|
QUIK-CLICK GUIDE
SCHEDULE
OF EVENTS
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S
POSITION ON IMMIGRATION
EXCERPTS FROM
STRANGERS NO LONGER
MYTHS ABOUT IMMIGRATION
WHAT YOU CAN
DO
MORE
INFORMATION
“I
want to encourage you and your communities to continue to
welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their
joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials, and
to help them flourish in their new home. This, indeed, is what
your fellow countrymen have done for generations. From the
beginning they have opened their doors to the tired, the poor,
the
‘huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ These are the people
whom America has made her own.”
--Pope Benedict XVI, in remarks to the U.S. Catholic Bishops
(2008)
Catholic
Perspectives on
Immigration
________________________________________________
Schedule of Events
(There are no
events scheduled at this time)
________________________________________________
Questions About the Catholic Church's
Position on Immigration
Why does the church care about immigration policies?
The Catholic Church has historically held a strong interest in
immigration and how public policy affects immigrants seeking a
new life in the United States. Based on Scriptural and
Catholic social teachings, as well as her own experience as an
immigrant Church in the United States, the Catholic Church is
compelled to raise her voice on behalf of those who are
marginalized and whose God-given rights are not respected.
The Church believes that current immigration laws and policies
have often led to the undermining of immigrants’ human dignity
and have kept families apart. The existing immigration system
has resulted in a growing number of persons in this country in
an unauthorized capacity, living in the shadows as they toil in
jobs that would otherwise go unfilled. Close family members of
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents must wait years for
a visa to be reunited. And, our nation’s border enforcement
strategies have been ineffective and have led to the death of
thousands of migrants.
The Church has a responsibility to shine the message of God on
this issue and help to build bridges between all parties so that
an immigration system can be created that is just for all and
serves the common good, including the legitimate security
concerns of our nation.
Does the Catholic Church support illegal immigration?
The Catholic Bishops do not condone unlawful entry or
circumventions of our nation’s immigration laws. The bishops
believe that reforms are necessary in order for our nation’s
immigration system to respond to the realities of separated
families and labor demands that compel people to immigrate to
the United States, whether in an authorized or unauthorized
fashion.
Our nation’s economy demands foreign labor, yet there are
insufficient visas to meet this demand. Close family members of
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents face interminable
separations, sometimes of twenty years or longer, due to
backlogs of available visas. U.S. immigration laws and policies
need to be updated to reflect these realties.
Does the Catholic Church support “amnesty”?
The Catholic bishops are proposing an earned legalization for
those in this country in an unauthorized status and who have
built up equities and are otherwise admissible. “Amnesty,” as
commonly understood, implies a pardon and a reward for those who
did not obey immigration laws, creating inequities for those who
wait for legal entry. The bishops’ proposal is not an
“amnesty.”
The Bishops’ earned legalization proposal provides a window of
opportunity for undocumented immigrants who are already living
in our communities and contributing to our nation to come
forward, pay a fine and application fee, go through rigorous
criminal background checks and security screenings, demonstrate
that they have paid taxes and are learning English, and obtain a
visa that could lead to permanent residency, over time.
Excerpts from Strangers No Longer--
Together on the Journey of Hope
The following
excerpts are from
Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope,
a joint statement
from the Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States.
•
We speak as two Episcopal conferences but as one Church, united
in the view that migration is necessary and beneficial. At the
same time, some aspects of the migrant experience are far from
the vision of the Kingdom of God that Jesus proclaimed: many
persons who seek to migrate are suffering, and, in some cases,
dying; human rights are abused; families are kept apart; and
racist and xenophobic attitudes remain. (#2)
•
As pastors to more than sixty-five million U.S. Catholics, we
witness the human consequences of migration in the life of
society every day. We witness the vulnerability of our people
involved in all sides of the migration phenomenon, including
families devastated by the loss of loved ones....and children
left alone when parents are removed from them. (#4)
•
Migrants and immigrants are in our parishes and in our
communities. In both our countries, we see much injustice and
violence against them and much suffering and despair among them
because civil and church structures are still inadequate to
accommodate their needs. (#5)
To Whom We Speak
• We
speak to migrants who are forced to leave their lands to provide
for their families or to escape persecution. We stand in
solidarity with you. We commit ourselves to your pastoral care
and to work towards changes in church and societal structures
that impede your exercising your dignity and living as children
of God. (#9)
•
We speak to public officials in both nations, from those who
hold the highest offices to those who encounter the migrant on a
daily basis. We thank our nations presidents for the dialogue
they have begun in an effort to humanize the migration
phenomenon. (Page 3, Paragraph 10) We ask our presidents to
continue negotiations on migration issues to achieve a system of
migration between the two countries that is more generous, just,
and humane. (#104)
•
Finally, we speak to the peoples of the United States and
Mexico. ur two nations are more interdependent than ever before
in our history, sharing cultural and social values, common
interests, and hopes for the future. Our nations have a singular
opportunity to act as true neighbors and to work together to
build a more just and generous immigration system. (#12)
Catholic Social
Teachings
•
All persons have the right to find in their own countries the
economic, political, and social opportunities to live in dignity
and achieve a full life through the use of their God-given
gifts. In this context, work that provides a just, living wage
is a basic human need. (#34)
•
The Church recognizes the right of sovereign nations to control
their territories but rejects such control when it is exerted
merely for the purpose of acquiring additional wealth. ore
powerful economic nations, which have the ability to protect and
feed their residents, have a stronger obligation to accommodate
migration flows. (#36)
•
The Church recognizes that all goods of the earth belong to all
people. hen persons cannot find employment in their country of
origin to support themselves and their families, they have a
right to find work elsewhere in order to survive. Sovereign
nations should provide ways to accommodate this right. (#35)
•
Those who flee wars and persecution should be protected by the
global community. This requires, at a minimum, that migrants
have a right to claim refugee status without incarceration and
to have their claims fully considered by a competent authority.
(#37)
•
Regardless of their legal status, migrants, like all persons,
possess inherent human dignity which should be respected.
Government policies that respect the basic human rights of the
undocumented are necessary. (#38)
Policy
Recommendations
•
Globalization and
Economic Development
Now is the time for both the United States and Mexico to
confront the reality of globalization and to work toward the
globalization of solidarity. Both governments have recognized
the integration of economic interests through the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It is now time to harmonize
policies on the movement of people, particularly in a way that
respects the human dignity of the migrant and recognizes the
social consequences of globalization. (Page 31, Paragraph 57)
The creation of employment opportunities in Mexico would help to
reduce poverty and would mitigate the incentive for many
migrants to look for employment in the United States. The
implementation of economic policies in Mexico that create living
wage jobs is vital, especially for citizens without advanced
skills. (Page 32, Paragraph 61)
•
Family-Based
Immigration
The U.S. legal immigration system places per-country limits on
visas for family members of U.S. legal permanent residents from
Mexico. Spouses and parents thus face a difficult decision:
either honor their moral commitment to family and migrate to the
United States without documentation, or wait in the system and
face indefinite separation from loved ones. This is an
unacceptable choice, and a policy which encourages undocumented
migration. A new framework must be established that will give
Mexican families more opportunities to legally reunited with
their loved ones in the United States. (Page 33-34, Paragraphs
65-66)
• Legalization of the
Undocumented
A broad legalization program of the undocumented would benefit
not only the migrants but also both nations. Legalization
represents sound public policy and should be featured in any
migration agreement between the United States and Mexico. In
order to ensure fairness for all nationalities, the U.S.
Congress should enact a legalization program for immigrants
regardless of their country of origin. (Page 35, Paragraphs
69-70)
•
Employment-Based
Immigration
In order to prevent future abuse of workers, any new temporary
worker program must afford Mexican and other foreign workers
wage levels and employment benefits that are sufficient to
support a family in dignity; must include worker protections and
job portability that U.S. workers have; must allow for family
unity; must employ labor-market tests to ensure that U.S.
workers are protected; and must grant workers the ability to
move easily and securely between the United States and their
homelands. It must employ strong enforcement mechanisms to
protect worker = s rights and give workers the option to become
lawful permanent residents after a specific amount of time.
Reform in worker programs must be coupled with a broad-based
legalization program. (Page 36-37, Paragraphs 72, 75)
•
Enforcement Policies
Alarmingly, migrants often are treated as criminals by civil
enforcement authorities. Misperceptions and xenophobic and
racist attitudes in both the United States and Mexico contribute
to an atmosphere in which undocumented persons are discriminated
against and abused. Reports of physical abuse of migrants by
U.S. Border Patrol agents, the Mexican authorities and, in some
cases, U.S. and Mexican residents, are all too frequent,
including the use of excessive force and the shackling of
migrants’ hands and feet. (Page 39, Paragraph 80)
In order to address these excesses, both governments must create
training mechanisms that instruct enforcement agents in the use
of appropriate tactics for enforcing immigration law. We urge
the U.S. and Mexican governments to include human rights
curricula in their training regimens so that immigration
enforcement personnel are more sensitive to the handling of
undocumented migrants. (Page 41, Para. 85)
We urge both the U.S. and Mexican enforcement authorities to
abandon the type of strategies that give rise to smuggling
operations and migrant deaths. Care should be taken not to push
migrants to routes in which their lives may be in danger. We
also urge more concerted efforts to root out smuggling
enterprises at their source using a wide range of intelligence
and investigative tactics. (Page 43, Paragraph 89)
•
Due Process
In 1996, the U.S. Congress eviscerated due process rights for
migrants with the passage of the Illegal Immigration Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA), which authorizes the
detention and deportation of migrants for relatively minor
offenses, even after they have served their sentences. We urge
the U.S. Congress to revisit this law and to make appropriate
changes consistent with due process rights. We also urge the
Mexican government to honor the right to due process for all
those who are in the country, specifically documented and
undocumented migrants who do not now enjoy due process and who
may be removed from the country for arbitrary reasons. (Page 44,
Paragraphs 92-93)
•
Protection of Asylum
Seekers
We restate our long-held position that asylum seekers and
refugees should have access to qualified adjudicators who will
objectively consider their pleas. We urge both countries to take
a leadership role in the Regional Conference on Migration ( Puebla Process) and to work with our Central American neighbors
to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees throughout our
hemisphere have access to appropriate due process protections
consistent with international law. (Page 46, Paragraph 99)
•
Consequences of
September 11
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have placed
national security concerns at the forefront of the migration
debate and have added another dimension to the migration
relationship between the United States and Mexico. We urge both
nations to cooperate in this area, but not to enact joint
policies that undermine human rights, reduce legal immigration,
or deny asylum seekers opportunities for protection. (Page 46,
Paragraph 100)
Pastoral
Recommendations
•
The Church should encourage these broad-based efforts to provide
both a comprehensive network of social services and advocacy for
migrant families. A special call is issued for lawyers in both
our countries to assist individuals and families in navigating
the arduous immigration process and to defend the rights of
migrants, especially those in detention. (Page 22, Paragraph 44)
•
Ideally, local parishes should ensure that sacramental
preparation is available to people on the move, making special
provisions for them given their transitory lives of following
work wherever it leads. (Page 23, Paragraph 47)
•
Careful and generous cooperation between dioceses is important
to provide priests and religious who are suited for this
important ministry. Guidelines for their training and reception
by the host diocese must be developed jointly with the diocese
that sends them. (Page 25, Paragraph 50)
Conclusion
•
We recognize the phenomenon of migration as an authentic sign of
the times. We see it in both our countries through the suffering
of those who have been forced to become migrants for many
reasons. To such a sign we must respond in common and creative
ways so that we may strengthen the faith, hope, and charity of
migrants and all the people of God. (Page 47, Paragraph 102)
•
We ask our presidents to continue negotiations on migration
issues to achieve a system of migration between the two
countries that is more generous, just, and humane. We call for
legislatures of our two countries to effect a conscientious
revision of the immigration laws and to establish a binational
system that accepts migration flows, guaranteeing the dignity
and human rights of the migrant. (Page 48, Paragraph 104)
•
We stand in solidarity with you, our migrant brothers and
sisters, and we will continue to advocate on your behalf for
just and fair migration policies. We commit ourselves to animate
communities of Christ = s disciples on both sides of the border
to accompany you and your journey so that yours will truly be a
journey of hope, not of despair, and so that, at the point of
arrival, you will experience that you are strangers no longer
and instead members of God = s household. (Page 49, Paragraph
106)
For the full text
of the Strangers No Longer
click here.
Common Myths About
Immigration
Immigrants Don't Want to Learn
English
The development
of English proficiency among non-English speaking immigrants
today mirrors that of Nineteenth and early Twentieth century
immigration, when masses of Italian, German, and Eastern
European immigrants came to America. While first generation,
non-English speaking immigrants predictably have lower rates of
English proficiency than native speakers, 91% of second
generation immigrants are fluent or near fluent English
speakers. By the third generation, 97% speak English fluently
or near fluently.
(Source: Shirin
Hakimzadeh and D’Vera Cohn, “English Usage Among Hispanics in
the United States,” Pew Hispanic Forum, Dec. 6, 2007.
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=82;
Janet Murguia and Cecilia Muñoz, “From Immigrant to Citizen,” The
American Prospect (Oct. 23, 2005),
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?articleId=10487)
Immigrants Don't Pay Taxes
Undocumented
immigrants pay taxes. Between one half and three quarters of
undocumented immigrants pay state and federal taxes. They also
contribute to Medicare and provide as much as 7 billion dollars
a year to the Social Security Fund. Further still, undocumented
workers pay sales taxes where applicable and property
taxes—directly if they own and indirectly if they rent.
(Source:
Immigration Policy Center, “Undocumented Immigrants as
Taxpayers,” (November 2007),
http://www.ailf.org/ipc/factchecks/UndocumentedasTaxpayer.pdf;
Eduardo Porter “ Illegal Immigrants are Bolstering Social
Security with Billions,” New York Times, (April 5, 2005),
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/05/business/05immigration.html?ex=1270353600&en=78c87ac4641dc383&ei=5090&partner=kmarx)
Immigrants Increase the Crime Rate
Recent research
has shown that immigrant communities do not increase the crime
rate and that immigrants commit fewer crimes than native born
Americans. While the undocumented immigrant population doubled
from 1994 to 2005, violent crime dropped by 34% and property
crimes decreased by 32%. Furthermore, Harvard sociologist
Robert Sampson has found that first generation immigrants are
45% less likely to commit violent crimes than Americanized,
third generation immigrants.
(Source:
Immigration Policy Center, “Ímmigrants and Crime: Are They
Connected,” December, 2007,
http://www.ailf.org/ipc/factchecks/CrimeFactCheck10-16-07.pdf;
Robert Sampson, “Open Doors Don’t Invite Criminals,” The New
York Times, March 11, 2006, A15; Executive Office of the
President: Council of Economic Advisors, “Immigration’s Economic
Impact,” June 20, 2007,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html)
Immigrants Take Jobs Away from
Americans
A recent study
produced by the Pew Hispanic Center reveals that “Rapid
increases in the foreign-born population at the state level are
not associated with negative effects on the employment of
native-born workers.” In fact, given that the number of native
born low wage earners is falling nationally, immigrants are
playing an important role in offsetting that decline. The Urban
Institute reports that between 2000 and 2005 the total number of
low wage workers declined by approximately 1.8 million while the
number of unskilled immigrant workers increased by 620,000, thus
offsetting the total decline by about a third.
(Source: The
Urban Institute, “Trends in the Low-Wage Immigrant Labor Force,
2000-2005,” March, 2007,
http://www.urban.org/publications/411426.html;
Rakesh
Kochhar, “Growth in the Foreign Born Workforce and Employment of
the Native Born,” Pew Hispanic Center, August 10, 2006,
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=69)
Immigrants Are a Drain on the United
States Economy
The immigrant
community is not a drain on the U.S. economy but, in fact,
proves to be a net benefit. Research reported by both the CATO
Institute and the President’s Council of Economic Advisors
reveals that the average immigrant pays a net 80,000 dollars
more in taxes than they collect in government services. For
immigrants with college degrees the net fiscal return is
$198,000. Furthermore, The American Farm Bureau asserts that
without guest workers the U.S. economy would lose as much as $9
billion a year in agricultural production and 20 percent of
current production would go overseas.
(Source: CATO
Institute, CATO Handbook for Congress: Policy Recommendations
for the 108th Congress,
http://www.cato.org/pubs/handbook/hb108/hb108-63.pdf;
Executive Office of the President: Council of Economic Advisors,
“Immigration’s Economic Impact,” June 20, 2007,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html;
Derrick Z. Jackson, “Undocumented Workers Contribute Plenty,
The Boston Globe, April 12, 2006,
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/04/12/
undocumented_workers_contribute_plenty/)
Undocumented Immigrants Are a Burden
on the Healthcare System
Federal, state
and local governments spend approximately 1.1 billion dollars
annually on healthcare costs for undocumented immigrants, aged
18-64, or approximately $11 in taxes for each U.S. household.
This compares to 88 billion dollars spent on all health care for
non-elderly adults in the U.S. in 2000. Foreign born
individuals tend to use fewer health care services because they
are relatively healthier than their native born counterparts.
For example, in Los Angeles County, “total medical spending on
undocumented immigrants was $887 million in 2000 – 6 percent of
total costs, although undocumented immigrants comprise 12
percent of the region's residents.”
(Source: The
Rand Corporation, “RAND Study Shows Relatively Little Public
Money Spent Providing Healthcare to Undocumented Immigrants,”
November 14, 2006,
http://www.rand.org/news/press.06/11.14.html;
Dana P.
Goldman, James P. Smith and Neeraj Sood, “Immigrants and the
Cost of Medical Care,” Health Affairs 25, no. 6 (2006):
1700-1711)
What You Can Do
Here are suggestions from the Adult Formation Office in Waterloo
for what individuals and groups can do in order to understand
the issues and concerns surrounding immigration:
Remember your own family's immigrant roots. Recall the experiences your ancestors had when they came to
this country. It is easy to forget that most of our families
were once "outsiders," who experienced many of the same
challenges that today's immigrants face. Remembering our own
past, even if we need to "recreate the memories," helps us put a
human face on what is otherwise a sterile and controversial
political "issue."
Study the facts about immigration. Beware of election year "soundbites" which appeal to fear and
prejudice. Immigration is a complicated social, economic and
political issue. It cannot be easily reduced to one or two
simple "facts," and it cannot be adequately addressed by
appealing to people's fear of "outsiders" or terrorists. Take
advantage of opportunities offered by local civic or church
groups to participate in public programs and discussions about
immigration. Invite friends, colleagues or neighbors to join a
study group using some of the resources listed below to learn
more about immigration and the plight of today's migrants and
refugees.
Speak up as a voice of reason and compassion in conversations
about immigration.
Casual conversations have a powerful impact on people's
conscious and unconscious opinions about controversial issues.
Sometimes it is more comfortable to affirm what another person
says, even if we don't fully agree, rather than risk
confrontation. However, confrontation is not the only option.
Often it is effective to express some doubts, reservations,
concerns or insights which suggest that the issue is not as
simple or clear-cut as we would like to think.
Urge the President and members of Congress to impose a
moratorium on workplace raids for the rest of the election year. It is difficult in the current political climate to have a
reasonable political discussion about immigration, even though
it is a critical issue in our country. Raids by government
agents on workplaces which employ undocumented workers only add
to the difficulty by enflaming passions on both sides of the
issue. American voters deserve and should demand a sensible and
serious discussion of immigration issues before they elect
public officials in November.
•
To sign on a petition sponsored by American Friends Service
Committee, go to: http://www.afsc.org/immigrants-rights/news/groups-call-for-end-to-raids.htm
Urge elected officials and candidates for public office at every
level to support comprehensive immigration reform.
Comprehensive reform would address all of the
political, economic, social, legal and human issues which
contribute to the immigration "problem" in this country.
Comprehensive reform would secure our borders, restore the rule
of law and legalize the status of migrants in our country. Only
comprehensive reform would protect the rights of American
citizens and insure legal access to American jobs for poor
migrants. Anything less than comprehensive reform usually
amounts to political posturing. Stop-gap measures such as
stricter law enforcement, deportation of undocumented workers,
building fences along the border, appeal to the public's
emotions but do not address the causes of illegal immigration
and will not prevent it.
Contribute your time and
financial support to churches and organizations which are
serving immigrant families. In the Waterloo area,
these include
Postville Hispanic Ministry
c/o St. Bridget Parish
141 W. Williams St. Postville IA 52162
563-864-3138. Email: DBQCHMP@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
Waterloo Hispanic Ministry
320 Mulberry St. Waterloo IA 50703
319-234-6744. Email: DBQ213S2@arch.pvt.k12.ia.us
El Centro Latinoamericano
500 E. 4th St. Waterloo IA 50703
319-287-6400. Email: elcentrola@yahoo.com
More Information
Here are a variety of resources
for groups or individuals who want to learn more about the
immigration issue:
•
Text of the U.S. and Mexican bishops' statement, Strangers No
Longer--
Together on the Journey of Hope (2003):
http://www.usccb.org/mrs/stranger.shtml
•
Immigration information and resources from the U.S. Conference of
Catholic
Bishops' "Justice for Immigrants" campaign:
www.justiceforimmigrants.org
•
Immigration resources
prepared by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops'
Office of Migration and Refugee Services:
http://www.usccb.org/mrs/pubs.shtml#education
• Bulletin inserts on immigration issues prepared by the
U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops in PDF format:
http://www.usccbpublishing.org/client/client_pages/bulletininserts.cfm
•
Resources for pastoral leaders and educators prepared by
Catholic Relief
Services:
http://education.crs.org/migration.cfm
•
Immigration discussion guides prepared by Catholic Relief
Services' "Campus
Connection":
http://campus.crs.org/site/PageServer?pagename=campus_migration
•
A background paper about immigration prepared by the Catholic
Alliance for
the Common Good:
http://www.catholicsinalliance.org/node/18680
•
Policy statement
on just immigration policy by Catholic Charities USA:
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=903
•
Resources available from or recommended by Catholic Charities
USA:
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=394&srcid=393
•
A background brief on the politics of U.S. immigration policy
prepared by the
Center of Concern, a Jesuit social justice think
tank:
http://www.coc.org/election2008
•
Comprehensive list of statements on immigration from various
religious
organizations:
http://www.cirnow.org/content/en/religiousresolutions_012607.htm/
•
"Welcoming the Stranger--Christians and Immigration Discussion
Guide"
prepared by Sojourners:
http://store.sojo.net/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=DG%5FIMM&Click=52
•
Sojourner's online "toolkit" for Christian leaders on
comprehensive immigration
reform:
http://www.sojo.net/action/alerts/CCIR_toolkit.pdf
• "Who Are My Brothers and Sisters?" is a video created
by the Catholic
Communications Campaign to show how Catholic parishes are
responding to
the needs of immigrants:
http://www.usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=86
•
"The Line in the Sand" is a powerful, hour-long video which
dramatizes the
lives of people living along the border:
http://crs.org/dramaproject/
•
"Lives for Sale" is a one-hour documentary about human
trafficking and illegal
immigration produced by Maryknoll and PBS Stations:
http://www.livesforsale.com/
•
"A 700-mile Wall--Justice on the Border" is a lesson plan
prepared by the
Center of Concern:
http://education.crs.org/resources/migration/700_mile_wall.pdf
•
"Journey to Justice" is a multi-lingual prayer and study unit
which examines
the plight of migrants and refugees:
http://www.usccbpublishing.org/productdetails.cfm?PC=672
•
"Forced From Home--U.S. Trade Policy and Immigration," is a
report from
Witness for Peace which examines the root causes of
Latin Americans'
immigration to the United States:
http://www.witnessforpeace.org/pdf/ROMdoc_2007final.pdf
• "Immigration and America's Future: A New Chapter" contains the
final report
and recommendations of the Independent Task Force on Immigration
and
America's Future, convened by the Migration Policy Institute:•
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/ITFIAF/index.php
• "Behind
the Naturalization Backlog" is a fact sheet which explains the
causes
and context behind the 18-month backlog in applications
for naturalization.
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/pubs/FS21_NaturalizationBacklog_022608.pdf
•
Practical suggestions from the Institute for Peace and Justice
on how to
develop and exercise solidarity with victims of
domination:
http://www.ipj-ppj.org/Reflections%20-%20Advocacy%20Suggestions%20-%20Lesson%20Plans/Solidarity%20with%20Victims%20of%20Domination%20--%20Suggestions.htm
•
Read a report from the National Council of La Raza and the Urban
Institute that
details the consequences of immigration
enforcement operations on children's
psychological, educational,
economic, and social well-being:
http://nclr.org/content/publications/detail/49166
•
WebQuest online study unit on the
history of immigration in the United States:
http://www.walworth.k12.wi.us/Stelling/Web%20Quest/Immigration%20Web%20Quest.htm
•
Study the history of immigration through oral histories at the
Library of
Congress:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/lessons/97/oh1/ammem.html
•
Learn about the legal rights of undocumented workers provided by
U.S. laws:
http://www.fairimmigration.org/learn/know-your-rights.html
Here is a list of organizations
which advocate for immigration justice and reform:
•
Jesuit Refugee Services:
http://www.jesref.org/home.php
•
National Immigrant Justice Center:
http://www.immigrantjustice.org/index.php
•
National Immigration Forum:
http://www.immigrationforum.org/
•
Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform:
http://www.cirnow.org/
•
Detention Watch Network:
http://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/
•
American Friends Service Committee/Immigrant Voices Project:
http://www.afsc.org/immigrants-rights/default.htm
•
Church World Services Immigration and Refugee Services:
http://www.churchworldservice.org/Immigration/index.html
•
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services:
http://www.lirs.org/
•
Fair Immigration Reform Movement:
http://www.fairimmigration.org/
•
National Lawyers Guild Immigration Project:
http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/
Posted 05.02.08
• Last Update 05.29.08 |