Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, June 16 through Thursday, June 18, the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness is cosponsoring a 3-day fast and prayer vigil in front of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) Headquarters in Washington, D.C, to stand with immigrants at risk of unjustified deportation. It is centered on two Sanctuary cases: Arturo Hernandez Garcia at First Unitarian Society of Denver and Rosa Robles Loreto in Tucson. Rosa has been in Sanctuary for 10 months at Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson. Take action for Rosa here and Arturo here.
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***MEDIA ADVISORY***
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2015
Contact:
Megan Cagle, Church World Service (602) 399-0723 mcagle@cwsglobal.org
Megan Cagle, Church World Service (602) 399-0723 mcagle@cwsglobal.org
Faith and Immigrant Communities Fast at ICE Headquarters, Expose
Refusal to Implement New Deportation Policies
National days of fasts, prayer vigils push Obama administration to hold ICE accountable for failing to
implement executive actions on prosecutorial discretion
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After months of continual inaction by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to implement the Obama administration’s November 2014 memorandum on prosecutorial discretion, faith and immigrant community leaders will hold a multi-day fast and prayer vigil beginning on Tuesday, June 16, 2015. Held in front of ICE headquarters in Washington, D.C., people of faith will stand with immigrants across the country who are at risk of unjustified deportation.
WHEN: Tuesday, June 16, 2015. Press conference will start at 11:00AM in front of ICE headquarters. Participants will lead songs, prayers, and share stories until the breaking of the fast at 5:30PM on Thursday, June 18, 2015.
WHERE: Press conference and actions will be held at ICE headquarters: 500 12th St. SW, Washington, D.C.
WHAT: Despite President Obama’s executive actions last year that directed the Department of Homeland Security to exercise prosecutorial discretion in deportation cases, ICE officials have continually failed to implement and follow the orders. The planned fast and joint actions across the country aim to hold the agency accountable for their failure to implement discretion and relief policies aimed at protecting individuals who have family and community ties in the United States. The fast is centered specifically on the cases of Arturo Hernandez Garcia and Rosa Robles Loreto who are living in churches in Denver and Tucson, respectively, to find sanctuary and fight deportation and separation from their children, families and communities. Visit afsc.org/FastWithUs for more information.
SPEAKERS: Sanctuary resident Arturo Hernandez Garcia via telephone; Rev. Jeannie Shero, First Universalist Church of Denver; and Rev. Dr. Earl Trent, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Church World Service and Senior Pastor, Florida Avenue Baptist Church.
VISUALS: Signs in support of sanctuary residents, pictures of Arturo Hernandez Garcia and Rosa Robles Loreto, protestors and activists, clergy members, interfaith symbols and altar.
CO-SPONSORS: American Friends Service Committee, Church World Service, Disciples Refugee & Immigration Ministries, General Board of Church and Society, Franciscan Action Network, Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Washington Office, National Day Laborer Organizing Network, New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, Presbyterian Office of Public Witness, Southside Presbyterian Church, Standing on the Side of Love, UURISE - Unitarian Universalist Refugee and Immigration Services and Education, United Methodist Church, and the Unitarian Universalist Association.
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