Weaving Resistance: Families Belong Together and the Fight for Immigration Reform

This image shows a closeup of Ellis Angel’s ‘No Human is Illegal’ weaving, created from protest posters collected during immigration rights marches. The weaving intricately combines fragments of powerful phrases advocating for the dignity of immigrants and the importance of humane policies. The detailed textures and threads are a testament to the complexity of the immigration issue and the resilience of those fighting for justice.

Today, as I look back through my phone’s memories, I’m reminded that it was in October 2018 that I was deep into the weaving process for the Families Belong Together March. That period was not only one of creativity but of reflection, frustration, and hope. The weaving process for this piece felt especially poignant, as it was born from a protest aimed at keeping families together in the face of inhumane policies at our borders.

Closeup of a Families Belong Together protest posters featuring a detained little girl at the center with a warped frame on top.

The Weaving Process: Families Belong Together

What made this weaving project particularly special for me was that it marked the first time I directly engaged with the public for one of my pieces. Instead of collecting posters after the march, as I did for the Women’s March weavings, I asked protestors themselves for their signs and posters to create this artwork. It was a moment of connection, where people entrusted me with their personal messages of resistance, each poster carrying the weight of their anger, fear, and hope.

As I wove those posters into my work, the materials themselves seemed to speak. Each thread, each piece of paper, reminded me of the voices behind the movement. The Families Belong Together March was a call for justice and compassion, a demand that children should not be ripped from their parents in the name of immigration enforcement. The process itself—destroying and reassembling—reflected the struggle to hold onto humanity in the face of policies that were actively tearing it apart.

Poster reading ‘No Human Being Is Illegal’ from Ellis Angel’s protest weaving, part of an artwork advocating for immigration reform.

The Task is Not Over

But as I reflect on that time in October 2018, I can’t help but feel the weight of how much work is still left to be done. The task of keeping families together is far from complete. We need humane immigration policies, compassion at our borders, and leaders who will advocate for the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of where they come from.

Unfortunately, much of the fear-mongering we saw back in 2018 is still being used today by the Trump campaign. Immigrants are being blamed for everything from "taking jobs" to being the cause of violent crime, even though violent crime has significantly decreased. According to FBI data, the violent crime rate in the U.S. has dropped by nearly 50% since the early 1990s, with the rate falling from 79.8 incidents per 1,000 people in 1993 to 25 incidents per 1,000 people in 2020. Despite these facts, Trump continues to fuel fear with inflammatory claims like, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” a sentiment he first used in 2015 and continues to use in 2024.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump has pledged to "aggressively enforce immigration laws," including deporting millions of undocumented immigrants and reinstating policies like family separation. This type of rhetoric is not only false but dangerous, as it encourages division and demonizes immigrant communities.

The Project 2025 blueprint, endorsed by Trump’s campaign, is already positioning itself to reignite these harmful policies. It explicitly states that “the next administration will have the tools to aggressively enforce immigration laws, including the deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants.” This includes the potential reinstatement of family separation policies—the very policies that sparked the Families Belong Together March.

Trump’s rhetoric during the 2024 campaign seeks to revive these false claims, blaming immigrants for economic hardships and crime waves that simply don’t reflect reality. This isn’t just about misinformation—it’s a calculated effort to create an us-versus-them mentality that drives fear and division.

As a community, we need to push back against this divisive narrative. Immigrants contribute to the economy, enrich our communities, and bring resilience to this nation. The idea that immigrants are responsible for taking jobs or increasing crime is a dog whistle, a distraction from the real issues that need attention, like economic inequality and systemic injustice.

The question is no longer just about awareness—it’s about action. If we want a future that reflects humane immigration policies, we need to stand up, speak out, and make sure our voices are heard.

This image shows Ellis Angel’s finished weaving titled #EndFamilyDetention, a 24x24 mixed media piece created from protest posters collected during the Families Belong Together March. The weaving boldly displays the text ‘Sick Motherfucker,’ expressing raw frustration and anger toward the family separation policies at the U.S. border. The intricately woven posters serve as a powerful call for action, demanding the end of the inhumane detention of migrant families. This piece captures the emotional intensity and urgent message of the protest.

A Call to Action: Vote for Change

We need to vote for humane leadership, for policies that respect the dignity of families and individuals. This is a reminder that it's not too late to register to vote and make your voice heard in the upcoming elections. Every vote counts, and the decisions we make today will shape the future for years to come.

I believe in the power of collective action, and I have hope that in another 6 years, we will be able to look back with pride, having made more progress. But progress will only come if we stand up, if we vote, and if we demand change.

Resources for Voter Registration

If you haven't registered yet, there's still time. Register to vote here and make sure your voice is counted in this critical moment.

I hope this post serves not only as a reminder of the Families Belong Together March and the work that went into creating that weaving, but as a call for all of us to keep pushing forward. The task isn’t over, but together, we can move toward a future where compassion, justice, and humanity prevail.