17-year-old Landon Pangrazio has come a long way since the beginning of the school year. In September, he started a project in his Civic Readiness classes with Mrs. Schlagenhauf and Mr. Beuler. The class required a research paper, to educate a population and a take action event.
Video interviews with Landon Pangrazio and his teachers Mrs. Schlagenhauf and Mr. Beuler
Today’s Community Rally on ICE Reform held in Batavia in front of the Genesee County Courts Facility was Pangrazio’s take action event. About 45 people attended the event which included speakers that Pangrazio contacted. The event was not an abolish ICE or anti-ICE event, but a rally intended to create a space for constructive dialog about immigration policy, due process, family unity and the experiences of people and communities affected by immigration enforcement actions.
Completing the Civic Readiness class will earn Pangrazio a seal on his High School diploma.
Pangrazio says today’s event was just the beginning for him. He says he will continue to be more active in his community and in Genesee County.
“I definitely want to thank everyone who came and everyone who supports this. I’m obviously not taking a position of ice out or abolish ice because in some cases the United States does need ICE because of people in cartels or importing drugs, but we can balance border security and safety along with constitutional rights. I don’t want to get rid of it because nothing ever gets done, you’re putting a band aid on the problem, I want to patch it up, I want to advocate for reform.”
