Immigration map USA

RACIAL &  

 IMMIGRANT

JUSTICE

Update

JUNE 2015 

MSJC


Marianist Lay Network
(MLNNA)

 

Brought to you by:

 Racial & Immigrant Justice  Team
Pati Krasensky 
Arlene & Rich Sroczynski
Fr. Ted Cassidy 
Linda Flores-Tober 
Rollie Malfitano
Ashley Davidson
Chuck & Pam Orlowicz
Sherine Green
Neomi DeAnda

 

Richard Sroczynski
Tonight, June 1, I visited my friend Kenneth. He is in an immigration detention facility, which is where I first met him. Kenneth is from Nigeria which he fled after members of his family were killed. He himself was severely beaten and thrown into a river to drown because of his and his father's political affiliations.

 

When he had sufficiently recovered, he found his wife and they sought refuge in Spain where she had relatives. However, because they had been married in a tribal, rather than legal, ceremony she was allowed to stay but he was told he had no legal connection and had to leave Spain.


He gathered funds from his family and traveled to Canada to seek asylum but was stopped when the plane landed in New York. Kenneth then requested asylum in New York hoping to be allowed to stay with his sister who is a legal resident in upstate New York. Since his status was uncertain, he was detained, per US policy, and has been in detention for six months waiting for his appeal to be resolved.

 

As we visited, I noticed two other detainees who were also having visitors this night. They looked, for lack of a better term, so American. I felt compelled to ask Kenneth about them.

He said all he knew about one was that he was from Canada. The other was from the United Kingdom and had been brought here at age three some 50 years ago. 

 

I had known about cases like this but this was my first direct encounter. My initial reaction, I now feel silly saying it, was more from the gut than the head. "England? Canada? So why are they being detained? Are they immigrants?"

 

Kenneth laughed - and then I laughed myself as I understood the narrow-mindedness of my comment. My next reaction was more sobering. Looking again at them, and reflecting on just how much they looked like so many people I know, it slowly sank in. There, but for the grace of God and no paperwork errors so far, go I. I was brought here as a three year old from England some 60+ years ago. 

Rich Sroczynski

Immigrant Detention - Alternatives from the Bishops

 

In the United States, persons whose immigration status is in question are subject to mandatory detention pending the outcome of a hearing. This means jailing (and often further traumatization, sometimes for years) of persons including mothers, fathers, children, asylum seekers, refugees, legal residents, and persons fleeing persecution. The detainees may have committed no crime but still have fewer legal rights than criminals.

 

We as Catholics are obliged to do our best to care for our brothers and sisters. To that end the US Conference of Catholic Bishops has recently released a report which looks at the most significant aspects of the detention system and, most importantly, offers alternatives which are not only more humane and effective, but cheaper as well. This report offers steps which can be implemented now, even while comprehensive immigration reform is mired in political posturing.

 

We urge you to look at this report Unlocking Human Dignity: A Plan to Transform the U.S. Immigrant Detention Systemespecially the recommendations on pages 29-33. Share these ideas widely and promote them in contacts with legislators and candidates.


Raise your voice on behalf of women and children currently held in detention. 
Email the White House  to urge President Obama and the Dept. of Justice to end their support of family detention.

Marianist Family Immigration Prayer

 

Welcoming Christ in the Migrant Mary, the refugee and immigration situation is painfully difficult today. Help us, members of the Marianist Family, to be models and missionaries to guide communities and the country to come together to muster resources to care for immigrants.

 

Mary, help us do what we can to welcome immigrants coming to the USA, the country we love so much. May we receive them as Jesus would. May the Holy Spirit act through us to be Jesus reaching out to assist those needing our care.

 

Teach us how to spread to others the good news of being a country of hospitality. Give us a passion to help our fellow citizens share our abundant resources in order to support those who come to us in need. 

 

Mary, show us how to diminish fear among our country men and women so that we may provide for the health and prosperity for so 

many who are fleeing poverty and threatening circumstances.

 

We pray in Jesus name. Amen

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Questions or comments for  Racial & Immigrant Justice  can be sent to  Jim Vogt .