(Editor’s note: On July 3, Governor Bob Ferguson denied the pardon application from Tuan Thanh Phan, refusing one of the core demands from organizers in the movement to bring Phan back to the United States from his detainment in a shipping container in Djibouti. This likely clears the way for Phan to be deported to South Sudan.)
This past weekend, on June 21st, I was honored to be invited to and attend the annual Juneteenth celebration at the Washington Corrections Center, hosted by my friends from the Black Prisoners’ Caucus (BPC).
Despite the many obstacles local prison administration placed in front of the BPC in an attempt to censor and silence their voices, members were able to overcome and still found a way to put on a magnificent event, and I hope that community continues to support prisoner-led groups such as the BPC so more events like this can happen.
While I sat in attendance and listened to speeches about the history of Juneteenth and stories of resistance and liberation, I was particularly moved by the calls for unity and love — yeah, I’m definitely with that.
However, as I enjoyed the amazing food and the rest of the festivities with my family and friends, I have to admit that my heart was also heavy with guilt and a deep sadness for those from our community whom have been taken from us and unable to experience, in person, the love that was in the room that day.
For those of you who read “On the Fence Line” regularly, y’all know about our friend, Tuan Thanh Phan (Brother T), who despite being Vietnamese, was recently thrown on a plane, with seven other deportees, headed to South Sudan, after serving his full sentence of nearly 25 years at various facilities within Washington’s Department of Corrections (DOC). For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, please check out last month’s “On the Fence Line.”
Since last month’s installment, there have been some deeply troubling updates regarding Brother T. It has been disclosed to us that our dear friend never actually made it to South Sudan, and has been detained this whole time in an American shipping container off the coast of Djibouti since his flight was diverted there from Texas after a federal judge ruled that his deportation was unlawful without first providing him a proper hearing.
As of this writing, it is my understanding that Brother T remains in that horrendous shipping container surviving off minimal rations of food and water.
What makes the situation even more grave is the most recent Supreme Court ruling now allowing immigration officials to restart deportations to third countries — even if a deportee has no ties whatsoever to that respective country. Simultaneously, according to Fox News and other media outlets, Donald Trump’s administration has also filed a motion to clear a pathway to continue deporting Brother T, and the others on that original flight, to South Sudan. What all this means for Brother T remains unclear.
However, what this means for the rest of us actually becomes extremely clear — we fight! And what’s also clear is that Donald Trump is a jackass!
On June 11th, community organizers, in collaboration with Brother T’s family, organized a rally at the federal courthouse in support of Brother T and others being viciously targeted by Donald Trump’s administration and ICE agents. Their demands were simple:
1.) Return Brother T back to Washington state immediately.
2.) For Governor Bob Ferguson to grant Brother T a pardon.
3.) For DOC to stop cooperating with ICE.
If you couldn’t already tell, I’m hella mad, y’all. But even more so, my heart breaks for Brother T and his family. Nobody deserves to go through what they’re going through right now. What’s happening is not only illegal, it’s immoral and flat out evil. And while I advocate for Brother T because he’s my friend, there are so many more people facing these exact same circumstances that need our support in the worst way right now and they deserve the same amount of advocacy.
Donald Trump and his supporters are doing exactly what they told us they were gonna do — “Make America WHITE Again.” That much is obvious from the multitudes of buses and planes filled with melanin being sent out of the country every single day. Just pay attention. And if we don’t come together now to resist this fascism and blatant racism, all our fates are already sealed.
I know what it’s like to feel helpless and alone, y’all. Given the climate of our country right now, I’m sure many of us feel that way. It’s easy to. There’s no shame in that. But once you’ve acknowledged those damn feelings and shown yourself the proper care, we need to start grinding again. Our community is under attack. Our community needs us. Wake the f*ck up!
So please, take those demands that I’ve shared above and get to pressing on every goddamn elected official you have access to. And if you can’t do that, try to turn radical love and resistance into something that makes sense for you.
To all my homies and all those forced to duck ICE agents right now, I send all y’all my love and please know that y’all are not forgotten about. Stay safe, y’all.
Free Palestine!
Until next time, keep dreaming!
Felix Sitthivong is an incarcerated storyteller, community organizer, and founding member of the Peoples’ Empowerment Assembly for Collective Equity (PEACE). Sitthivong is also the former president and senior advisor for the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group (APICAG). He is currently serving a 66-year sentence at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, WA. Reach him with questions for “On the Fence Line” via Securus (WA #354579) or write to him at Felix Sitthivong #354579, PO BOX 900, Shelton, WA 98584.
Felix Sitthivong is an incarcerated storyteller, community organizer, and founding member of the Peoples’ Empowerment Assembly for Collective Equity (PEACE). Sitthivong is also the former president and senior advisor for the Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Awareness Group (APICAG). He is currently serving a 66-year sentence at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, WA. Reach him with questions for “On the Fence Line” via Securus (WA #354579) or write to him at Felix Sitthivong #354579, PO BOX 900, Shelton, WA 98584.
