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Week in Review - September 2-6, 2019
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Justice for Immigrants Colleagues,
Please see below for the latest updates from JFI.
New Resource on Flores Rule
As you may know, on August 23rd, the Administration issued its final rule [[link removed]]
relating to the care and custody of immigrant children under the Flores Settlement
Agreement. The rule attempts to drastically undermine existing Flores protections
for immigrant children in federal custody. In response, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez of
Austin, TX and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, released a statement
[[link removed]]
condemning the rule and noted: "This rule will jeopardize the well-being and humane
treatment of immigrant children in federal custody and will result in children suffering
long-lasting consequences of being held for prolonged periods in family detention.
We oppose this rule that we believe is unlawful and inhumane."
USCCB/JFI has also issued a new backgrounder [[link removed]]
on the rule change. We also encourage you to review our backgrounder on the underlying
Flores Settlement Agreement here [[link removed]].
Resources on DHS Public Charge Rule
On August 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security published a final rule [[link removed]]
that will have negative consequences for families accessing critical public benefits
for which they otherwise qualify. The Administration is looking to have the rule
take effect on October 15th, pending several court challenges that could delay
or even halt implementation. As you may have seen, Bishop Joe S. Vásquez, Bishop
of Austin, TX and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Migration, and Bishop Frank
J. Dewane, Bishop of Venice, FL and Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic
Justice and Human Development, expressed their strong opposition to the new rule
declaring [[link removed]]:
"This rule will undermine family unity and lead many lawful immigrants to forgo
vital assistance, including enrollment in nutrition, housing, and medical programs."
USCCB/JFI has joined the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, INC. (CLINIC) and Catholic
Charities USA (CCUSA) to create a new informational resource you can use to discuss
the potential impacts of the rule change. This new document is available
here [[link removed]].
For more detailed information about the rule, we also encourage you to review the
USCCB-CCUSA backgrounder [[link removed]].
We hope you will find these resources helpful. Please feel free to share this information
and the new document with your networks and parishes.
Refugee Update
As the deadline of September 30, 2019, nears for the President to set the FY2020
Presidential Determination (PD) on refugees, USCCB/MRS joined nearly two hundred
organizations to sign onto a letter urging the Administration to return the annual
refugee admissions level to historical norms of the nearly 40-year program (FY2020
PD Letter [[link removed]]).
Prior to the current Administration, the average annual PD was 95,000.
In a related development, twenty-seven U.S. military leaders sent a letter [[link removed]]
to the President also calling for a return to historical norms and describing the
strategic importance of refugee resettlement.
The Vatican's World Day for Migrants and Refugees - September 29, 2019
The Vatican's World Day for Migrants and Refugees [[link removed]]
provides an opportunity to reflect on migration in the world, and the Church's response
to this issue. The theme for this year's celebration is "It is not just about migrants,"
which draws attention to the fact that migration is a multifaceted and complex problem.
In anticipation of this celebration, Pope Francis released a message on migration
[[link removed]]
that will assist in our reflections.
Appropriations Update
Congress returns from their August recess on Monday, September 9, 2019. While the
House already passed 10 of 12 House appropriation bills back in June, the Senate
has not yet introduced any of the twelve bills. Reportedly [[link removed]],
the Senate may begin by putting together an omnibus bill that would combine the
Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) and Energy bills. The Hill [[link removed]]
newspaper reports that the hearing to introduce the Senate LHHS bill will be on
Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

Webinar Reminder: What You Need to Know about Unaccompanied Children
Report Release: Faith Leaders' 2019 Delegation Visit to Honduras
Last March, several representatives of JFI core member organizations took part in
a delegation of faith leaders to Central America and later shared their trip insights
and reported on the migration situation in the region in a JFI webinar [[link removed]].The
delegation has released its final report [[link removed]],
which contains a user's guide to navigating the report and highlighting how different
sections of the report can best be used. Thank you to the all the members of the
delegation and the JFI core members' representatives for their work and solidarity
with the people of Central America in seeking justice and peace.
Request for Assistance in Jackson, MS to Serve Families Caught in Immigration Enforcement
Action
On August 7th, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raided several chicken
processing plants in the Diocese of Jackson, MS. Hundreds of people were arrested
and put into detention. In response to the ICE enforcement action, Catholic Charities
of Jackson is requesting assistance from the national Catholic network in the form
of deployments to provide case management and/or counseling to families affected.
The hope is that each of four parishes assisting the families will be assigned one
trauma-informed Spanish speaking mental health clinician and one case manager.
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is assisting Catholic Charities of Jackson by providing
travel/lodging reimbursements to agencies which are able to send bilingual, Spanish
speaking staff or well-known, credible Spanish speaking volunteers to Mississippi
to help serve the families in need. Deployed staff or volunteers must be able to
serve for at least seven days.
Please prayerfully consider whether you are able to send a few of your employees
or regular volunteers to respond to this critical need. Staff at CCUSA will coordinate
and assign personnel to the parish locations within the diocese. Please respond
with your intention toBrigid McKeon [mailto:[email protected]]. All
travel and lodging (but no salary) costs will be reimbursed after the fact.
For those unable to send staff but have a desire to help the agency, please also
consider donating to Catholic Charities of Jackson through a monetary donation
[[link removed]]
or providing an item off of theirNeeded Items List [[link removed]]
or Amazon Wish List [[link removed]].
Upcoming Events and Opportunities

* Webinar: Immigration Enforcement and Protecting Families: The Role of Child Welfare
Agencies - September 10, 2019 at 1:30 PM Eastern
This webinar from the Child Welfare League of America will review current border
detention and protection policies for child immigrants crossing the border, and
interior immigration enforcement policies that impact child and family separation.
The webinar will describe the distinction between federal and state child welfare
agency roles in protecting immigrant children and provide recommendations for community-based
agencies to support families in preparing for immigration enforcement. Webinar preregistration
[[link removed]]
is required.

* Monthly Immigrant and Refugee Network Gathering - September 12, 2019 at 1 PM at
St. James Cathedral in Seattle, WA
All those working on immigrant and refugee matters in their parishes, schools, and
agencies are invited to attend. Attendees have an opportunity to report on their
respective immigrant and refugee support activities and network with other workers
in the vineyard. Network meetings typically include an update on current events
from St. James Immigrant Assistance and/or the Washington State Catholic Conference.
Email [mailto:[email protected]] Joe Cotton for more information.

* Recital and Reception: Novel Voices Refugee Aid Project Presenting Carr-Petrova
Duo - September 12, 2019 at 6 PM at United Methodist Church Bldg., 100 Maryland
Ave. NE, Washington, DCThese musicians have developed this project "to give voice
and visibility, through music and film, to the lives and struggles of both local
and international refugee communities, and to encourage audiences and artists alike
to become connected and involved." Click here [[link removed]]
for more information.
* Centreville Immigration Forum Annual Dinner - September 20, 2019 at 6:30 PM in
Centerville, VA
You are invited to Centreville Immigration Forum's Annual Dinner, "Celebrating Our
Global Community," on Friday, Sept. 20th at the
International Country Club, 13200 Lee Jackson Hwy, Fairfax, VA 22033. Cocktail hour
begins at 6:30 PM, followed by a seated dinner and program. Tickets [[link removed]]
are now on sale.

* Sisters and Brothers of Immigrants (SBI) Conference: Creating Communities of Welcome
- September 21, 2019 at 9 AM in Chicago, IL
Join SSBI at our annual conference at the Catholic Theological Union, 5416 S. Cornell,
Chicago. Conference panelists will include U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-9)
and Carmen Nanko-Fernandez of the Catholic Theological Union. Visit the conference
website [[link removed]]
to register and learn more.

* Bilingual Mass in Prayer for Migrants and Refugee - September 29, 2019 at 1 PM
in Washington, DC
Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew (1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW, Washington, DC
20036) on Sunday, Sept. 29th at 1 PM will be celebrated by Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville,
Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, in prayer for migrants and refugees. Join us [[link removed]]
for this bilingual Mass on the World Day for Migrants and Refugees 2019.

* 16th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference - 9 AM-5PM on October 7, 2019
in Washington, DC
This year's Immigration Law and Policy Conference offers an excellent opportunity
to go beyond the headlines with thoughtful analysis from leading experts. The conference,
organized by the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., Georgetown University
Law Center, and the Migration Policy Institute, will offer timely policy and legal
analysis, along with audience Q&A. Register [[link removed]]
before the October 2nd deadline because seats are limited.
In Solidarity,
Tony Cube
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3211 Fourth Street, NE Washington, DC 20017
Phone: (202) 541-3064 Fax: (202) 722-8711
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