The Forum Daily | Friday, February 23, 2024
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THE FORUM DAILY

 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit supporting refugees and migrants in El Paso, is drawing rebuke from Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Benjamin Lynch of Newsweek reports. 

In his statement, also posted in El Paso Matters, Seitz highlights Annunciation House’s good work that reflects the Christian calls to love one’s neighbor and help the poor. [Seitz also is a Forum board member.]  

"On the one hand, we are challenged by serious federal neglect to provide a safe, orderly and humane response to migration at our southern border," Seitz writes. "On the other hand, we are now witnessing an escalating campaign of intimidation, fear and dehumanization in the state of Texas, one characterized by barbed wire, harsh new laws penalizing the act of seeking safety at our border, and the targeting of those who would offer aid as a response of faith." 

Seitz isn’t alone: Leaders from different sectors are supporting Annunciation House and raising concerns about the impact of the lawsuit on humanitarian assistance work, reports Jesus Baltazar of KTSM. "State Leadership are doing their best to disrupt efforts to deal humanely with migration," El Paso County Commissioner David Stout said.  

And Jennie weighed in with Jeff Brumley of Baptist News Global: "Texas’ lawsuit against a humanitarian organization acting on principles of faith is an attack not just on compassion and human dignity, but also on religious freedom," she said. "It stands in sharp contrast to the visionary leadership we need, leadership that points toward solutions that protect and prompt compassion in addition to security and order." 

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Isabella Miller, Ally Villarreal and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

FLIGHTS HALTED — Venezuela has stopped accepting flights bringing Venezuelan deportees from the U.S. back to the country, report Kejal Vyas and Santiago Pérez of The Wall Street Journal. The flights had been part of an agreement under which the Biden administration had lifted some economic sanctions against Venezuela. 

WELCOME CORPS — Individuals and small groups in communities around the country are coming together to support newcomers through the Welcome Corps, Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash writes in the Boston Herald. One example is Simone Bamba of Boston, a former doctor and now a pastor who formed a sponsorship group with six fellow church members. 

Elsewhere in local welcome this week: 

  • After assisting U.S. troops for years, an Afghan man finds hope for his family in Roanoke, Virginia. (Heather Rousseau, The Roanoke Times)  

  • Resettled Afghan boys in San Antonio are using cricket to build community. (Raquel Torres, San Antonio Report) 

  • Boston University has teamed up with 10 other schools to launch a program to help connect and support Afghan women. (Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies) 

NEW LAWS — In response to increasing migrant crossings in Arizona, state Republican House Speaker Ben Toma has proposed a stringent immigration law, reports Adi Guajardo of Scripps News. The legislation seeks to expand E-Verify in the state. As we’ve noted, E-Verify is not always accurate and is burdensome to employers. The proposal follows similarly strict immigration measures in Texas and Florida, Guajardo notes. 

SYSTEM FLAWS — Authorities in El Salvador punitively placed Jessica Barahona-Martínez in Interpol’s Red Notice system for fugitives, causing the mother of three to land in U.S. immigration detention for six years — including after she had been granted asylum, reports Nicole Acevedo for NBC News and Sky News. Barahona-Martínez hopes her case will help avert future injustices in the U.S. immigration system.  

Thanks for reading,  

Dan 

P.S. Speaking of Roanoke, the city has been "Certified Welcoming," Heather Rousseau reports separately in The Roanoke Times. 

 

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit against Annunciation House, a Catholic nonprofit supporting refugees and migrants in El Paso, is drawing rebukes from Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Benjamin Lynch of Newsweek reports. 

In his statement, also posted in El Paso Matters, Seitz highlights Annunciation House’s good work that reflects the Christian calls to love one’s neighbor and help the poor. [Seitz also is a Forum board member.]  

"On the one hand, we are challenged by serious federal neglect to provide a safe, orderly and humane response to migration at our southern border," Seitz writes. "On the other hand, we are now witnessing an escalating campaign of intimidation, fear and dehumanization in the state of Texas, one characterized by barbed wire, harsh new laws penalizing the act of seeking safety at our border, and the targeting of those who would offer aid as a response of faith." 

Seitz isn’t alone: Leaders from different sectors are supporting Annunciation House and raising concerns about the impact of the lawsuit on the humanitarian assistance work, reports Jesus Baltazar of KTSM. "State Leadership are doing their best to disrupt efforts to deal humanely with migration," El Paso County Commissioner David Stout said.  

And Jennie weighed in with Jeff Brumley of Baptist News Global: "Texas’ lawsuit against a humanitarian organization acting on principles of faith is an attack not just on compassion and human dignity, but also on religious freedom," she said. "It stands in sharp contrast to the visionary leadership we need, leadership that points toward solutions that protect and prompt compassion in addition to security and order." 

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Isabella Miller, Ally Villarreal and Clara Villatoro. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

FLIGHTS HALTED — Venezuela has stopped accepting flights bringing Venezuelan deportees from the U.S. back to the country, report Kejal Vyas and Santiago Pérez of The Wall Street Journal. The flights had been part of an agreement under which the Biden administration had lifted some economic sanctions against Venezuela. 

WELCOME CORPS — Individuals and small groups in communities around the country are coming together to support newcomers through Welcome Corps, Welcome.US CEO Nazanin Ash writes in the Boston Herald. One example is Simone Bamba of Boston, a former doctor and now a pastor who formed a sponsorship group with six fellow church members. 

Elsewhere in local welcome this week: 

NEW LAWS — In response to increasing migrant crossings in Arizona, Republican House Speaker Ben Toma has proposed a stringent immigration law, reports Adi Guajardo of Scripps News. The legislation seeks to expand E-Verify in the state. As we’ve noted, E-Verify is not always accurate and is burdensome to employers. The proposal follows similarly strict immigration measures in Texas and Florida, Guajardo notes. 

SYSTEM FLAWS — Authorities in El Salvador punitively placed Jessica Barahona-Martínez in Interpol’s Red Notice system for fugitives, causing the mother of three to land in U.S. immigration detention for six years — including after she had been granted asylum, reports Nicole Acevedo of NBC News. Barahona-Martínez hopes her case will help avert future injustices in the U.S. immigration system.  

Thanks for reading,  

Dan 

P.S. Speaking of Roanoke, the city has been "Certified Welcoming," Heather Rousseau reports separately in The Roanoke Times. 

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