During
the month of August, Representatives will be in their home districts. This is a
great opportunity to have your voices heard!
And
August is not the only time to join this letter-drop campaign. Feel free to use this resource throughout the
fall and winter – until we get real, compassionate, and comprehensive
immigration reform!
Now
is the time for the House Representatives to act and pass legislation that
meets the foundations of a just reform set out by
the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The actions by people of faith have
and will continue to be influential in the legislative process. Enclosed is a letter
that you can use to join this movement
for justice. We hope that you will personalize the letter, have members of
your congregation sign it, and then personally drop it off to your
Representative’s district office. You
can also view the text of the letter on our
blog.
Here
are some basic steps on how you can use the letter:
1. Go to the letter blog post and copy and paste the text. Personalize the letter to reflect the
contributions of immigrants in your local community and congregation. You can describe
any programs or activities that uplift the immigrant experience.
2. Check with your pastor and choose the
best day to have it in a high-traffic area in the church so that members can
sign it. Think coffee hour.
3. Find out who your Representative is
at: http://capwiz.com/pcusa/dbq/officials/ Look on their website and find the
nearest office. Before you go to drop it off call and make sure the office will
be open!
4. Before the sign on day for the
congregation, have those who you know are interested or engaged (including your
Pastor and Session members) sign the letter. People will be more likely to sign
something when they see other people have signed it!
5. Make sure an announcement is made about
the letter in the bulletin, from the pulpit, and through social media outlets
that your church uses to communicate with members. Invite folks to sign
the letter!
6. When you get to the office here is a
possible script:
"Hi,
my name is
and I am a member of
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A) and many of our members signed this
letter urging Representative
to support immigration reform with these principles and to see that
reform pass soon!"
7. Email us (ga_washington_office@pcusa.org) and let us know you dropped off your
letter!! Take a picture of you delivering the letter (it’d be great if
you can get one with your Representative!) and email it to us so that we can
share it.
8. When you (the point person for the letter) receive a reply from your Representative
please share that with us as well!
Please let us
know if you have any questions or if you need more support in becoming engaged.
Let us know what you are doing for immigration reform and make sure to connect
with us via FaceBook and
our blog to receive updates. Email Melissa
Davis in the Office of Immigration Issues (Melissa.davis@pcusa.org) to join her immigration issues listserv. Now is the time to be involved!
Let’s stand together and in solidarity
with those directly suffering the consequences of our unjust immigration policies.
Now is the time for reform!
Background:
On
July 10th, House Leadership held a meeting to discuss the issue of immigration
reform. Immigrant families,
advocates, and people of faith took this opportunity to march to Republican headquarters in D.C. and demand that
Representatives take action on a just and compassionate immigration reform.
Shortly after the strategy meeting, House Leadership issued a statement confirming that the House would not
consider the Senate’s immigration legislation, but rather would continue to
pursue a piece-meal approach. So far, however, the five bills that have been
introduced in the House undermine workers’ rights and community safety, increase
the number of people in indefinite detention, increase the likelihood that
workers will be exploited, continue the unnecessary militarization of our
Southern border, and increase the separation of families. None provide a
reasonable path to citizenship, increase both American and immigrant worker
protections, provide for family reunification, or provide a path for future
migration.
We are at a pivotal moment in the movement for immigration reform. As
people of faith, we must take action to prevent the relegation of millions to a
second-class status, criminalization, and oppression. We cannot simply watch as
our brothers and sisters are unjustly detained for prolonged periods of time,
especially when that detention benefits corporate owners of private detention
facilities, or watch as families are torn apart, emotionally
and physically, impacting the health of our children and our communities. The General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has called on Presbyterians to participate in faithful action and to
stand in solidarity with those whose lives are directly impacted by our
immigration policies. As people of faith we are often reminded that when one
part of the body suffers, all suffer with it. Join the 220th General Assembly
(2012) and urge your Representative to support comprehensive, compassionate
immigration reform.
