Jeffrey Lancaster

Designer + Illustrator + Husband + Dad

[NSC Stats @NSC_Stats]

Opinion: What this fight reveals about Philly soccer | Opinion @Tennessean

I wasnt at the game nor did I watch it on TV…

[Henri Nouwen (1932–1996) @nofearinlove77]

“A Christianity without empathy is nothing but an empty religion. The heart of the Gospel is to love your neighbor as yourself, to rejoice with those who rejoice, and to weep with those who weep.”

—Henri Nouwen, “The Return of the Prodigal Son”

[Jeffrey Lancaster @JeffLancaster6]

https://t.co/ImJGjU0Qfh

[alex medina @mrmedina]

Woj (scriptural) bomb 💣

[derek guy @dieworkwear]

I debated whether to share my story on here, but I guess I will.

I think there's an idea out there that millions of violent criminals are pouring across the border, carrying machetes and drugs, looking to harm Americans. Certainly, while some people fall into that category, the vast majority of undocumented immigrants don't.

My family escaped Vietnam after the Tet Offensive and went through an arduous journey that eventually landed them in the Canada. My father worked there for a time as a janitor; my mother, a secretary. When work fell through, my dad was offered to work with his sister in the United States, so he went, as our family needed money. He ended up staying in the US longer than he was supposed to — not knowing immigration laws — and asked my mom to come be with him. Of course, she went and carried me over the border while I was still a baby.

I'm still unsure whether we technically broke an immigration law. The border between Canada and the United States was pretty porous (as it is today, for the most part). But either way, since I came here without legal documentation, I eventually fell into the category of being an undocumented immigrant. Yet, I've been in the United States since I was a baby. My identity and roots are very much based in this country, no different from anyone else.

The lack of legal immigration has totally shaped my life. It has made every interaction with the law much scarier. It has shaped which opportunities I could or could not get. It has taken an emotional toll, as this legal issue hangs over your head like a black cloud.

There are millions of people in my situation — people who were brought here as children, some babies, and were unable to raise their hand during this process and say "maybe we should hire a lawyer." Parents may have crossed the border not knowing about the law, as the law can be pretty confusing and lawyers are expensive. Perhaps, in the end, they should have hired a lawyer; but sometimes life is messy. In the end, they crossed for the same reason many people rise every day: to support their families.

I think it's unreasonable to deport millions of people who have contributed positively to society. It's simply not true that the majority of these people are violent criminals carrying drugs. Many own small businesses; many work as skilled laborers (including garment workers!). The vast majority are good, honest people. For those of us who grew up in the United States, sending us "back" to our "home" country would mean sending someone to a foreign land, as they grew up in the United States. Tearing families apart based on immigration status seems inhumane.

About twenty years ago, I watched with some small measure of hope that the Dream ACT would pass and help a portion of undocumented immigrants. I saw people march angrily in the streets (something I supported). But I was dismayed to see nothing really come about. In fact, when Obama passed DACA, I was skeptical that it would be sensible to give your information to the federal government without a guaranteed path to citizenship. It seems that the Trump administration may use those lists to hunt down immigrants.

I think the ICE sweeps are inhumane. I support and admire the protestors who are putting their bodies on the line for non-violent resistance. Ultimately, I think we need to solve this issue on a systemic level. It's unreasonable to me to expect that the government will deport some 10-20 million people. Even deporting 1 million will cause an insane amount of chaos, not to mention an incredible amount of wasteful government spending. The militarization of law enforcement is over the top and only escalate the situation.

I have seen people march on this issue, only for it to be dropped later and dissolve into quiet grumbles. In the end, nothing is done for immigrants. Time passes until decades later, we have another political crisis like the one we have today. This cycle seems unsustainable. I hope people sustain this energy to solve the immigration issue and put undocumented immigrants — most who are peaceful, skilled, and hard-working citizens — on a path to citizenship. As time continues to go by, many undocumented immigrants are seeing their lives wasted away.

If you care about this issue, I hope you get involved on the long haul: volunteer for pro-immigrant groups, donate to mutual aid, and perhaps pursue career paths that help people in this situation. I was moved to read someone on here say that, when they found their employee was undocumented, they helped them get a green card. The path was difficult, as our immigration system is broken (it took them 11 years). But I can tell you that this is like pulling someone drowning in raging waters.

Ultimately, I hope me sharing this story helps push back against the idea that all undocumented immigrants are MS-13 members. I know many people in my position and they are all like your neighbors.

[MLSPA @MLSPA]

An update on Club World Cup Bonuses.

MLS spent most of last week making threats and promising retaliation against the MLSPA and players because Seattle players wore t-shirts that expressed frustration over the league’s refusal to engage about Club World Cup compensation.

More details ⬇️ #FairShareNow

[Scott Barber @thescottbarber]

My dearest Wormwood,

[Senator Heidi Campbell @Campbell4TN]

People who are okay with this are wrong- this is evil. Whole communities in our country should not be forced to feel this way by the government they support ( yes- they pay taxes)- it’s the gestapo and it’s fascist and it’s WRONG!

[Jeff Yarbro @yarbro]

I love this country with my whole heart. But what was done in our name today was embarrassing and shameful. Using the Oval Office to ambush and bully a man defending his home from invasion is a betrayal of our nation and its values.

It’s a rejection of what made America great.

[alex medina @mrmedina]

may you know love in 2025
may you know clarity in 2025
may you know flourishing in 2025
may you know peace in 2025

[Jeffrey Lancaster @JeffLancaster6]

@namenzie Let him preach!

[Johnny Akzam @JohnnyAkzam]

Health insurance summed up👇🏼

[Prof Zenkus @anthonyzenkus]

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will leave office in January with the minimum wage still at $7.25, seeing homelessness spike over 12%, and having participated in a genocide that has left at least 200,000 dead in Gaza.

[thucksgiving @TylerHuckabee]

Some context that David French leaves out: This started with a group of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans chanting “Let the IDF win! Fuck the Arabs!” and singing a song with the line “there are no schools in Gaza because there are no children left" before attacking a cab with a crowbar.

[Simon Kuper @KuperSimon]

Paris Saint-Germain fans just unfurled this giant banner before tonight's PSG-Atlético Madrid match

[WKRN News 2 @WKRN]

Message from mayor on professional teams eyeing Nashville https://t.co/gwogyASTQa

[Al Jazeera Breaking News @AJENews]

BREAKING: A UN inquiry found that Israel implemented a concerted policy to destroy Gaza’s healthcare system during its attacks, which constitutes war crimes and the crime against humanity of extermination.

🔴 LIVE updates: https://t.co/xbhZNZWMdl

[thucksgiving @TylerHuckabee]

ta-nehisi coates being willing to burn through all his political goodwill for the just and righteous cause of Palestinian dignity is one of the more morally courageous acts from a public figure i can recall in my life. so rare to see true heroism. so beautiful.

[Joshua Ariza @Joshua_Ariza]

@reathchris I do it for the money.

And I do it for the hoes.

[Sen. Bernie Sanders @SenSanders]

Netanyahu’s right-wing, extremist government is violating international & US law and has created a humanitarian disaster in Gaza.

Today, I announced that I will file Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to stop the sale of U.S. arms to Israel and end our complicity in this disaster.