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Prophetic Action is extremely difficult under the dividing circumstances the nation is facing. However, CRLN remains aware of the hard work to be done in educating our network and sharing resources towards unifying. Here a few highlights of the recent efforts we have made in our Immigration Program:

CRLN Sanctuary Working Group:  After joining an organizational sign-on letter calling on ICE and CBP to release people from immigrant detention to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in crowded and unsanitary detention centers, CRLN formed a Working Group to plan for temporary sanctuary spaces for those released.

While ICE has released very few people, some with preexisting health conditions, usually after legal battles, representatives to CRLN’s Organizing Committee from University Church, Wellington Avenue UCC, Su Casa Catholic Worker, Viatorian House of Hospitality, Bethany House of Hospitality, Congregation Tzedek, and the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants have been working to support those who may be released. We are accepting donations to support these efforts.

 ICIRR Everybody In Organizing Platform: As members of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights we helped organize around the rights of immigrants in the current crisis.  With allies from around the state, we helped form the Everybody In Platform.  The aim of this campaign has four main components:

  1. Health Access for All regardless of immigration status. We want to make sure that the communities with the most need receive the care they deserve with no fear.
  2. Economic Security for All regardless of immigration status. We want to ensure that all people in Illinois receive support from safety net programs.
  3. #FreeThemAll is a push to have all people in detention and incarceration released for their safety. About 70% of people in detention are predicted to catch COVID-19.
  4. Stop all ICE and local police collaboration, make renewal of DACA and TPS grants automatic, and end over-policing in our communities.

We achieved some key victories.

  • The largest appropriation to the Immigrant Service Line item in the line’s history at $30 million, with $20 million going to direct cash assistance that many grass roots, immigrant led organizations will oversee. 
  • Nearly $400 million in rental assistance funding accessible to the most vulnerable renters regardless of immigration status
  • An additional $30 million (at least) in other immigrant service supports in response to the pandemic.
  • An expansion of access to state health insurance to undocumented older adults, aged 65 and over.

Paid Emergency Sick Leave Ordinance: As states mandated many businesses to close, people without papers were the most deeply affected. No federal monies will be given to these individuals or their families. We are all in this together, but we are not all affected in the same way.

We are coordinating our coalition efforts with Arise Chicago, the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Raise the Floor Alliance and AFIRE Chicago, on a Chicago ordinance that would require business owners to grant paid sick leave to ALL of their employees during an emergency if they need to quarantine for 14 days or take care of a family member with COVID-19, with the possibility of this being renewed for an additional 14 days for a total of 28 days. This ordinance would be retroactive.

Here is more information: https://www.arisechicago.org/epl

Chicago Emergency Paid Leave Ordinance – Arise ChicagoChicago Emergency Paid Sick Leave Ordinance. Protect All Chicago Working Families. The City of Chicago must act now to ensure all working people and their families can immediately care for their physical and financial health.. All working people in Chicago must be able to take a paid CDC-recommended 14-day quarantine if sick, care for a family member with COVID-19.www.arisechicago.org

 

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New hotline, a clearinghouse for advice for immigrants facing deportation

The hotline – 855-435-7693 or 855-HELP-MY-F(amily)

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) Family Support Hotline connects families in crisis with reliable and immediate information, referrals to legal, ministry, and social services – while also providing a long-term connection to someone who can help them locally.

The hotline – 855-435-7693 or 855-HELP-MY-F(amily) – is modeled after ones for homelessness or domestic violence, where volunteers take calls around the clock and guide callers to help.

 

Click here for more information




 





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By: Ivanna Salgado, CRLN Immigration Organizer Intern

Fueron las palabras que se gritaban con mucho entusiasmo por varios manifestantes y organizaciones en 15 de junio de 2017 para empujar la ciudad de Chicago para enmendar la Ordenanza de la Ciudad Acogedora, sin excepciones.

En el 2012, Chicago aprobó la Ordenanza dela Ciudad Acogedora estableciendo  directrices sobre cómo la policía de Chicago interactúa con inmigración (ICE), destinado a limitar la colaboración entre la policía y ICE para proteger a inmigrantes de deportación.

Estas palabras permitieron mis lágrimas silenciosamente salpicar el piso de concreto en el “Un Chicago” que fue construido a través de la violencia contra los inmigrantes y la gente esclavizada en estas tierras robadas. Con los años, hemos olvidado esta realidad porque ha sido cubierto por narraciones de la supremacía blanca que nos han manipulado a creer que su verdad es la única que existe.

De hecho, la palabra “inmigrante” mismo es una construcción de la supremacía blanca, un sistema que ha ganado poder después que ellos inmigraron a América para separarse de los que pronto se tratan como inferiores. Entonces, la palabra inmigrante se ha racializado y tipificado como delito.

Ser un inmigrante indocumentado es nada para avergonzarse, pero hemos sido entrenados como por ejemplo este dicho es dicho es muy común “En América sólo hablamos inglés.” La ironía de esta frase es que, América incluye todos los de norte y América del sur. América contiene 33 países Latino América, e inglés no es aún el principal idioma allí.

Largo de los años, para mí, ser inmigrante ha llegado con tanto orgullo y lucha en lugar de vergüenza. Ser inmigrante me ha enseñado a explorar mi propia identidad y celebrar y entender la política de las culturas de mis amigos inmigrantes.

La marcha de ayer me hizo reflexionar sobre las familias que actualmente están siendo afectados por el sistema de inmigración o que han sido criminalizados por agentes de policía o Ice

Es duro sentirse orgulloso cuando nuestras familias están destrozadas. A menudo se lamentan haber venido a los EE.UU.

Al igual que el edificio del Ayuntamiento (City Hall,) que ha sido construido a través de la explotación de los inmigrantes. Al igual que el Concejal Rosa dice “Chicago no puede reclamar es uno Chicago, si no está ofreciendo santuario para todos sus residentes y en lugar de ello, está trabajando con ICE para deportar a los inmigrantes. El edificio del Ayuntamiento (ICE) nos pertenece porque vuestra comunidad inmigrante lo ha construido, así que tenemos una voz”.

*

Yo estudio en Ohio, y cuando me enteré de que Chicago era un santuario mi corazón se llena de felicidad y orgullo. Ohio, lamentablemente, es un estado oscilante. Sin embargo, me siento decepcionada al saber que la ciudad de Chicago no es un santuario como muestra al público. Muchos inmigrantes son criminalizados y deshumanizados por querer quedarse con sus seres queridos.

Cuando vi posters que decían “Santuario para todos. Sin excepciones.” o “La lucha obrera no tiene fronteras” levantados en la marcha, yo estaba feliz de saber que muchas comunidades estaban a bordo y continuaban luchando. ¿Porque una vez que la ciudad de Chicago en un santuario ciudad sin excepciones, realmente hemos acabado? ¿Cuál es el siguiente paso? Es una larga batalla porque en cualquier otra ciudad hay indocumentados, las comunidades luchan por la misma causa, por nuestra liberación, y debemos estar de pie junto a ellos luchando y gritando “Ningún muro. Ningún registro. No la supremacía blanca”.

Esta batalla que ha sido apoyada por: Arab American Action Network, Asian American Advancing Justice- Chicago, Organized Communities Against Deportation, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Right,s the National Immigrant Justice Center, the Southwest Organizing Project, Centro  de Trabajadores Unidos – Immigrant Worker Defense Project, the Latino Policy Forum, Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Enlace, the Hana Center, Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America, Chicago Community and Workers’ Rights, the Latino Union of Chicago, Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Communities United, and Black Youth Project 100.

Gracias a estas organizaciones e individuos que han estado solidaridad para convertirse en una “Ciudad Santuario.”

 

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CRLN Statement on DACA Rescission: “President Trump Moved By Racism & Xenophobia”



It is a shame that President Trump was moved by racism and xenophobia to put an end to the DACA Program, leaving 800,000 young people and their communities in uncertainty. Those DACAmented individuals contribute in ways that go without saying to our beloved community. We are in solidarity with our DACA siblings and we will continue to fight with them for meaningful access to justice and opportunities to obtain legal status and legal protection for immigrants. We will continue to call attention to the connections between the attacks on DACA, local ICE abuses, and the overall picture of how much money Congress appropriates to the detention and deportations machine

.”

Claudia Lucero, Executive Director

Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

#ProtectionForAll #Sanctuary4ALL #Faith4DACA

What you need to know //

Lo que necesitas saber (en español)





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Join CNSC in this National Immigration Day of Action! On Sunday March 10th, the Immigrant Youth Justice League (IYJL) will be holding the fourth

National Coming Out of the Shadows Day: Out of the Shadows Into the Streets


.  First, join us for a march from Union Park starting at 11 AM. IYJL will meet in Federal Plaza at 12:30 PM for pre-rally music with Quinto Imperio, poetry, and a drum performance by the Korean American Resource Center.

At 1 PM, marchers coming from Union Park will be welcomed, and the story-sharing will begin. This year, those ‘coming out of the shadows’ will not only include youth and students, but also relatives of those in detention, immigrants facing deportation, and children whose parents have been deported, as we say together that DEPORTATION, DETENTION, and DACA will not stop us. Come be part of this National Mobilization as we keep fighting for a Compassionate and Comprehensive Immigration Reform!

Also, check out our Immigrant Welcoming Congregations Gathering Story at this

link


. Thank you for all those who supported this event. To find out how to get involved in the push for immigration reform contact us at

773-293-3680

.

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Launching the Campaign to End the Gang Database & #Faith4DACA in DC!

Last Thursday, CRLN joined OCAD, BYP100, Mijente, and other organizations as a part of the coalition to Expand Sanctuary in Chicago to call for an end to the gang database in Chicago. The campaign, calling for a review of Chicago policies to strengthen protections for those targeted by Trump administration, began focusing on expanding the Welcoming City Ordinance, Chicago’s Sanctuary city policy, to be consistent with respecting all immigrant’s constitutional rights and requiring a warrant for all police interaction with immigration enforcement. However, despite support from the ACLU of Illinois and dozens of immigrant rights and civil rights organizations in Chicago, the Mayor and City Council have failed to make the necessary changes to Chicago’s ordinance.

A few days later, Claudia Lucero, Executive Director of CRLN,

joins faith leaders from throughout the country in D.C.

to rally in support of defending DACA. As a part of today’s delegation,

CRLN joined prophetic witnesses from many regions

to call on Congress to defend DACA, while at the same time fighting for protections for all immigrants, voting no to billions of dollars to expand the immigration enforcement machine, and call for accountability from local ICE offices.


Today and everyday, we  learn from and take the lead from our DACAmented & UnDACAmented immigrant siblings:



To all those that ask how to help and who say they stand with us:

The continued attacks affect

our

daily lives in tangible, material ways. We organize because our lives are completely political. We live the struggle, because this country has denied our humanity due to the circumstances of our births. When we step out to recharge, we are doing so to come back stronger leaders.

No immigrant should have to meet any criteria to gain your support.

Our humanity is enough to garner solidarity.

We do not need your “solidarity” if it means throwing us and our families under the bus for personal or political gain or providing a resume of contributions we’ve made to the country to garner support. We do not need your solidarity if it defends white supremacy. We do not need your solidarity if you are not centering our lives, our struggles, and our voices.

It is time for a new kind of solidarity.


To be an accomplice, start by asking yourself:

  1. Will you set up human chain blockade if they try to deport one of us?

  2. Will you slash the tires of a law enforcement vehicle when they try to come for us?

  3. Will you help us post bail if we or another undocumented community member is apprehended?

  4. Will you move aside and offer your seat on a immigration panel to an actual immigrant?

  5. Will you hire undocumented workers ?

  6. Will you fight against the forced migration that gentrification inherently creates?

  7. Will you provide shelter and sanctuary to immigrants fighting deportation orders?

  8. Will you finally shatter any notion that the American Dream is something real?

  9. Will you demand that the shadow economies we have built become decriminalized?

  10. Will you listen to us, and follow our lead?

We are the protagonists of our own story. It is not yours to tell. Offer donations, scholarships, jobs, and political connections to get resources and to stop deportations.

Whatever the next steps may be, let’s make sure to learn from the movement lessons of the past and lead with our heads held high. We have been here before. It is up to us to decide what our future will be.

Sincerely,

Immigrant Womxn of Color”

Additional information on what you need to know now that DACA is ending is available in

English

and

Spanish

.

Please visit ICIRR’s

Events page

for a listing of upcoming DACA information sessions and workshops.

Please visit ICIRR’s

Protection page

for links to legal, mental health, and other community resources.

You can text “DACA” to (630) 524-4106 to get more information regarding legal and community resources near you.

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ACTION ALERT: Now is the time!


Call Your Senators EVERY DAY until Immigration
Reform Passes!


Call

1-866-940-2439


(or
202-224-3121)

Feel free to use this sample script:


“I am from [City, State, Congregation], and as a person of faith, I urge the Senator to vote YES for the bipartisan immigration reform bill. I urge the Senator to protect the refugee and asylum provisions from negative amendments, and to support amendments that would reunite families, reform enforcement practices to be more humane, and make the path to citizenship more accessible.”


Background:

The Senate will be considering amendments to the bipartisan immigration reform bill as early as
Monday, June 10th, and voting on the bill in late June. Key amendments will be
considered regarding who is eligible for the path to citizenship, social
services available to immigrants, intrusive enforcement practices and border
militarization, and changes that could negatively impact refugees and asylum
seekers. We need 60 votes to pass positive amendments; 41 votes to defeat
negative amendments; and a final 60 votes for immigration reform to pass in the
Senate.

Amendments will be considered very quickly, so it’s important that your Senators hear from you NOW and EVERY DAY until the Senate passes immigration reform! Your Representatives
also need to hear from you, as many worry that the House will not support a
pathway to citizenship for our undocumented community members. You can find
your Senators and Representatives’ direct contact information at

www.senate.gov 

and

www.house.gov

.

During the amendment process, we made more than 3,000 calls, and were a big part of
defeating the worst amendments and gaining modest improvements to the bill. We
need to escalate the number of calls made during the upcoming debate and vote
on the Senate floor. ALL Senators must hear from their constituents who support
immigration reform that reform must prioritize family unity and create a clear
and accessible pathway to citizenship.


Call

1-866-940-2439


to be connected with your Senators.

Feel free to use this sample script:


“I am from [City,
State, Congregation], and as a person of faith, I urge the Senator to vote YES
for the bipartisan immigration reform bill. I urge the Senator to protect the
refugee and asylum provisions from negative amendments, and to support
amendments that would reunite families, reform enforcement practices to be more
humane, and make the path to citizenship more accessible.”

Follow @CRLN_LA on Twitter and “like” the CRLN-Chicago Religious Leadership
Network on Latin America or Chicago New Sanctuary
Coalition on Facebook to receive the most up-to-date alerts on amendments being
considered in the Senate floor debate. Find Your Senators’ Twitter names on their websites
http://www.senate.gov and urge them to vote YES on S.744 by tweeting @[their twitter
name].

Ex: “@Sen_JoeManchin As a
West Virginian & person of faith I urge you to support #pathtocitizenship #immigration
reform #cir”

Also, consider writing
a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in support of immigration
reform, urging your Senators and Representatives to be champions for family
unity, refugees and asylum seekers, a pathway to citizenship, and more humane enforcement
practices. Host prayer vigils and other faithful actions near your Senator or
Representatives’ office, and get your community involved by writing letters and
spreading this alert far and wide. For resources and more information, go to
www.crln.org.

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NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO #DefundHate!

Funding negotiations for FY ’18 are still under way in Congress. The Senate still has to mark-up and vote on a funding bill for the detention and deportation machine, and all members of Congress can weigh in with their leadership ahead of negotiations between the House and Senate. Call your representatives

TODAY

and demand they

#DefundHate

and call for cuts to ICE and CBP!


Sample Call Script.


Click here to find out who’s your

representative

or here for your

senators

.


Voicemail:

“Hello, my name is [first and last name] and I’m a constituent of [state/congressional district]. I’m calling as part of the Defund Hate campaign. We’re calling on [Member of Congress] to oppose funding for the detention and deportation machine. This funding fuels agencies like ICE and CBP which have a long track record of lying, hiding information and retaliating against those who speak out against them. We need to use public funds for needed resources like healthcare, education and housing, instead of this hateful detention and deportation machine. We demand that [MoC] publicly call for significant cuts to ICE and CBP and be a voice within [chamber, caucus, with leadership] to #DefundHate and oppose funding for the detention and deportation machine.”


If you get a person on the phone:

“What is [MoC’s] current position on whether or not Congress should be decreasing the funds allocated to CBP and ICE? [Wait for an answer. If bad/non-committal, reiterate: Again, CBP and ICE both have long track records of shameful and abusive behavior and are causing harm in our communities every day. I encourage [MoC] to speak out against this terrible use of my taxpayer dollars.] Thank you for your time…”

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Action Alert: Calls Needed TODAY, Thursday, June 20

The Senate will continue to vote on amendments to the bipartisan immigration bill S.744 today, Thursday, June 20th. Yesterday your calls make were successful! Paul #1200 which was tabled, which would have hurt refugees and delayed the path to citizenship, and Lee #1208 failed, which would have delayed the path to citizenship.

Please call TODAY and keep calling to defeat negative amendments and win sensible improvements to the bill!


Call

1-866-940-2439


to be connected with your Senators.

You can also call the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or find Senators’ direct lines at

http://www.senate.gov/

Feel free to use this sample script:


“I am from [City, State, Congregation], and I support

immigration reform.


As a person of faith, I urge the Senator to vote


NO


to


amendments sponsored by Senators


Cornyn, Inhofe, Cruz, Rubio,

Fischer, Grassley, Wicker, and Sessions

,

which would expand detention,

significantly delay the path to citizenship, and prevent many of our community

members from accessing the path to citizenship.

 


I also ask the Senator to


SUPPORT Senator Hirono’s

amendment #1403


to help women and families access the visa system, and

Senator Boxer’s #1240


to ensure training for all officials along the

border.”



OPPOSE AMENDMENTS THAT

WOULD EXPAND DETENTION AND DELAY THE PATH TO CITIZENSHIP

 


SENATOR CORNYN’S “RESULTS” AMENDMENT #1251

would mandate unreasonable triggers that could inevitably

delay the path to citizenship and increases enforcement costs without a clear

strategy and purpose. The Department of Homeland Security would have to ensure

100% situational awareness of the border, full operational control, and fully

implement a nationwide employment verification system and biometric entry and

exit system at all air and sea ports of entry. This would cost around $24

billion, mostly for adding 10,000 officer and agents. These are extremely high

costs lacking clear justification. Cornyn may file another amendment to be

considered today that would narrow who is eligible for the path to citizenship.


SENATOR INHOFE’S AMENDMENT #1203

would radically expand immigration detention, including arriving asylum seekers

and longtime lawful permanent residents with misdemeanor offenses, and remove

basic due process. It would extend mandatory detention to individuals with old

convictions who have been free for years and leading productive lives, and

would bar Immigration Judges from ordering the supervision of immigrants on

secure and cost effective alternatives to detention. It would also authorize

the indefinite-or potentially lifelong-detention of broad categories of people,

without meaningful judicial review.


SENATOR CRUZ’S AMENDMENT #1320

would

replace current border provisions with more burdensome requirements and delay

the processing of applications for RPI status until these border security

requirements are met.


OPPOSE AMENDMENTS THATWOULD PREVENT MANY FROM ACCESSING THE PATH TO CITIZENSHIP


SENATOR RUBIO’S AMENDMENT #1225


AND


SENATOR FISCHER’S AMENDMENT #1348

would

require individuals to pass the English and civics exam currently required for

citizenship in order to even receive RPI status (Fischer #1348) or adjust to

LPR status (Rubio #1225). These amendments would restrict many of our community

members from accessing RPI and LPR status, and thus prevent them from

sponsoring their family members for reunification. The standard currently set

in the bill, to allow people in RPI status to adjust to LPR if they

are “satisfactorily pursuing a course of study…to achieve an

understanding of English and knowledge and understanding of the history and

Government of the United States” should remain, so individuals can adjust

to LPR and continue learning English to prepare for the citizenship exam.

 


SENATOR GRASSLEY’S AMEDNMENT #1299

would bar individuals who have been a member of a gang from entering the U.S.

or, for those who are here, pursuing the path to citizenship. It would expand

the term “criminal gang” to mean an ongoing group, club,

organization, or association of 5 or more persons that has as 1 of its primary

purposes 1 or more criminal offense”. This could prevent access to the

path to citizenship for many individuals who were members of gangs in their youth

but who have changed their lives and are contributing members of our

communities.


SENATOR WICKER’S AMENDMENT #1229

would revoke RPI status from someone who

leaves the U.S. for more than 180 days, utilizes Federal means-tested benefits,

uses a fraudulent document, or is no longer eligible for such status. This

could prevent people from traveling to see a sick family member and or from

finding health services for their children.


SENATOR SESSIONS’ AMENDMENT #1334

would change in the definition of “aggravated identity theft” from

the possession of the identification “of another person” to the

possession of identification “that is not his or her own”. This would

eliminate the ability of many immigrants who have used fake documents to get by

from ever applying for RPI status.



SUPPORT AMENDMENTS TO HELP WOMEN, FAMILIES AND BORDER COMMUNITIES


SUPPORT SENATOR HIRONO’S AMENDMENT #1403

to help women and families enter through the merit-based system.

This amendment is sponsored by 12 women senators, including Senator Murkowski

(R-AK).


SUPPORT SENATOR BOXER’S AMENDMENT #1240

This amendment

would require that all National Guard and Coast Guard officials who are

stationed along the border receive the same training programs in immigration

law enforcement, vulnerable populations, and responding to children and victims

of crime. The current bill requires this training for border patrol agents, but

leaves out these National Guard and Coast Guard officials. Everyone patroling

the border should be specifically trained in these issues.

Find Your Senators’

Twitter

names on their websites (

http://www.senate.gov/

) and urge them to support positive

amendments and oppose negative amendments by tweeting @[their twitter name].

Ex:





@


Sen_JoeManchin





As a WV person of faith I

support



#


immigrationreform



.

Please oppose Grassley #1195 which would delay



#


pathtocitizenship






#


cir




 

All amendments filed can be found at

http://1.usa.gov/14im8Gp

. Please note that this list takes time

to update, so it is possible that amendments being considered may not appear at

this link until 24 hours after they have been filed.

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