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Black Diaspora Liberty Initiative

@bdlinitiative

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We advocate 4 D rights and well-being of Black LGBT+ immigrants, by fostering a supportive & inclusive environment where all individuals can thrive.

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This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are uplifting Pauline Binam’s story alongside the stories of survivors in our communities. Each person deserves to be heard, supported, and able to live in safety.
Stand with Pauline and others to help amplify calls for her release and reunion with her family. Join us in advocating for safety, dignity, and freedom for all survivors.

GoFundMe: bit.ly/gofundpauline (link in bio)
Sign Pauline’s Petition: bit.ly/paulinepetition (link in bio)

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Today we stood with community members, immigrant justice organizations and Samson’s loved ones to send a clear message: Bring Samson Birhane home!

Samson came to the United States as a refugee from Eritrea at age 13 and has lived in Atlanta for more than 16 years. In June, he was deported to Equatorial Guinea, a country he had never visited. He was held in a hotel used as a detention center until he was recently transferred to a jail. Amnesty International reports that officers beat Samson during the transfer and has raised concerns about his safety and detention conditions.

Thanks to @advancing_justice_atl for putting this together.

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Traveled to DC last week with PURPOSE!
Thank you @detentionwatch and @elrefugiostewart

Call your Members of Congress and tell them they must act in the interests of saving people lives NOW!!

Tell them to Sponsor these BILLS!

1. The Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act
H.R. 6397 and S.3704 Introduced by @repjayapal The bill will dramatically decrease the detention of vulnerable populations such as children, LGBTQ people, pregnant individuals, survivors of violence, primary caregivers, and those with illnesses or disabilities, and it establishes community-based case management resources based on real individual needs.

2. Melt ICE Act H.R. 7190: Introduced by @repdeliaramirez To end detention and electronic monitoring, and redirect funding to community-based wrap around services.

#cbc #sistersister #motivation #dc #family

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During Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Week last week, directly impacted people, leaders, organizers, advocates, and movement partners from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for the #CommunitiesNotCages National Day of Advocacy, meeting with more than 70 members of Congress to demand action.

We came with clear demands: stop the expansion of immigration detention, shut down detention centers, claw back ICE funding and redirect those resources toward our communities, and support legislation that protects the dignity and freedom of people impacted by immigration detention.

At a time when families are struggling to afford healthcare, housing, food, and other basic needs, billions of dollars continue to be invested in detention and deportation. We are demanding a different vision, one where our resources are invested in keeping families together, meeting community needs, and strengthening our communities, not expanding systems of detention and harm.

Our communities deserve investment, dignity, care, and freedom, not cages.

#CommunitiesNotCages #EndTheICEAge #DignityNotDetention

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September 18, 2026: Donald Trump announced that CNN, MS NOW & Politico are being banned from the White House, effective immediately. In a Truth Social post, he accused the outlets of reporting “fiction and lies” and said additional media outlets could face similar bans.

Trump does not have an unlimited legal power to ban news organizations from White House press access simply because he dislikes their coverage…

#news

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This week, directly impacted people, community organizers, advocates, and policy experts gathered in DC from across the country for the #CommunitiesNotCages National Day of Advocacy to meet with more than 70 members of Congress and demand they:

➡️Stop detention expansion
➡️Shut down detention centers
➡️Clawback back ICE funding and redirect to community needs
➡️Sign onto Melt ICE and Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act

We demand members of Congress act now! No more abuse and death at the hands of ICE and no more ICE funding while people lose health care, struggle to pay rent, and kids go hungry. Our tax dollars need to be used to strengthen our families and communities, not for the targeting, detention and deportation of our immigrant friends, neighbors and coworkers.

Thank you to @RepJayapal and @RepRamirez for their ongoing leadership and for supporting the #CommunitiesNotCages national day of advocacy.
#communtiesnotcages #endtheiceage #dignitynotdetention meltICE ICE

📸Photos by: @survivalmedia @borachungphoto

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Pauline @free_pauline is still detained at Stewart Detention Center, separated from her daughter, loved ones, and community. Her continued detention is a painful reminder that our work is far from over.

At our recent press conference, community members, advocates, elected officials and partners came together with one clear demand: FREE PAULINE.

Pauline deserves to be home with her daughter and surrounded by the community that continues to fight for her. We will continue raising our voices, organizing, and building pressure until she is free.

We need you in this fight. Join the campaign, share Pauline’s story, show up to actions, and help us demand her immediate release.

Pauline belongs with her family and community, not in detention. FREE PAULINE NOW.

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The fight to #FreePauline continues. Pauline deserves to be free and reunited with her daughter!!!

CBS News reported on a recent rally demanding the immediate release of Pauline Nadege Binam, a Cameroonian mother who has been detained at Stewart Detention Center since December 2025.

Swipe through for an overview of the article, and on actions you can take to demand Pauline’s release: contact your elected officials, and keep the pressure on ICE.

Share and follow @free_pauline on Instagram and stay connected to the campaign.

Link in bio for full article https://cbsn.ws/4ci1mRJ

#FreePauline #protectblackmigrants

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Today future-electeds Bentley Hudgins and Timoria McQueen Saba and myself (advocate and organizer Noël Heatherland) visited Pauline Binam, a 36 year old Black queer woman and mother who’s been here since she was 2 years old, at Stewart Detention Center. It was an eye-opening and heartbreaking experience. We left more committed than ever to advocating for her release. We all feel touched by a part of her story.

We stopped by El Refugio to briefly decompress after. Thank you to El Refugio for the cold water, snacks, and helping take care of people the ways that you do. Follow and please support @elrefugiostewart - they are doing amazing work in these times.

Making our way back to Atlanta. See you at 4pm at the presser for Pauline @free_pauline . She deserves our support.

#paulinebinam #blackmaternalhealth #georgia #lgbtq #freepauline

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Team Reyes recently had the pleasure and honor of attending the celebration party & fundraiser for the passage of the New York Dignity Not Detention Act!

This victory was made possible by the persistence of countless devoted organizations, passionate advocates, and the partnership of my brilliant colleague and cosponsor, Senator Julia Salazar.

Years of organizing, narrative-driven campaigns, and people-centered advocacy have finally come to fruition. This legislation is a momentous advancement in the fight for immigrant protections and a moment when humanity triumphs over the profit motive of detention contracts.

All New Yorkers deserve to live in a state that values their lives and upholds their dignity, regardless of status, race, or ethnicity. This win is proof that when we combine our individual power for a collective cause, we can disrupt unjust systems and secure the moral standards our communities are entitled to.

Nothing has filled me with more pride than helping lead this movement, alongside coalition partners, organizers, community members, and impacted individuals who persevered, stood firm, and never wavered.

Let us commemorate this success and continue to fight for the dignity, protection, and liberty of our immigrant neighbors.

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Pauline should not be behind bars. She should be safe, free, and surrounded by community.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in to our Instagram Live tonight to learn more about Pauline’s story and why we are demanding her immediate release from ICE detention.

Behind every immigration case is a real person, a daughter, a friend, a survivor, and a member of our community who deserves dignity and compassion.

A huge thank you to @uche_onwa, @jasmine4ga, @noel4collectiveliberation, and @comrade.kii for sharing your insights, speaking truth, and helping amplify this campaign.

If you missed the live, we have shared the replay. Take a few minutes to watch, learn, and most importantly, take action.

Together, we can help bring Pauline home.

#FreePauline #BlackMigrantsMatter #EndImmigrantDetention #bringpaulinehome

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Join the #FreePauline campaign tomorrow, July 29th at 6 PM EST for a special 30-minute IG Live as we: shine a light on Pauline’s story and the growing movement to secure her release; injustices of immigration detention particularly for Black migrants; and tips for community organizing, public advocacy and collective action for the release of Pauline and others in detention.

Speakers include: BAJI’s National Civic Coordinator Uche Onwa, UndocuBlack’s National Community Organizer, Mikki Charles, Rep. Jasmin Clark and Noel Heatherland, a domestic violence survivor and LGBTQ+ advocate.

#FreePaulineBinam #SurvivedandPunished #FreeThemAll #STOPTakingOurPeople BreakTheICEMachine

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