Sun. Oct 5--Annual Mass Celebrating

World Day of Migrants and Refugees

Feds Dangle Billions to Enlist Local Law Enforcement in ICE Operations

Over the past year SNL Circles of support have been meeting with 33 local police and sheriff's departments to build relationships and urge them not to enter into agreements (called 287g) deputizing their local officers to assist in immigration enforcement. Under the new federal budget bill, funding for ICE operations will triple to over $29 billion This May, the Taylor Police Dept. signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE and now with potentially millions more to spend in Michigan to incentivize these agreements, SNL;s campaign with Police Chiefs becomes even more critical.

The effort your Circle of Support makes to meet with and develop on-going relationships with local law enforcement, may be the last line of defense against this onslaught of tax dollars ICE now has at their disposal. Using these meetings to share the pain and fear in our communities about these raids can make a difference. To join the effort, contact SNL Organizer Odalis Perales perales.o@strangersnolonger.org

Building these relationships is challenging on several levels, especially for those members who have witnessed what happens sometimes when local police show up to ICE raids in their communities. Some have been on the receiving end of pepper spray and even arrested. Still, without the effort of our local circles to establish an on-going dialogue with the police, then it leaves ICE with an unencumbered path to expand their reach on the local level and deport more innocent people.

This is why Strangers No Longer is embracing a faith-guided, community-led campaign "Local for Local," to build relationships and hold local police authorities accountable for the public safety of all. It is meant to discourage collaboration between local police and ICE by advocating against 287(g) agreements, or polimigra. SNL hopes to triple the number of police chiefs visits around the state.

Below are links to several resources Circles can use to engage and sustain these relationships:

or click this link to register

Oct. 5 Mass-Parish Bulletin Announcement

News from NORTHERN MICHIGAN IMMIGRANT INCLUSION NETWORK

BELONG, our Northern Michigan network has remained active this summer and fall:

Led by SNL Staffer Amy Kettner, the Office of Global Michigan toured cities in the Gaylord Diocese (NW Michigan), meeting with leaders in Traverse City, Charlevoix, and Petoskey.
Churches in Charlevoix (First Congregational), Mackinaw City (St. Anthony of Padua) and in Ossineke (St. Catherine) also invited Kettner to do presentations, after which St. Anthony's decided to become an SNL Circle of Support, and an official Belong member.
In July, in partnership with the Iosco RESA (Regional Educational Service agency, Odalis Perales gave a Know Your Rights presentation to ESL Students and staff. Perales also
presented to a group of 25 leaders from organizations including, League of Women Voters, Northern MI Indivisible, and the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians. These leaders are now also supporting Belong’s outreach efforts and are starting to outreach to their local Sheriffs as part of the Local for Local campaign.
In September, Belong hosted it’s second quarterly in-person meeting at the St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord, MI. There was great enthusiasm to collaborate among the 20 Belong members who attended, including Gaylord Bishop Walsh and staff from the Office of Global Michigan.

SNL ENTERS A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL

Strangers No Longer is excited to announce a new partnership with the University of Detroit Jesuit (UDJ) High School Senior Service Program. Through this program, three stellar UDJ seniors, Shiraz Arshad, Shahzad Arshad, and Joseph Davis, will spend 14 days throughout the school year volunteering their time, talent and energy to Strangers No Longer.

Their first day of service was a success! They prepared a presentation together to encourage fellow students to join SNL’s Youth in Action for Immigration, and later that day, they traveled downriver to present at Cabrini High School.

Link to the presentation.

YOUTH IN ACTION FOR IMMIGRATION LEADERSHIP TEAM OPENING RETREAT

On Sunday, September 7, the Youth in Action for Immigration Leadership Team gathered for their opening retreat at Our Mother of Perpetual Help parish in Oak Park.

The team is comprised of 13 students from 6 area Catholic High Schools: Detroit Cristo Rey, Divine Child, Fr. Gabriel Richard Ann Arbor, Mercy, Notre Dame Prep, and Univ. of Detroit Jesuit. Together, they are sharing leadership roles such as: Chair, Secretary, Social Media, Prayer Lead, Cultural Lead, and Advocacy Lead.

At their opening retreat, this team of dedicated students shared in prayer, bonding activities, and a fellowship dinner, explored their leadership skills, and planned how they will work together as a team this year. Strangers No Longer is thrilled to have them on board this year!

Join Christ the Redeemer Parish for

"Faith and Immigration Justice"

Six week program begins Oct. 1, 2025

Opportunities for Training and Work

INTERPRETATION TRAINING OPPORTUNITY FOR NORTHERN MICHIGANDERS

Thanks to the advocacy work of members of Belong: Northern Michigan Immigrant Inclusion Network, the State heard the need for trained interpreters and responded! Our network will be receiving funding for the next state fiscal year (10/01/25 - 09/30/26) to pay local interpreters to interpret at appointments at any State offices (eg. Secretary of State, MDHHS, etc.).

Part of this funding can be used to pay for Interpreter Training and we want to train locals from across the northern lower peninsula to be ready to interpret. We can send up to 20 Northern Michigan bilingual individuals to participate in a virtual Interpreter Training through the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan. If you live in the northernmost 21 counties of Michigan’s lower peninsula, are bilingual, and are interested in this training, check out our flyer or email Amy Ketner (Ketner.a@strangersnolonger.org).

Feel free to share with others in N. MI who might be interested as well!

NEW BELONG ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZER POSITION NOW OPEN

The Office of Global Michigan has offered Belong: Northern Michigan Immigrant Inclusion Network additional funding to focus specifically on advancing immigrant inclusive economic growth strategies across the northern lower peninsula. With this funding, we're hiring a part time position to support the development and operations of a new Belong Economic Development Taskforce, engage diverse network partners, and coordinate an annual event focused on immigrant hiring and retention.

For more information, please see the attached job description and share it widely. Email Amy Ketner (Ketner.a@strangersnolonger.org) with any questions!

SAVE THE DATE! Solemn March for Migrants & Refugees & Misa Hispana, Diocese of Saginaw

WHEN: Saturday, October 25 at 3 p.m.

WHERE: Start at Great Lakes Bay Health Center Parking Lot, 501 Lapeer Ave., Saginaw end at St. Joseph Parish, Saginaw

The Diocese of Saginaw is sponsoring a solemn march as an expression of our faith in a God of justice who stands with the poor, the immigrants and the vulnerable. Questions? Contact Deacon Librado Gayton or Maria Coss at 989-797-6646 or lgayton@diosag.org or mcoss@diosag.org