SICSAL: artículos y noticias

On May 9, religious leaders, confronting the unjust treatment of immigrant families, announced the launching of the New Sanctuary Movement. Supported by congregations from across the country, a multi-racial and multi-ethnic coalition that spans the political spectrum pledged to open their doors, hearts and collective actions to the "moral imperative" of immigrant rights.

In the early 1980s, thousands of Central American refugees poured into the United States, fleeing life-threatening repression and extensive human rights violations by their governments.

At the time, federal immigration policy would have denied the majority political asylum simply because their governments were allies of the U.S. Many of these refugees had actively participated in the liberation theology movement and naturally sought protection from congregations.

Many Catholic, Protestant and Jewish congregations and temples responded positively — offering these refugees social services and advocacy support as well as engaging actively in efforts to change federal immigration policy. These congregations, united under the banner of the Sanctuary Movement, also pledged that they would not reveal the identities of these refugees, even if they were arrested or jailed for doing so.

The Sanctuary Movement was ultimately successful both in changing national policy and in protecting tens of thousands of individuals and families, enabling them to start a new life in the United States.
Now, over 25 years later, religious leaders across a broad spectrum of denominations from 10 states are coming together to begin a New Sanctuary Movement to accompany and protect immigrant families who are facing the violation of their human rights in the form of hatred, workplace discrimination and unjust deportation. We welcome religious leaders, congregations and faith-based organizations of all denominations to join us in this effort.

In March of 2006, Cardinal Roger Mahoney of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles said he would instruct his priests and others working in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to disregard provisions of House Bill HR4437 that would criminalize providing humanitarian aid to persons without first checking their legal status. Cardinal Mahoney’s statements were significant in awakening the general public and legislators to the moral and human dimensions of the question - effectively changing the terms of the public debate. See current legislation.

On March 27, 2006 hundreds of religious leaders gathered in Washington DC to exercise their moral authority to seek to ensure that the deliberations of the Senate judiciary committee took into account the human and moral realities of immigrant families. The resulting legislative proposal was significantly more compassionate and inclusive than the House measures.

Since that date, faith leaders around the country have continued to work in their local areas to respond to the needs of immigrant workers and their families and to support coalitions working on comprehensive immigration reform. Over the months, key leaders have also sought to define the particular contributions that clergy and congregational leaders could make to the larger struggle. The crisis of ongoing raids and deportations as well as the opportunity offered by the push for federal legislation increased the urgency of creating an effective and prophetic national strategy. In November of 2006, through conversations between faith leaders across the country, these visions coalesced into a new national initiative - the New Sanctuary Movement.

At this historic moment, federal legislators are poised to decide on legislation that will bring badly needed immigration reform to our country. However, experts in the field have raised serious questions about whether the political will exists to pass legislation that is both effective and humane. The tide of anti-immigrant sentiment, evident in local punitive legislation efforts, is negatively impacting legislators’ commitment and capacity to achieve truly comprehensive and rational reform.

In order for this to change, leaders and sectors that recognize the valuable contributions of immigrants, the importance of respecting their human rights and the complex dynamics of immigration, need to communicate their insights effectively and broadly. The general public needs to see immigrant workers and their families with new eyes; we need to change the terms of the debate.
Interfaith leaders have the capacity to make a unique contribution to the struggle for the human rights of immigrant workers and families. Faith leaders are important guardians of the values and visions of our society. They have the capacity, with effective media support, to significantly influence public opinion. They are also trusted authorities for millions of average Americans. With the right strategy, faith leaders can change the terms of the debate and create the conditions for comprehensive immigration reform.

On January 29, 2007 representatives from 18 cities, 12 religious traditions and 7 denominational and interdenominational organizations joined together to listen to the experience of immigrant families fighting deportation, and to strategize how to protect parents and children from being torn apart until there is just comprehensive immigration reform.

The New Sanctuary Movement was birthed that weekend with the goal of protecting immigrant families from unjust deportation, affirming and making visible these families as children of God and awakening the moral imagination of the country through prayer and witness.

Guiding Principles or Values
Faith platform: Focus on faith-based moral principles
Moving immigrants from victim to witness
Diversity
Ensuring the dignity of those we serve and those who oppose us
Open public witness being willing to take the consequences of our actions

Goals
To protect immigrant workers and families from unjust deportation
To change the public debate
To awaken the moral imagination of the country
To make visible immigrant workers and families as children of God
We are united in opposing the current series of raids and ensuing deportations, and we agree to call for an end to these practices as they separate children from their families until our broken immigration system is fixed.

The Coordinating Organizations
Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice-California (CLUE-CA) is an alliance of interfaith worker justice organizations dedicated to building a faith-based movement for economic justice throughout California. CLUE-CA has recently emerged as a leading organization in coordinating the interfaith contribution to the struggle for immigrant rights both in California and nationally.

Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ), the national network of interfaith worker justice groups, is providing coordination and leadership in many states, drawing upon the breadth of its connections in the religious community, as well as engaging national religious leadership in the effort. Interfaith Worker Justice is coordinating production and distribution of congregational resources on immigration and sanctuary.

The New York Sanctuary Coalition is coordinating the outreach and recruitment of congregations in New York and surrounding states.
Although these three organizations are providing national coordination and outreach, the New Sanctuary Movement is a democratic alliance with principles and strategies determined by the participants. Each participating interfaith network will have the room to tailor its activities to its context.n

From Interfaith Worker Justice. Visit their website: www.iwj.org