Category: Sanctuary

Dr. Bobrow-Strain Lecture on the U.S. - Mexico Border at Augustana

2/16/2020

The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: Understanding the U.S.-Mexico Border

The Civil Rights Forum of PACG invites everyone concerned about the crisis on the southern border to attend this lecture.

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The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation - Updated

2/1/2020

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The Crisis at the Southern Border:
Principles and Proposed Legislation

Representatives from various organizations in the Quad Cities have been meeting to address immigration issues. Our organizations include Progressive Action for the Common Good (Civil Rights Forum), One Human Family (Immigration Task Force), the Quad Cities Sanctuary Coalition, the Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, Quad Cities Interfaith (Immigration Task Force), Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and the Catholic Diocese of Davenport. Many of us are concerned about the humanitarian crisis at the border. We are opposed to locking up children and separating them from their adult family members.

Principles

Although we may differ on the problems we address and our proposed solutions, we agree on the following principles regarding the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees who come across our southern border. We call upon all members of Congress and candidates for Congress to consider these principles when devising legislative approaches to fixing the humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

Children should not be locked up in detention centers.

Children should not be separated from their adult family members, or used as bait in immigration enforcement actions.

For-profit private prisons or detention centers should not be used to detain asylum seekers or refugees. Any immigrant in a detention facility should receive adequate food, water, medical care, soap, toothpaste, bedding and access to legal representation.

Asylum seekers and refugees should be protected from sexual abuse.

Alternatives to incarceration should be prioritized for families and other asylum seekers who pose no risk to the community. Bring back and expand the Family Case Management program started as a pilot program under the Obama administration.

Develop new ways to streamline processing of asylum seekers and refugees. Follow international and U.S. laws on treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, and ensure they are treated fairly and receive due process.

Provide aid to countries like Guatemala and Honduras to help them address the problems that cause their citizens to flee their homes.

Proposed legislation on the crisis at the southern border:

Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019 - Would establish immigration judges as independent judges so that they are not under the Department of Justice, which prosecutes immigration cases. https://www.aila.org/advo-media/press-releases/2019/aila-joins-senators-in-call-for-immigration-court

Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2019 - Would require legal counsel for indigent asylum seekers, children and other vulnerable groups who cannot afford a lawyer.
https://www.aila.org/advo-media/press-releases/2019/aila-joins-senators-in-call-for-immigration-court

Other legislative approaches to help resolve the crisis at the border:

Many problems combine to create what we call the border crisis. So, there is neither one cause nor one solution. Political attacks focused on fear of the other interfere with finding solutions. Attempts to enforce a narrow vision in response to the border crisis add to the complexity of the problem and may result in long-term undesired consequences. Legislative approaches to immigration must consider U.S. labor and security needs, the vast differences in the standard of living between the U.S. and other nations, and the level of violence in those nations.

Immigration and Refugee Policies that Reflect U.S. Labor Needs
U.S. labor needs are the main reason that our nation supports a population of ten million undocumented immigrants, many of whom have been here for 20 years or more. Legislative approaches that provide a measured response to labor needs, while also protecting our security needs, would be a start for addressing the crisis at the border. Iowa needs immigrant workers to address workforce shortages. Nationally, immigrant workers are needed to address the nation’s aging population and the decline in workers paying into our Social Security and Medicare programs.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) - A good place to start the movement to a sane immigration policy is Congressional establishment of a form of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was started by the Obama Administration by executive order and ended by the Trump Administration by executive order. ICE is preparing now to deport these 700,000 young workers if the courts rule against them. DACA recipients were brought to this country as children and in the U.S. we do not punish children for the actions of their parents. And, the U.S. needs these young people in the workforce.

Farm Workforce Modernization Act - This bill, passed by the House with bi-partisan support, is significant because it is the first Congressional response to the labor needs of farmers and ranchers, including dairy and vegetable growers. It is not perfect legislation, and the American Farm Bureau wants to modify some provisions of it as it passes through the Senate; however, it reflects America’s need for workers. Meatpacking plants, which are vital to Iowa’s Ag sector and economy, continually advertise for workers with a starting salary of $16-17 per hour. Nationally, hand-planted and hand-harvested crop work pays two to three times the minimum wage. Even with such high wages, farmers and ranchers struggle to fill these difficult jobs in the absence of immigrant workers.

For further information:

National Immigration Forum: Working Paper: Addressing the Increase of Central American Migrants, updated May 2, 2019
https://immigrationforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Border-Solutions_Revised_Final.pdf

Migration Policy Institute: Policy Solutions to Address Crisis at Border Exist, But Require Will and Staying Power to Execute, April 2019
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/policy-solutions-address-crisis-border-exist-require-will-staying-power

Bipartisan Policy Center: Policy Proposals to Address the Central American Migration Challenge, July 26, 2019
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/policy-proposals-to-address-the-central-american-migration-challenge/

Human Rights First: Testimony of Michael Breen, President and CEO, Human Rights First at the Hearing Entitled: “Kids in Cages: Inhumane Treatment at the Border” before the House of Representatives, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/sites/default/files/MB-Written-Testimony-House-Kids-In-Cages.pdf

Note: There are many other pertinent articles at Human Rights First. https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/

American Civil Liberties Union: Immigrants’ Rights and Detention
https://www.aclu.org/issues/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention

NPR: ACLU: Administration Is Still Separating Migrant Families Despite Court Order to Stop,
July 30, 2019
https://www.npr.org/2019/07/30/746746147/aclu-administration-is-still-separating-migrant-families-despite-court-order-to-

Southern Poverty Law Center: No End in Sight, October 3, 2018
https://www.splcenter.org/20181003/no-end-sight

WOLA: Beyond the Wall: A Campaign Defending Human Rights and Migrants in the Trump Era and Migration & Border Security
https://www.wola.org/beyondthewall/
https://www.wola.org/program/migration-border-security/

Note: There are many useful resources at WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America), with up-to-date analyses of new Trump Administration policies. WOLA advocates for human rights in the Americas. https://www.wola.org/

Farm Progress: https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/farmworker-bill-clears-house-way-senate
A brief, but balanced report on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

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The Crisis at the Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

8/22/2019

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The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

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Immigration Meetings for February 2019

2/3/2019

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Immigration Meetings for February 2019

The PACG Civil Rights Forum is working on its own and in coalition with other community organizations on Immigration. Consider coming to one of these upcoming meetings on Immigration issues:

One Human Family Immigration Task Force - Wednesday, Feb 6th at 1:30 pm
Chancery of the Catholic Diocese of Davenport
780 W Central Park, Davenport (map)
Contact Sister Nancy Miller with questions.

QC Sanctuary Coalition - Saturday, Feb 9th from 10am - noon
the Benedictine Sisters of Saint Mary Monastery
2200 88th Ave, Rock Island (map)
Contact John Dunsheath with questions.

Quad Cities Interfaith - Tuesday, Feb 19th at 6:30 pm
Monthly Task Force Assembly
Church of Peace, 1114 12th St, Rock Island (map)
Contact Aaron Wagner with questions.

Alta Price

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Immigration

1/15/2019

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Let's Talk About Migrants at the Border

The Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities
3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA 52807 (map)

Please join us for this enlightening discussion of why the migrants are leaving their countries, what are the causes of the problems in their countries, and what is happening at the border. Speakers are Dr. Peter Kivisto from Augustana College and Jody Mashek from American Friends Service Committee. This event is sponsored by The Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities.

John Dunsheath
[email protected]

migrants_at_our_border_2019-02-02.pdf
File Size:	330 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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Civil Rights

12/3/2018

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The Civil Rights Forum

The PACG Civil Rights Forum will not be meeting in December. However, at least some of the groups we are working with do have December meetings.

December 8th (Saturday) at 10:00 am at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the QC - QC Sanctuary Coalition (contact John Dunsheath with questions.)

December 12th (Wednesday) at 1:00 pm at the Chancery of the Diocese of Davenport (780 W Central Park, Davenport, IA) - One Human Family Immigration Task Force (contact Sister Nancy Miller with questions)

December 17th (Monday) at 6:30 pm at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Bettendorf - Quad Cities Interfaith Task Force Assembly (includes Immigration and Restorative Justice) (contact Aaron Wagner at Quad Cities Interfaith with questions)

Alta Price

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Sanctuary 102: November 3, 2018

10/27/2018

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Sanctuary 102 Presentation
Saturday, November 3 at 9 AM to noon
UUCQC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA (map link)

Click on the file below to download the flyer to invite your friends.

sanctuary_102_invitation.pdf
File Size:	157 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

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October 2018 Immigration Meetings

10/3/2018

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October 2018 Immigration Meetings

The PACG Civil Rights Forum is working on its own and also in coalition with other community organizations on Immigration. Consider coming to one of these upcoming meetings on Immigration issues:

Oct 13 (Saturday), 10 am at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the QC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport - QC Sanctuary Coalition (contact John Dunsheath with questions)

Oct 14 (Sunday), 4 pm at Greatest Grains, 1600 N Harrison, Davenport - PACG Civil Rights Forum (contact Alta Price with questions)

Oct 22 (Monday), 6:30 pm at St. Mary’s Parish House, 516 Fillmore St, Davenport - Quad Cities Interfaith Task Force Assembly(includes Immigration and Restorative Justice) (contact Quad Cities Interfaith with questions)

Oct 24 (Wednesday), 1 pm at the Chancery of the Catholic Diocese of Davenport, 780 W Central Park, Davenport - One Human Family Immigration Task Force (contact Sister Nancy Miller with questions)

Alta Price

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What You Can Do Now - Help Form a Community Sanctuary Coalition

5/27/2018

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What You Can Do Now - Help Form a Community Sanctuary Coalition

The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities (UUCQC) voted May 20 to be a Sanctuary church. The story was covered in the Quad City Times and there was local television coverage, including from WQAD.

The church would house immigrants facing a final notice of deportation for as long as it takes to get their appeal heard. This keeps families together as potential deportees would not be locked up in detention centers. Very detailed information about the Sanctuary Project is available at the UUCQC website.

The PACG Civil Rights Forum calls upon PACG members and other churches and community groups to step up and help form a community Sanctuary coalition to support and expand these efforts. Attend the weekly Sanctuary Task Force meeting on Tuesdays at 6:45 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport to offer your support.

Alta Price, PACG Civil Rights Forum

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Dr. Bobrow-Strain Lecture on the U.S. - Mexico Border at Augustana

The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: Understanding the U.S.-Mexico Border

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation - Updated

The Crisis at the Southern Border:
Principles and Proposed Legislation

The Crisis at the Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

Immigration Meetings for February 2019

Immigration Meetings for February 2019

Immigration

Let's Talk About Migrants at the Border

Civil Rights

The Civil Rights Forum

Sanctuary 102: November 3, 2018

Sanctuary 102 Presentation
Saturday, November 3 at 9 AM to noon
UUCQC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA (map link)

Click on the file below to download the flyer to invite your friends.

October 2018 Immigration Meetings

October 2018 Immigration Meetings

What You Can Do Now - Help Form a Community Sanctuary Coalition

What You Can Do Now - Help Form a Community Sanctuary Coalition

Archives

Categories

The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez: Understanding the U.S.-Mexico Border

The Crisis at the Southern Border: ​Principles and Proposed Legislation

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and Proposed Legislation

Immigration Meetings for February 2019

The Civil Rights Forum

Sanctuary 102 PresentationSaturday, November 3 at 9 AM to noonUUCQC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA (map link)Click on the file below to download the flyer to invite your friends.

October 2018 Immigration Meetings

What You Can Do Now - Help Form a Community Sanctuary Coalition

Archives

Categories

The Crisis at the Southern Border:
Principles and Proposed Legislation

The Crisis at the Southern Border: Principles and
Proposed Legislation

Sanctuary 102 Presentation
Saturday, November 3 at 9 AM to noon
UUCQC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA (map link)

Click on the file below to download the flyer to invite your friends.