A local racial activist group in Marshall County is planning to hold a meeting Sunday to educate Haitian migrants on how to deal with law enforcement.
The "Know Your Rights" meeting will be held at a local Haitian church, hosted by Project Say Something, Alabama Coalition of Immigration Justice (ACIJ), and Reclaiming Our Time. 1819 News contacted the ACIJ for more information via an email address listed on the group's website but did not receive a response.
"It is important to know what rights you have just for being in the United States ('undocumented' or citizen)," Unique Dunston, a Horton resident and founder of Reclaiming Our Time, wrote in a Facebook post announcing the meeting.
Dunston has been vocal about her opposition to Albertville residents' efforts to address immigration issues, accusing the city leaders of discrimination in enforcing housing codes.
"The enforcement of these ordinances would clearly be directed toward migrants living together for survival. The enforcement measures as they are being proposed are inherently discriminatory and threaten not only the people directly impacted, but our city as a whole," Dunston wrote in an open letter. "...The City of Albertville has a choice to make. Do we want to live up to our values of being a welcoming community that cares for our neighbors? Or, will we succumb to the temptation to scapegoat some of our neighbors for our shared challenges?"
The American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama shared the letter. Black Lives Matter of Birmingham, the ACLU, North Alabama Showing Up for Racial Justice, Fair Housing Center of Northern Alabama and several others also signed on.
Albertville Police Chief J.T. Cartee said code enforcement officers have been hard at work addressing complaints and that most people have willingly complied with making changes without being given a citation.
Albertville resident Gerilynn Hanson has been leading a grassroots effort, including leaders in the Haitian community, to fix the city's issues with immigration. She recently founded a nonprofit organization, Transitioning Tomorrow Today, along with immigration expert Jay Palmer, to help educate and assimilate Haitians and other immigrants into the community and make sure none are being trafficked or taken advantage of. Hanson and Palmer have repeatedly condemned any racist comments made toward the Haitian community and other attempts to politicize the issue.
Despite this, Dunston's rhetoric toward the city and those concerned with immigration has been highly critical, accusing Albertville of having "deeply rooted white supremacy" and Transitioning Today Tomorrow — formerly Concerned for Albertville — of being "racist and xenophobic."
The ACIJ also condemned "the use of racist, xenophobic language against Haitian people at the Albertville church meeting on August 13," referencing a community meeting attended by over 200 residents where an off-color remark was made and subsequently denounced by Hanson and the other meeting organizers.
To connect with the story's author or comment, email daniel.taylor@1819news.com or find him on X and Facebook.
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