Justice for Immigrants Colleagues,
Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.
Migration Policy Issues and COVID 19: Justice for Immigrants Response
In these unprecedented times USCCB/MRS and JFI are continuing to work to protect immigrants and other vulnerable members of our communities. Given the extreme public health concerns related to COVID 19 and the heightened vulnerability of immigrants at this time, we wanted to update you on this important issue.
We have created a dedicated resource page on Justice for Immigrants at https://justiceforimmigrants.org/covid-19-resource-page/. This page will house migration-related resources, prayer resources and pertinent international and US government resources. Please check back regularly and also feel free to recommend to us other resources to post by emailing [email protected]
We continue to advocate with the Trump Administration and with Congress for several protections for immigrants and refugees including: (1) access to COVID 19-related testing and care for all regardless of immigration status, (2) no enforcement at sensitive locations - including hospitals and clinics, (3) no implementation of public charge at this time, and (4) automatic stays and extensions for 180 days for certain visas and DACA renewals.
Please see our Catholic Partner letter to DHS reflecting these migration enforcement and implementation requests.
On March 17, 2020, UNHCR and IOM announced that travel to resettlement countries would be temporarily halted for virtually all refugees. Concerned about how COVID 19 affects the resettlement program? See our backgrounder to learn more.
REMINDER: Please Send Reports of Your Dreamer Advocacy Meetings with Senators During March 16th-20th Recess
Many thanks to those who were able to hold meetings or teleconferences with your U.S. Senators during this week's Congressional Recess. Your advocacy has been tremendously helpful. Please email us at [email protected] or [email protected] to let us know how your visit went or if you need assistance with any follow-up.
Stay tuned for a follow up call on next steps for Dreamer advocacy as we prepare for the SCOTUS ruling!
40th Anniversary of the Refugee Act of 1980
On March 18, 2020, JFI host a webinar that celebrated the 40th Anniversary of the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980 with historical reflections and analysis of current refugee policies, operations, and solutions. The webinar also covered how to plan for World Refugee Day 2020, on Saturday June 20th.
Missed the webinar? See the slides and recording on our webinar page.
Want to learn more about World Refugee Day 2020 planning? See our resources.
Refugee Council USA's (RCUSA) Advocacy Days Postponed to Next Year With the health and well-being of all participants being the highest priority, RCUSA's Advocacy Days has been rescheduled to March 2-3, 2021. Despite the cancellation, RCUSA will be issuing a toolkit tailored for digital advocacy with social media posts, graphics and tips for reaching out directly to your Members of Congress in your community. A webinar on the RCUSA toolkit will be held on Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 12:00 pm Eastern. Please register in advance for the webinar. Thank you for your continuing support for refugees!
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
- USCCB/MRS Seeking an Immigration Policy Advisor - USCCB/MRS is seeking an immigration policy advisor to provide policy analysis and recommendations on migration policy issues. Please see the job announcement and share with your networks.
- Multi-faith Prayer Vigil Supporting Asylum Seekers - March 29, 2020 at 3 PM Pennsauken, NJ - The Immigration Task Force of Faith in Camden is sponsoring a prayer vigil to support asylum-seekers at Pennsauken's Mary, Queen of All Saints Parish, Saint Cecilia Church, 4824 Camden Ave, Pennsauken, NJ 08110. Interested supporters welcome.
- Census Open Innovation Labs: U.S. Census Bureau's Video Prize Challenge - Submissions accepted until April 11th at 2:59 AM EST - The goal of the competition is to create shareable content that speaks to hard-to-count communities, through engaging and informative short-form videos. A $30,000 grand prize, $10,000 runner up, and $10,000 student prize will be awarded. Contact [email protected] with questions!
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In Solidarity, Tony Cube
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3211 Fourth Street, NE Washington, DC 20017
Phone: (202) 541-3165 Fax: (202) 722-8711
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