with classmates who worry that immigration officers will separate their families. “They feel afraid that once they come home, they don’t see no one, and everyone’s gone,” Espinoza said.

Did Espinoza plan her remarks? “No. I said what was inside.”

Menchaca chairs the city council committee on immigration. He and council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito are in a standoff with the mayor over funding for immigrant legal defense. The city council approved a budget allocating $26 million to a program that provides free legal representation for immigrants facing deportation. Menchaca and Mark-Viverito want that money to go to anyone with financial need. The mayor’s office wants to exclude immigrants who have been convicted of any of 170 serious crimes.

Menchaca said the distribution of that money is the subject of ongoing negotiation with the mayor’s office.