"ACCESS TO RELIGIOUS MINISTRY ACT" PASSES

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Immigrants,

I am delighted to share with you the wonderful news that the "Access to
Religious Ministry" bill unanimously passed the House and Senate
yesterday (see below.) There indeed is still a long way to go on this
Journey of Hope for immigrants, but as Advent approaches, passage of
this act is a hope-filled, concrete sign that we are beginning to see
the results of very, very many prayers and efforts. And now we are
assured that immigrant detainees will get the spiritual care they need
while they await the next step in their journeys. We will need your help
in implementing and putting into action this new law. Please call your
Senator and Representative to thank them for supporting this bill.

Thanks for all of your support! Praise God!

Peace,
Elena Segura
CCIR Director, esegura@archchicago.org


"ACCESS TO RELIGIOUS MINISTRY ACT" PASSES UNANIMOUSLY THE ILLINOIS
HOUSE AND SENATE
Thank you for all your prayers, and letters/phone calls to
legislatures! This is a crucial victory for the basic human rights of
immigrant detainees in county jails in Illinois, as this bill assures
them the same access to priests, nuns, ministers, rabbis, imams, and
other clergy as the criminal populations in these jails. The Sisters and
Brothers of Immigrants (in particular the Sisters of Mercy) and the
Priests for Justice for Immigrants were instrumental in introducing the
bill earlier this year and building grassroots support until the bill
passed in Springfield as HB 4613 (originally HB 2747). Many lay leaders
of the Catholic Campaign for Immigration Reform and the Catholic
Conference of Illinois also had important roles in this successful,
joint effort among many community-based and religious institutions

For background on the Lomas del Poleo situation check www.pasodelsur.com

CFIR's letter to the Indian Worker Congress

Cass County Jail
Christopher Glory
450 34th Street
Fargo, ND 58103

Indian Worker Congress:

We at Coloradans For Immigrant Rights (CFIR), a project of AFSC, have followed your brave struggle which shows us not only the dangers of a “guest worker” program that treats people as commodities but also the power of workers united. It is truly inspiring to see how you have drawn upon the history of non-violent resistance from both your home country and the United States in defense of your freedom and human rights.

We are deeply troubled by the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement who would retaliate against those who seek justice, rather than hold accountable companies such as Signal that profit from the trafficking, servitude and exploitation of people. And we are saddened that some of you have been detained by ICE and are now facing federal criminal charges. The perpetrators, not the victims, of human trafficking should answer for their actions.

Our group, which represents hundreds of individuals across the state of Colorado, works to support the human rights of immigrant communities and to create a vision of a world where dignity and justice are afforded to everyone. Your actions contribute to such a world and we stand beside in your struggle. Thank you.

In Solidarity,

The Introduction to Who Is My Neighbor?: A Faith Conversation on Immigration

For a copy of the curriculum or more information, please contact Jennifer Piper at jpiper@afsc.org or 303-623-3464

CFIR Thanks Governor Ritter

CFIR Thanks You

“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the keys to living your life with integrity.”

Dear Governor Ritter:

We at Coloradans For Immigrant Rights (CFIR) recently heard about your support of the Colorado Interfaith Pledge on Immigration on September 25th, 2008. We were encouraged and pleased to see you take a stand for proactive and respectful dialogue about immigration policy. We appreciate you naming comprehensive, just and human immigration reform as a priority and a necessity for the next president’s administration and for our communities.

Our group, which represents over 800 individuals across the State, works to support the human rights of immigrant communities and to create a vision of a world where dignity and justice are afforded to everyone. Your actions contribute to such a world. Thank you.

We will be following up with a letter outlining our perspective on the currently policy debate around immigration.

If you would like more information about CFIR or if there is anything we can do to be supportive of your continued efforts, please contact me at 303-623-3464.

Sincerely,

Jordan T. Garcia
Immigrant Ally Organizing Director
Coloradans For Immigrant Rights (CFIR) a program of the AFSC


Organizing Citizens to Support Immigrant Rights!
901 W. 14th Ave, Suite # 7, Denver, CO 80204 ● Ph: 303.623.3464 ● Fax: 303.623.3492
jgarcia@afsc.org ● www.afsc.org/central/colorado ● www.coloradansforimmigrantrights.blogspot.com

Aurora Tragedy: Avoiding Misplaced Blame

Last Thursday in Aurora, two women and an infant child were killed in a horrendous and tragic car crash. When something so unimaginable occurs, our entire community is thrust into mourning.

However, in the aftermath of this terrible event, the discussion has turned fully from the tragedy itself into what Tom McGhee of The Denver Post is fairly calling "the car crash blame game." Rather than allowing a family and community to mourn the heartbreaking loss of three people's lives, the public discussion has turned to anti-immigrant hatred and bigotry.

This heartbreaking incident has ignited a painfully myopic and divisive discussion. One individual with a history of grave traffic violations is being used to leverage terror and rage at an entire community. It is fair to be outraged at the driver's recklessness. It is an illogical leap to tie this to his immigration status.

Study after study shows that immigrants in every ethnic group in the United States commit crimes at lower rates than do native born citizens. Yet one person's egregious behavior is being discussed as somehow derivative of the manner in which he entered this country. More offensively, criminality is projected onto the millions of hard-working folks who come to this country seeking a better life for themselves and their children. 

The tragedy in Aurora should not be a platform for discussing our broken immigration system, but we can clearly agree that it is broken.

Had the federal government enacted policy reform to resolve the legal status of the millions of folks who are unable to regulate their immigration status under current law, the immigration status of those arrested for crimes would be a non-issue. In the absence of such reform, the current vitriol against immigrants as a whole unjustly divides us at a moment when we should be united to support the families of the victims.

In this moment of great sorrow, let's not lower ourselves to misguided assumptions. The intolerable and premature loss of three lives is a reason to pull together in mutual caring, not give into the politics of blame.