March 5, 2010

NEW YORK – The global ecumenical humanitarian agency Church World Service is pressing lawmakers in Washington to move forward on immigration reform before their summer recess in August.

Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program Director Erol Kekic today (March 5) sent a letter to each member of Congress requesting them to move with dispatch to reform what he describes as "a broken immigration system."

Kekic cited the temporary relief measures prompted by the Haiti earthquake – such as Temporary Protected Status for Haitians residing in the United States at the time of the disaster – as yet another factor underscoring the urgent need for lasting change in immigration laws. He urged legislators not to leave Washington before supporting enactment of fair, humane immigration reform.

In the letter (below) he wrote, "We are calling for immigration reform that unites families, protects all workers, improves the efficiency of the visa system, brings due process and humanity to detention and enforcement measures, and provides a pathway to legal status and eventual citizenship for undocumented immigrants."

Kekic and the Rev. John L. McCullough, CWS Executive Director and CEO, will lead the Church World Service delegation to the planned March 21 "March for America" (http://advocacydays.org/), when thousands of people of faith will descend upon the nation's capital to join labor, immigrant rights groups and others in rallying for immigration reform.

Church World Service also will participate in the March 19 – 22 Ecumenical Advocacy Days (http://advocacydays.org/), where hundreds of faith-based advocates from across the United States will address the plight of tens of millions of immigrants, migrants, refugees and internally displaced persons and lobby Congress for reform.

Founded in 1946, Church World Service is the emergency response, sustainable development and refugee resettlement agency of 36 Christian denominations and communions in the United States. Thirty-three CWS community-based offices and affiliates help to resettle refugees, with a majority of them also assisting refugees and other immigrants with immigration legal services, including applying for work authorization, naturalization and family reunification.

Letter to Legislators
March 5, 2010

Dear Member of Congress,

On behalf of the Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program, I urge you to support the enactment of fair, humane immigration reform before the Summer Congressional recess. We are calling for immigration reform that reunites families, protects all workers, improves the efficiency of the visa system, brings due process and humanity to detention and enforcement measures, and provides a pathway to legal status and eventual citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Our advocacy for immigration reform is grounded in our service with newcomers to the United States and in Christ's call to welcome the stranger. We are calling for reform because we see every day how our nation's broken immigration system is causing suffering. Every day, our congregations, offices and affiliates help immigrants desperate to be reunited with family members, workers exploited by their employers, and entire communities living in fear of indiscriminate raids.

Immigration reform is all the more crucial now as we help survivors of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. CWS is helping Haitians in the United States apply for Temporary Protected Status and is caring for Haitian medical evacuees. These relief measures are temporary though, and Haitians and other immigrants need lasting change. Reuniting families, protecting all workers, and providing a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants will not only help these Haitians and other immigrants in need of permanent protection, but will strengthen our communities, improve overall working conditions, bring efficiency to a currently broken system, and benefit the economy by increasing GDP.

Founded in 1946, Church World Service is the emergency response, sustainable development and refugee resettlement ministry of 36 Christian denominations and communions. We work in the United States and internationally to eradicate hunger and poverty, and to promote peace and justice. Our 33 local offices and affiliates help resettle refugees and assist immigrants in applying for work authorization, naturalization; and family reunification.

For the past year, Church World Service has worked to lift the voices of people of faith for immigration reform. Millions have signed petitions, sent postcards, hosted prayer vigils, called their members of Congress, and met with their Congressional delegations to advocate for reform. We are working with other faith communities to organize Ecumenical Advocacy Days March 19 – 22, at which more than 1,000 people of faith will advocate for immigration reform. CWS is also working with a broad coalition to bring tens of thousands of people to Washington, D.C. on March 21 for a massive rally on the National Mall calling for immigration reform.

I thank you for your service to this country. On behalf of our 36 member communions and our 33 community based offices across the country, I urge you to uphold your commitment to improving the lives of Americans by enacting the immigration reform that this country needs, and needs now.

Sincerely,
Erol Kekic, Director
Immigration and Refugee Program
Church World Service

Church World Service