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Oblates Support Need for Immigration Reform January 16th, 2011
On 29 January, a March and Rally for Immigration Reform will be held in Pacoima, California, a city in the San Fernando Valley near Los Angeles. The event, organized by the Justice for Immigrants coalition in San Fernando Valley, will consist of a march which will proceed to the Oblate parish of Mary Immaculate. There, a rally will be held featuring speeches by community leaders encouraging elected officials in Congress to fix the broken immigration system and remind them of its impact on families.
Read the Press Release by Justice for Immigrants Coalition /San Fernando Valley.
In a separate but related action, the Oblate JPIC Office has joined 45 other faith-based organizations in issuing a declaration in support of Migrants. The Resolution on Migrants was developed in observance of National Migration Week, declared by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’, and recognizes the difficulties facing immigrants in the United States today. The diverse array of faith groups signing onto the statement are united in their concern for the plight of immigrants and the current negative political atmosphere in many communities. Most of the faith-based organizations endorsing the Resolution represent individuals and communities who live among and serve the immigrant population and are witnesses to the daily struggles of immigrants.
The U.S Migrant Resolution shows that a diverse faith community remains committed to immigration reform despite the current lack of political leadership. We hope that Congressional leaders can reach across the divide on this issue in the same way that the faith community has come together.
Read the U.S. Migrant Resolution 2011 (Download PDF)
Ask Congress to Pass the DREAM Act! November 18th, 2010
The United States Congress could be voting on the DREAM Act at any time during the week of November 22.
Take Action Here: Tell your Senator and Representative to pass the Dream Act now.
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, also called the DREAM Act is bipartisan legislation that would create a path to citizenship for thousands of young undocumented students who were brought to the United States as children and graduated from American high schools. It would give them the opportunity to earn legal status by completing two years of college or military service.
The Majority leadership in the Senate and the House have pledged to bring up the DREAM Act during the lame duck session. Last Tuesday, President Barack Obama reaffirmed to Democratic Members of Congress that he wants the DREAM Act passed in this session. DREAM Act legislation is supported by religious leaders – such as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops – along with University presidents and Administrators, military leaders and the business community. According to the recent survey results, seventy percent of Americans support passage of the DREAM Act.
More information about the DREAM Act may be found at: http://omiusajpic.org/2010/09/14/ask-cong-to-support-dream/
Archbishop Miller Issues Plea on Behalf of Tamil Refugees in Canada August 30th, 2010
Archbishop J. Michael Miller of Vancouver Diocese issued a statement on August 25, 2010 on the situation of the 492 Tamil refugees that arrived in Vancouver in early August seeking asylum.
The arrival of the refugees-laden ship has generated controversy within Canada. Canadian Tamils, the largest Tamil community outside Sri Lanka and India, have urged authorities to accept the asylum seekers, saying that the minority group faces continued discrimination at the hands of the majority Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to Canada has asked the country to reject their refugee status due to alleged links to the Tamil Tiger separatist movement. The Tamil Tigers or Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) as the military wing of the separatist Tamil movement and was brutally wiped out in the spring of 2009. Tens of thousands of Tamils are believed to have died in the final months of the conflict, trapped as they were between the two warring armies. War crimes are reported to have been committed by both sides.
“Keep the dignity of Tamil refugees in mind during immigration debate”
Statement by Archbishop J. Michael Miller who served on the Vatican Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants.
Click here to read more »
President Obama Calls for Immigration Reform July 2nd, 2010
On July 1st President Obama spoke to the nation about immigration reform. He laid out the ways that the broken immigration system hurts millions of people across this country, and how the country can’t wait any longer for real reform. President Obama said passing national comprehensive immigration reform is going to take both Republicans and Democrats working together.
Missionary Oblates JPIC Applaud Immigration Speech. More can be done.
The Missionary Oblates JPIC office applauds President Obama’s commitment to immigration reform. President Obama’s speech on Immigration reform is a step in the right direction to fix the immigration system. However, there are actions that the Obama administration can take in the interim as we wait for Congress to act. Halting raids and deportations of undocumented immigrants (those without criminal records) would send a big signal of commitment to reform of the immigration system.
Fixing the broken immigration system is a top issue for a majority of Americans and they are frustrated with the political delay and inaction in Congress. Polling shows that a majority of Americans support comprehensive immigration reform which includes creating legal status for undocumented immigrants already in the country, securing the border and better managing future immigration.
What you can do to Support Immigration Reform:
Thousands of people of faith across the country are praying, fasting and serving as a public witness and nationwide solidarity with immigrants, particularly those living in Arizona. The Justice for Immigrants postcard campaign is an opportunity for you, your community and your parish to participate in the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ campaign for comprehensive immigration reform. You can find more information at the Justice for Immigrants website. This site has coverage of the JFI postcard campaign, as well as links for supporters to send electronic versions of the postcards to Senators and Representatives encouraging Congress to act.
CMSM and LCWR Executive Directors Call for Needed Immigraton Reform May 14th, 2010
The Executive Directors of the Conference of Major Superiors of Men and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious have issued a letter highlighting the need for urgent immigration reform. Their letter is in response to the recent “draconian enforcement-only legislation in the state of Arizona.”
Recognizing the right of the United States to control its borders, the religious leaders emphasize that “a just and humane approach to immigration reform must include a path to citizenship, family reunification and protection of workers’ rights.”
