Community Unity halts a deportation

Community and City representatives feel pleased with ICE decision to defer deportation of Riaz Talukder Photo/ Kisha Bari and William Depoo

Bangladeshi immigrant Riaz Talukder scheduled for deportation gets 6 months reprieve due to community, media, legal, and elected representatives’ pressure

NEW YORK CITY, NY (TIP):  Nearly 75 immigrants, elected officials, activists, family, and community members gathered in the cold weather outside Federal Plaza to show their support for Riaz Talukder, a Bangladeshi immigrant who was told by DHS that he would be deported, November 22.  They rallied and held a press conference outside Federal Plaza, and nearly 40 of them went inside to accompany Mr. Talukder to demonstrate the amount of community support behind his case.

Riaz Talukder was brought to this country as a minor and has lived and worked here for 36 years. He has two US born children, Radi, 11 and Rafi, 15, both of whom were present for the press conference today. Rafi, a Bronx Science High School student, spoke at the press conference and highlighted that no family should have to face such a situation of being torn apart as a result of detentions and deportations. Riaz’ younger son Radi, skipped school to accompany his father into Federal Plaza and waited anxiously in the waiting room for good news. Riaz’s wife suffers from thyroid cancer and is scheduled for surgery in December.

After two hours of waiting, including praying together, family and supporters received the good news that Mr. Talukder would be going home, and would have 6 months before the next check-in.

Mr. Talukder stated “I am happy to be going home with my family, and with all these people who are my family and my community who came to support me.”

Mr. Talukder’s attorney, Edward Cuccia, Esq: “ICE has exercised its discretion to grant a 6-month extension to allow for the processing of all the paperwork that we have filed and will continue to file to fight for Riaz Talukder to stay in the United States, where he belongs.  This was a great day today.  We’re very, very hopeful.

Lucy Herschel of Jackson Heights Immigrant Solidarity Network said: “We had a great victory today, but Riaz is just one of millions of people in this country living under the constant threat of deportation.  These are our family and friends, our neighbors, our coworkers.   We need to build a mass movement to defend our communities from this attack.

Kazi Fouzia, Director of Organizing at DRUM – Desis Rising Up & Moving said “He is not asking for a favor. He has spent 36 years building this country, this city, and his community. This is Riaz’s home. And our communities can come out to support and defend each other.”

Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez, who does not represent Mr. Talukder’s district, came to the press conference and joined Mr. Talukder for the whole duration of the check-in. Elected officials  and representatives from the office of NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Comptroller Scott Stringer, Councilmember Brad Lander, Council Speaker Mark-Viverito, Councilmember Menchaca, and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer , were also present.

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