Not in Our Valley

Kristi Hanson
2026-02-20T13:06:00-05:00

The Hudson Valley is facing a profound moral crisis. The quiet expansion of ICE operations - marked by plans for a massive detention facility in Chester - is an act of aggression against our neighbors and our shared values, and is a profound betrayal of the dignity and respect that define the our community.

Immigrant families are integral to the Hudson Valley’s agricultural sector, which is at the heart of who we are as a community. Resistance is critical. We must support local initiatives and legislation whose purpose it is to stop state and local cooperation with ICE. And we need to support local organizations that provide resources to our immigrant population where and when they need it.

Columbia County Sanctuary Movement is one such organization. The organization provides our immigrant community with the resources it needs to live, and it powers the immigrant rights movement in NY. Their work, and the work of others like them, is more important now than ever.

We refuse to stand by and watch while those whose hard work and commitment to our community is not recognized for what it is - the fabric of our life and the lifeblood of the agricultural economy. We must demand that our representatives stand firm against the abusive policies of this administration. The soul of our communities depends on it.