T.Don Hutto "Residential Center" Taylor, TX

This week, as a part of OnFire's immigration focus, we'll be looking at detention of immigrants and asylum-seekers. Check out this video (a 3-Part series on YouTube) from Grassroots Leadership on the T. Don Hutto facility in Taylor, TX, and visit the Grassroots site to find ways to take action on this important issue.

Part II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lW_2w0_J6Q0&feature=related

Part III: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F_keG2O8Jk&feature=related

From Grassroots Leadership:
ICE holds immigrant families at the T. Don Hutto family detention center. Before the successful legal action by the ACLU in the fall of 2007, children wore prison garb, and were denied adequate schooling, health care, and recreation. Despite some important improvements made as a result of community organizing, the fight is not over. Hutto remains a medium security prison managed by the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), a for-profit adult corrections company. Incarceration of infants and children cannot be allowed-- even with the "privacy curtains around toilets" mandated in the ACLU settlement.

The Department of Homeland Security must adopt humane alternatives for managing families whose immigration status is in limbo and work to incorporate alternatives which keep families intact and that do not rely on incarceration. Alternatives must recognize that these families possess equal and inalienable rights to dignified treatment as members of the larger human family.

Actions:

Sign the Facebook petition to end family detention.

Write letters to the Obama Administration.

Resources:

The Big Business of Family Detention, by Courtney E. Martin

The Least of These: Documentary Film on Family Detention

US Should Stop Locking Up Immigrant Kids, by Rev. John S. Rausch

Talkback:

"It's not criminal [...] if you run away from your country looking for peace, a place to live."
--Bahja, Asylum-seeker from Somalia
What should be a common-sense statement resonates as profound, or even controversial in our current cultural climate. And though aware of typical responses, I find myself asking anew, why is this the case? There are Biblical examples of "illegals" from Abraham to Joseph, father of Jesus--strangers seeking refuge in a foreign land. If we rarely question the divine purpose of their migrations, why, then, do we criminalize today's peace-seekers? How can we, as young people of faith, reverse the xenophobic hardening of hearts? Please share your thoughts with the community.

Quick Devotion #1: Raids

From May to August of 2009, OnFire members are organizing a movement "Welcoming the Stranger: in out midst, at the border, out of the shadows." On Wednesdays a (very) short devotion about a specific aspect of immigrant justice will be posted here. On Mondays an article or action alert will appear. In light of yesterday's anniversary of the Postville, IA raid, today's devotion focuses on immigration raids. Thanks to Church World Service for providing the framework for all devotions.

Raids

"Don't mistreat any foreigners who live in your land. Instead, treat them as well as you treat citizens and love them as much as you love yourself. Remember, you were once foreigners in the land of Egypt." (Leviticus 19: 33-34)

Raids devastate families and communities.
More than 5,000 immigrants were deported in 2008 as immigration officials entered immigrants' homes during pre-dawn hours and/or invaded their places of employment. Persons arrested in a raid are often detained with little or no chance to contact their families. Their children, many of them US citizens, are left to care for themselves without knowledge of the whereabouts of their parents. Persons allowed to return to their children under house arrest are unable to work to support their families.

Prayer
Compassionate God, come into our broken midst--into our broken communities, broken families, broken and breaking hearts. We beg of your comfort for the oppressed, for those who as a result of a raid must live unjustly separated from loved ones and homes. We pray for the children, for their cries that often go unheard. We ask for forgiveness for our complicit silence, and for the strength to raise our voices when others cannot. Amen.

Other Resources on Immigration Raids
Effect of Immigration Raids on Children
Examination of the 2007 large-scale raid in New Bedford, MA.
Examination and Analysis of the 2008 raid in Van Nuys, CA.

1-Year Anniversary of the Postville Raid

Today marks the one year anniversary of the raid in Postville, Iowa where 389 people were arrested. In Postville and in communities across the country people are standing in solidarity with Postville and calling for justice and comprehensive immigration reform. You can TAKE ACTION NOW by standing in solidarity as well by sending a letter to your representatives through the Interfaith Immigration Coalition’s website. For more information on the history and the current situation in Postville, read the summary below from Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, or check out the articles at the end of this post.

Impact of Immigration Raid on Postville
On May 12, 2008, helicopters and dozens of agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) descended upon Postville, a small Iowa town with a population just over 2,400. ICE conducted an immigration raid of the Agriprocessors plant, apprehending 389 immigrant workers, nearly 20 percent of the town’s population. ICE officials used the National Cattle Congress [click for video] in Waterloo, Iowa, to temporarily hold workers. Many workers were then transferred to detention facilities in Iowa and across the country and have since been deported from the United States. Sole caregivers among the apprehended were released from detention with electronic monitoring devices, but were prohibited from working. One year later, 24 of these caregivers and their children still rely upon charities for food, medical care, housing and financial support offered primarily through St. Bridget’s Catholic Church with the assistance of churches and groups nationwide. The faith community also supports individuals required to remain in Postville to assist as material witnesses in the federal and state criminal investigations of Agriprocessors.

The prosecutors used aggressive negotiating tactics, such as time-limited plea offers, and brought charges of aggravated felony identify theft against the workers, nearly all of whom were represented by overburdened appointed counsel. The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that the government overstepped in applying such charges.

Twelve months following the raid, devastating ripple effects continue to impact every corner of the Postville community. Hundreds of families have either been separated by deportation or have left Postville. Others remain in legal limbo, waiting for the completion of their cases. Many businesses have closed, boarding up their windows. More businesses face bankruptcy. Decreased student enrollment will likely force the Postville schools to consolidate with other school districts.

In sum, the federal government spent over $5.2 million to conduct the raid. Given the extreme hardship Postville and surrounding Iowa communities have suffered, many question whether these taxpayer funds were properly spent.

On the anniversary of the raid in Postville we are reminded that harsh enforcement measures put children at risk, divided families and drove other immigrants even farther into the shadows. The raids threw an entire community into disaster and economic peril as a result of a failure to recognize that immigrants and refugees are integral to our communities and to America’s economic, cultural, social and political fabric.

Articles & Resources:

United Methodist News Service Report

A People in Peril: Archdiocese of Dubuque on Postville Relief

Reflection on Postville by UM missionary, Jim Perdue Burke

Interfaith Vigil in Waterloo, IA

27 March: Event Update

Consider getting involved in one of the following events.

Worker Justice

10th Annual National Student Labor Week of Action to "Resist and Reclaim our Future"
We are living in a historic moment; that is what everyone around us keeps saying. But this moment’s role in history is defined by what we do within it. Many of us participated in the recent election for change but are now faced with the reality that we need further action. Budget cuts in our universities, home loss and unemployment in our families and lack of good jobs for our future after college all threaten our quality of life.

The 10th annual National Student Labor Week of Action, hosted by the Student Labor Action Project, is an opportunity to reclaim our future by mobilizing our communities. From March 27 th to April 4 th , in honor of the lives of Martin Luther King Jr and Cesar Chavez, students and workers will unite and demand:

* The passage of the Employee Free Choice Act and living wages for all campus employees
* University codes of conduct that support workers’ rights both on campus and overseas
* Development of “green jobs” that support workers in our communities and promote a healthy environment
* Access to higher education for all and the passage of the DREAM Act
* Fair wages & working conditions for the people who grow our food and harvest our crops

Check out this website for organizing materials and a grid of local actions.


Interfaith Worker Justice 2009 Leadership Summit: June 13-15 @ Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana
The summit will bring together leaders from throughout the country with an opportunity to reflect on our success, share our struggles and build our movement. IWJ has extended invitations to Ms. Hilda Solis, Secretary of Labor, and to Rev. Joshua Dubois, Director of the Office of Faith Based Initiatives and Neighborhood Partnerships, to share their vision of new opportunities for partnership. There will be a joint meeting with the National Day Labor Organizing Network (NDLON) and IWJ workers centers, along with the regular IWJ Worker Center Network meeting. Religious leaders, students and allies will join in an action to support low-wage workers in the New Orleans Area. There will also be opportunities to tour New Orleans and visit communities nearly four years since Hurricane Katrina struck.

For more information and to register click here!



Environmental Justice

"Greening Our Spirits, Greening Our World": June 15-21, 2009 @ Ghost Ranch Retreat Center in Abiquiu, NM
This course offers an in-depth week of group study and reflection on answering God’s call to care for the Earth, and a chance to re-fill your spiritual well in the mystical surroundings of Ghost Ranch. The sessions will incorporate scriptural study and eco-theology, eco-spirituality, times for contemplative and short written reflections, ideas for creation-honoring worship, and group prayer and discussion. Participants should leave feeling empowered and more equipped to help lead earthkeeping efforts in their home congregations.


Presbyterian Conservation Core Young Adult Stewards Program:
The Presbyterian Conservation Corps is looking for Eco-Steward applicants from ages 18-24 years old who demonstrate interest in church, camp, and environmental concerns. Each program, Midwest and West, will comprise of two components at different sites: 1. Eco-Stewards Training (3-4 days) and 2. Eco-Stewards Program (3-4 days). More information and the application for either of the following events can be found here.


Eco-Stewards West (July 5th-12th) will be held in collaboration between Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center in Allenspark, Colorado and Greenwood Farm in Hardin, Montana.

Join the Presbyterian Conservation Core in the beauty of the Rocky Mountains to explore the intersections of ecology, theology, and justice during an intensive hands-on seminar at Highlands Presbyterian Camp and Retreat Center. From all around the country, participants will come together in intentional community to explore how various threads Christian thought have influenced modern American lifestyles. Furthermore, participants will work together as eco-stewards to design and build a solar project to benefit the ministry of Highlands, while being equipped with personal tools to live and share a more faithful personal lifestyle. Surrounded by the mighty majesty of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, come and be transformed by the landscape and intriguing discussion, learning to live together as a community of faith.

Venturing north from Highlands, the team will travel to Greenwood Farm in Montana. Located in a rural setting adjacent to the Crow Indian Reservation, Greenwood Farm is an experiment in simple living, sustainable building and intentional community. Building on the experience at Highlands, participants will learn and apply practical skills of sustainable building and organic gardening in the daily life of the farm. Through talking circles with community members and tribal elders, the team will explore the unique and often turbulent confluence of ecology, theology, poverty and culture that exists in the area. You're invited on this exciting journey of discovery and transformation!


Eco-Stewards Midwest (August 2nd-9th) will be held in collaboration between Stronghold Conference Center in Illinois and the Lakeview Presbyterian Church in the Chicago community.

Come explore the woodlands, meadows, and prairie of Illinois at Stronghold Retreat Center with the Presbyterian Conservation Corps, building a community of Eco-Stewards and examining eco-theology, environmental and social justice, systemic change, spirituality, lifestyle simplification, local watershed issues and consumption. The team will complete a high ropes course, explore spirituality through the labyrinth, and tour a cooperative organic farm. We will combine this team-building with classes, hands-on workshops, film discussions, and guided self-reflection as we focus on the foundations of environmental stewardship. Join us as we collaborate on a response to the environmental crisis as part of a local and global community.

The hands-on portion of the program will be held in the Lake View neighborhood of Chicago, IL where the team will design and implement an eco-project that responds to environmental justice issues facing an urban community. The group will collaborate with the Eco-Justice Task Force of Lake View Presbyterian Church and meet with local green community activists and leaders to learn about how urban neighborhoods are affected by environmental injustice and the ways that city churches can respond. Tour neighborhoods affected by urban pollution as well as the Chicago Center for Green Technology, the Lake View Action Coalition, and the Eco-Justice Collaborative. The program will conclude with a community education workshop led by the Eco-Stewards promoting awareness and collective action.

A few more resources and opportunities

Resource Update

United Methodist Resource Hub. The General Board of Discipleship has a "Resource Hub" on their Young People's Ministries page. You can search by title, author, subject or age group. You can also submit a resource that you've found helpful.


Internships and Gigs. The (UM) Young Adult Network has an "Internships and Gigs" page. Current postings include the Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) summer internship in Washington, DC, a Honduras service opportunity for youth and young adults, and the Living Justice Seminar Program. Consider adding the site to your favorites to keep up with new opportunities!


The Bahamas Methodist Habitat. The Bahamas Conference of the Methodist Church (BCMC), in partnership with interdenominational groups, has been providing disaster relief to the Islands of the Bahamas since 1992, when Hurricane Andrew devastated many communities throughout the islands. Today, Bahamas Methodist Habitat continues these efforts and avidly seeks new ways to assist individuals and communities in need. Together people can connect real needs to real resources by sharing God’s love. BMH's goal is to do this through Disaster Relief and Sub-standard Housing Repair by offering a life changing volunteer experience that introduces a new way of living out the Christian faith.

Cutlass is the youth and young adult summer program connected to the Bahamas Methodist Habitat. The young adult summer program for this year will occur from May 9-23rd. For more information and an application, visit the BMH website.


Abolitionist Investigation Certification Summer Academy. From the Not for Sale Campaign: Held in the heart of San Francisco, The Abolitionist Summer Academy is an in depth two week training session for those desiring to become Abolitionist Investigators of modern slavery. Attendees will be educated on how to properly record, document, and map all of the various types of human trafficking through hands on education, training, and meetings with experts in the field. They will learn how to identify probable cases of human trafficking, how to properly record cases of human trafficking, and how to effectively confront slavery in supply chains. By certification, attendees will be equipped with the knowledge and tools they need to become investigators of modern slavery in their own backyards.

Upon completing the Academy, attendees will:

* Understand the various forms of human trafficking inside the United States
* Have personal experience and knowledge of how to work with victims and those at risk for trafficking
* Know how to best document cases and map human trafficking in their area
* Have an understanding of how to effectively address forced labor in supply chains
* Be able to investigate forced labor in specific product and supply chains
* Be certified as an investigator who can document cases nationally and internationally for Not For Sale


For more information, and an application form for the Academy, email: theacademy@notforsalecampaign.org.

Some Resources

Two quick items:

1. Sojourners has compiled a list of Resources for Social Change. Add them to your reading/viewing list!

2. The United Methodist Office of Deaconess and Home Missioner is hosting their Living Justice Seminar program for young adult United Methodists (between ages 20-30) from June 13-17, 2009. This year's theme is "Eradicating the Diseases of Poverty: Women, Children, and the Struggle for Wholeness," which reflects one of the current priorities of The United Methodist Church. The event will be held in New York City, with the Office covering the costs for participants. Applications are due May 1. For the application form and more information, click here.