More than 52 organizations, led by the Fields Corner-based Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), are continuing to call on President Biden and Gov. Healey to protect immigrant and refugee communities ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of Donald Trump.

A Dec. 13 rally at the JFK Federal Building downtown urged state and federal leaders to end cooperation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and also provide pardons and clemency for those at risk of detention or deportation, one of whom, Dorchester resident Lan Le, whose was present at the rally and whose case was profiled in The Reporter last September.

As a refugee from Vietnam who came to Dorchester in the 1980s, she faces potential deportation due to a felony conviction and jail sentence that played out in the 1990s. She was marked for removal due to a 1996 law passed under the Clinton Administration.

“This is a matter of life or death for millions of immigrants and refugees who will be targeted by the Trump administration,” says Nicole Eigbrett, co-executive director of Dorchester’s AARW. “From the moment the outcome of the November election was clear, President Biden and Governor Healey needed to take decisive action to defend our communities from further criminalization and deportation. There is no more time for excuses, scapegoating, or political games.”'

AARW’s Dianara Rivera said the rally was originally planned to address Le’s case, a public effort dubbed ‘Lan’s Fight to Stay.’ However, they realized that hundreds were in the same position, and expanded the action to other refugee and immigrant groups.

“People like Lan and her community are scared, especially since a lot of folks in this position weren’t allowed to vote,” she said. “Whatever happened, they had to be okay with it…They now have to go about their lives, and they’re scared but they know they have to move forward.”

She noted that Biden still has time to pardon folks like Le, particularly in the southeast Asian refugee community. “He pardoned his son, Hunter, and other immigrant and refugee communities…and now is the time to pardon our communities,” she said.

On Tuesday, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley urged Biden to continue to issue pardons and clemency for those like Le before the Jan. 20 inauguration, calling it an “urgent” situation.