Home for the Holidays
This Monday, November 16th, faith leaders across the country partnered with Faith In Public Life and Reform Immigration FOR America to launch "Home for the Holidays," a campaign to mobilize for comprehensive immigration reform. Home for the Holidays is a nationwide grassroots initiative that aims to galvanize people of all faiths to fight for a sustainable, humane and family-based immigration system.
On the official press call that marked the campaign's launch, faith leaders testified to the civic and religious mandates for reform and grassroots leaders addressed the impact of the broken system on the communities they serve. Rev. Stephen Copley, Director of Justice for Our Neighbors, a program that offers immigration law services for low-income immigrants in Arkansas, entreated compassion for the stranger and spoke of two large events he is planning in Little Rock and Monticello that will gather individuals to discuss immigration and worship together over a shared meal. Vic Rosenthal, Executive Director of Jewish Community Action in Minnesota, addressed the diversity of people affected by our broken system by discussing his work with Liberian immigrants.
The calendar is already teeming with a full line up of Home for the Holidays Campaign events. From Arkansas to Pennsylvania, Texas to Ohio, and South Carolina to Missouri, prayer services, call-in days, potlucks and town hall meetings will welcome new voices to join in thoughtful conversation and debate on immigration reform. In addition, dozens of faith organizations have distributed a quarter million holiday postcards to congregations nationwide targeting Members of Congress that will be collected and submitted to the Congressmen's local and DC offices after the New Year.
Jen Smyers, Associate for Immigration and Refugee Policy at Church World Service, eloquently encapsulated the goals of the Home for the Holidays Campaign when she said, "People of faith have seen the human consequences of our broken immigration system and they are passionately making their voices heard for immigration reform that unites families, provides undocumented immigrants opportunities to earn legal status and eventual citizenship, and treats all people with dignity and respect."
As the holidays approach and we anticipate reuniting with family for shared meals and celebrations, let us not take for granted the privilege of spending this time with our loved ones. For 12 million people in our country family reunions remain a pipe dream. Join the fight for comprehensive immigration reform and help make this dream a reality.