WASHINGTON – Faith and immigrant justice leaders from across the country are welcoming President Joe Biden’s decision to provide a pathway to citizenship for the spouses of U.S. citizens. 

The program, which offers work permits and deportation protections to the hundreds of thousands of migrants who have been in the country for at least a decade, is one of the largest immigrant initiatives seen since the implementation of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). 

In a statement, Omar Perez, immigrant justice director at Faith in Action, noted that the program is a significant step in the direction of safeguarding immigrants: “President Biden’s new immigration initiative delivers a long-awaited alternative pathway to citizenship, addressing the frustrations caused by backlogs and inconsistent protections. Immigrants who have lived and contributed to the U.S. for over a decade are finally witnessing a policy change that acknowledges their invaluable role and protects their future. Despite the constant threats from lawmakers, this initiative allows immigrants to formally establish the lives they’ve tirelessly built. This program is not just a policy change; it is a lifeline to families who have lived in fear of deportation, despite their deep roots and contributions to our society. It sends a powerful message that America values its immigrant community and recognizes the sacrifices and hard work they have put into making this country thrive.”

DACA recipient Nanci Palacios, deputy director of Faith in Florida, applauded the initiative’s efforts to value and protect immigrants: “It is integral that we continue to find ways for immigrants to have a pathway toward citizenship. These individuals are invested in building a prosperous future for the U.S., and it’s time for our government to invest in their future too. This new program is a small step in the right direction.  I urge the Biden administration to expand this program and other  policies that honor the commitment and potential of every immigrant who dreams of contributing to America’s success. By embracing and supporting these immigrants, we are upholding our nation’s values and ensuring a brighter, more inclusive future for all.” 

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Advocates for migrant rights are disheartened by the new policy that restricts asylum seekers 

WASHINGTON– National faith and immigrant justice leaders are collectively condemning President Joe Biden’s executive order that places limitations on asylum seekers from entering the United States. 

The new executive order would place a daily cap of asylum seekers at 2,500, with the borders remaining closed until the number of entries drops back down to 1,500 for a week. The Biden Administration’s new plan also restricts migrants who enter the United States illegally from claiming asylum, allowing them to get deported to their country of origin. In statements, leaders from Faith in Action, as well as their federation in New Mexico, denounced the legislation, which they say will endanger migrants and runs counter to commonly held values of welcoming migrants and caring for neighbors.

Omar Perez, immigrant justice director at Faith in Action: “The president’s inhumane policy is a continuation and expansion of the xenophobic plans that we saw in former President Trump’s 2018 immigration plan. It’s disheartening to see our president play political games with migrant lives in order to appease pressure from conservatives in an election year. Asylum seekers aren’t political pawns, they are parents, siblings and children simply looking for safety and protection. Rather than penalizing individuals striving for a better life, Congress and political leaders should demonstrate compassion toward migrant people escaping violence and persecution by creating a pathway to to citizenship”

Bishop Dwayne Royster, interim executive director at Faith in Action: “Rejecting migrants at our borders contradicts our nation’s fundamental values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The recent executive order, devoid of compassion, fails to recognize the struggles of those seeking refuge and survival. As individuals guided by faith, it is imperative that we unite in championing policies that honor the dignity and rights of every person, irrespective of their nationality or immigration status. Together, let us strive to build a society where the inherent worth of every human being is not only acknowledged but fiercely protected.”

Brenda Martinez, interim executive director at NM CAFé: “Deterrence measures that have been attempted or implemented by past administrations have failed, and they will continue to fail. The Biden administration continues to ignore those failed lessons from its past predecessors. There has been a historic disregard for those of us that live, breathe, and dwell along this border. Nobody asks our people or in general those who are directly impacted by ever changing immigration and border policies what they need or what they want for a cohesive humanitarian response to the border militarization on the U.S. side of the border.”

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Faith in Action is the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States. The nonpartisan organization works with 1,000 religious congregations in more than 200 cities and towns through its 46 local and state federations. For more information, visit www.faithinaction.org.

Faith in Action is a 501c(3). Faith in Action and its affiliates are non-partisan and are not aligned explicitly or implicitly with any candidate or party. We do not endorse or support candidates for office. 

WASHINGTON – Faith and immigrant justice leaders from across the country are collectively condemning the Senate’s political gamesmanship and likely failed proposal that fundamentally changes the United States’ immigration policies and undermines the bedrock of U.S. asylum law.

The new bill, which is not expected to pass out of the Senate, includes a series of provisions aimed at reducing migrant crossings at the southern border and tightening an asylum system that is dealing with a crippling backlog as migrants flee their homes to seek refuge. In statements, leaders from Faith in Action as well as their federations in Florida and New York, urged senators to stop playing games with people’s lives and reject the legislation that ultimately runs counter to common values of welcoming the stranger and caring for one’s neighbor.

Omar Perez, immigrant justice director at Faith in Action, said: “The proposed legislation doubles down on the inhumane, racist policies of past administrations. It’s egregious that our migrant siblings aren’t able to move comfortably and freely, with dignity and respect. Proposing to repatriate asylum-seekers to the very locations they are fleeing is not just immoral but also undermines their guaranteed rights under the U.S. asylum law. This bill proposal only creates tension, worry, and fear for immigrant families and keeps us in this endless cycle of desperately seeking true immigration reform. The fact that so much time and effort has been spent by both parties on a bill that appears to only ultimately be about scoring political points is just cruel. People are dying at the border, while men in power try to score political points and one-up each other.”

Nanci Palacios, deputy director of Faith in Florida said: “America positioned itself as a nation that welcomes those who want to build a better life for themselves and their children. However, political leaders like Joe Biden, Greg Abbott, and Ron DeSantis are using immigrant families as political pawns by threatening to limit the rights of immigrants to seek asylum. We all know how it feels to be in a difficult situation and look for a way out. Instead of punishing people who seek a better life, Congress and political leaders should show compassion to immigrant families who are fleeing violence and persecution and provide them with the necessary resources and a clear path to citizenship.”

Crystal Walthall, executive director of Faith in New York said: “Once again, our Congressional leaders have failed to put forth an immigration proposal that offers a pathway to citizenship for our Dreamers, long-term undocumented families, and farm workers. To suggest border deals that keep our communities in limbo grossly falls short of what our people need for real immigration reform. Those whom we once touted as being vitally necessary during the pandemic are now being thrown by the wayside yet again, once they are no longer seen as critical to the lifeblood of our communities. That cannot be farther from the truth. Our immigrant families contribute billions to our economy, to say nothing of their contributions to our culture, and do not deserve to be exploited  by our legislators.”

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On the one hand, the State Department has dragged its feet on imposing financial sanctions on the corrupt officials and businesspeople responsible for crushing democracy in Guatemala. On the other hand, it’s kept in place punishing Trump-era economic sanctions on the whole country of Venezuela.

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A year after the first increase in migrants in New York City, the bus arrivals at Port Authority have become a tightly controlled operation: Arriving migrants are greeted by volunteers, then whisked away to centers organized by the city to connect them to services and homeless shelters, often run out of hotels and other centers. The buses slowed earlier this year, but now, the city is bracing for many more.

Read more here 

New York, NY – Today, the Batalla Vidal v. Mayorkas’ case was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Plaintiffs on the case argue that the U.S. should do more to fully implement the 2012 DACA Memorandum while complying with the existing court orders. 

The existing court orders include: 

• The U.S. government can process up to, but not including, adjudication for 78k stalled first-time DACA applications submitted December 2020 – July 2021,
• The U.S. government can adjudicate Extended Renewal Applications,
• The U.S. government can provide interim protection for the 78k first-time DACA applicants stuck in limbo.

Eliana Fernandez, Immigration Director of Faith in Action’s LA RED and Batalla Vidal v. Mayorkas Plaintiff, said:

“There’s a mix of emotions as I head to Court, once again, to defend and protect DACA. For the last five years, we have been going from court to court, winning time after time. Although DACA has never been enough, it’s a program that works and has positively impacted the lives of thousands of people across the country. As an advocate, I am angry and frustrated to witness the inaction and failure of the Biden Administration and Congress to provide a pathway to legalization not only for DACAmented folks like myself, but for all undocumented immigrants in the country. DACA recipients cannot continue to live in legal limbo and plan their lives in two-year increments. We deserve to live a life with respect and dignity. I am committed to continue to fight for families like mine because Our Home Is Here.”

Rev. Alvin Herring, Faith in Action Executive Director, said:

“At Faith in Action we are committed to fighting for a future that is rooted in love and inclusivity. We will fight for a future that recognizes we are all interconnected and that justice means equitable access to freedom, dignity, safety, and humanity. DACA has opened doors to many of our kindred, including many people on our staff and across the country. It has allowed them to pursue their highest aspirations and provided them with peace of mind from deportation but we must do more to humanize our dear siblings. President Biden and Congress need to deliver on their promises of providing a pathway to citizenship. The time is now. At the end of the day, this is fundamentally about the lives of precious people, people who pour their hearts and souls into this country we all call home.”

When Nadia did venture out, it was usually to the local Pentecostal church — where she met her friend, Sadier. The women, whose last names we’re not using to protect their privacy, soon realized they had a lot in common. As immigrants, they both bound themselves to an invisible life in New Hampshire. “I thought I didn’t have the right to talk, and my voice didn’t have any value,” Sadier said.

But that’s changing, thanks to a new course they are taking with the Granite State Organizing Project. Called “Creando Líderes para la Comunidad,” or “Creating Leaders for the Community,” this ten-week program is designed to help Latino immigrants in southern New Hampshire build connections and change their communities for the better.

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The 28-year-old immigrant from Mexico had been trying for five years to get a loan so he, his wife Gloria and their two youngest children could move into their own home.

Guzman was brought to the United States illegally by his parents but became a legal resident under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Still, even as a so-called “Dreamer,” he didn’t qualify for a loan through the Federal Housing Administration.

“It was disappointing,” Guzman said.

That changed Jan. 19, the day before President Joe Biden took office, when the FHA announced a change in policy extending eligibility to Dreamers who apply for home loans. Guzman and his wife were soon approved.

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Some 30 migrant families arrived at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Lodi last weekend to receive much-needed financial assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Lodi pastor gave migrant families some major relief on Sunday. Pastor Nelson Rabell has been working with migrant workers in several Lutheran churches.

On Sunday, he distributed $500 checks to 30 migrant families from the group “Faith in the Valley.” “The rental issue is the biggest issue that is affecting the migrant community, and they tell me, you know, they can find help with food, there’s food pantries,” Rabell said.

The number one concern they all have, actually some of them have referred to this ministry, if you will, as rental assistance, in Spanish. So that’s how they view the money they received. It’s basically for rent,” he said.

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