Fiona Apple has narrated a short film about how to safely document and video record U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in a video made in conjunction with We Have Rights, Brooklyn Defender Services, and WITNESS.
In a new interview with Vulture, the ‘Fetch the Boltcutters’ singer explained her decision to narrate the clip, calling the video “essential”.
“This is horrible shit that ICE is doing. They’re trapping people and separating people, now at these hotels — there’s no way to track anybody. People are just losing their kids. There’s no situation where people should be without their parents or their lawyers,” Apple said.
“I think this video is absolutely essential. When I was reading the script, I felt really lucky to be able to read it aloud and learn it. It’s such valuable information. Everybody can help out.”
She continued, “I think so many people want to help and they don’t know how. They feel like they have no way of helping. But if you’ve got eyes, ears, a notepad, and a pencil, you can help but you have to know the rules to be able to help.”
“You might be trying to help and film an immigrant or their family member, and you end up hurting them. Just film the badges, the street signs. Or maybe you don’t make a copy of the film. Or know that you need a six-digit passcode in order to exercise our Fifth Amendment right—we need to stop with the fingerprint and face recognition. Or [know] that you have to keep on filming.”
The eight-time Grammy Award nominee went on to reiterate the importance of documenting these events via film, on top of being equipped with the appropriate legal knowledge regarding their rights.
“Don’t stop filming!” she said. “And saving the unedited version so you can go back and see all the facts. It’s all such valuable information. Getting that info and learning it, for me, at least, makes me feel equipped to help. At least I feel like a basic level of “OK, if something happened around me, I could be of use. I can take out my phone or use my mind and write things down.”
She added, “I can at least bear witness.”
Apple also spoke out on fellow musician Kanye West’s presidential bid, slamming the Republican lawyers who are assisting the rapper, saying, “I really hate them for how they’re treating him, you know?”
As for music news, Fiona Apple added that her recording set up is ready and that fans can likely expect a project in due course.
“I was working on something but I can’t talk about it yet,” she concluded.
