Deportation Defense Response Team provides update as termination of TPS takes effect

From the DDR newsletter

Our immigrant neighbors and siblings in Christ continue to face excruciatingly difficult times. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was terminated for Haitians at the end of July, and the Haitian community is being targeted. Haitian Church of the Brethren members in Florida have lost the ability to work, are facing significant hardships and uncertainty, and are living in fear.

Aggressive immigration enforcement has hit the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, and two pastors in the area have been unjustly incarcerated by ICE. Unjust arrests continue across the country, and our neighbors needlessly suffer in ICE detention. Deportations to unstable countries continue, and families are separated.

The injustice feels overwhelming. And still, we find peace, rest, and hope in Christ.

Henri Nouwen says within the essay “Prayer Embraces the World,” found within the book The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life: “Life becomes an unbearable burden whenever we lose touch with the presence of a loving Savior and see only hunger to be alleviated, injustice to be addressed, violence to be overcome, wars to be stopped, and loneliness to be removed. All these are critical issues, and Christians must try to solve them; however, when our concern no longer flows from our personal encounter with the living Christ, we feel oppressive weight.”

It is from our encounter with Christ that we experience concern for the world that doesn’t crush us but instead brings clarity about what is ours to do.

Let us be reminded today and every day to surrender ourselves to Jesus and experience his love, mercy, and grace. We are not asked to do everything, nor can we. Let us, instead, offer ourselves to God, ask What is mine to do? and move in action with peace and clarity.

Affected members from our Church of the Brethren family

Currently detained:
B from Buffalo, N.Y., Atlantic Northeast District
D from Lehigh Acres, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
E from Lehigh Acres, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
I from Lehigh Acres, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
JB from Lehigh Acres, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
M from Los Banos, Calif., Pacific Southwest District
H from Dayton, Ohio, Southern Ohio and Kentucky District

Deported:
J from Lancaster, Pa., Atlantic Northeast District
L from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
J from Cabool, Mo., Missouri and Arkansas District
A from Tipp City, Ohio, Southern Ohio and Kentucky District
M from Tipp City, Ohio, Southern Ohio and Kentucky District
A from San Diego, Calif., Pacific Southwest District
I from Las Vegas, Nev., Pacific Southwest District
M from Las Vegas, Nev., Pacific Southwest District
E from Bassett, Va., Virlina District
D from Bassett, Va., Virlina District
J from Bassett, Va., Virlina District
Three sisters from Christiansburg, Va., Virlina District

Released:
E from Lehigh Acres, Fla., Atlantic Southeast District
A from San Diego, Calif., Pacific Southwest District
C from San Diego, Calif., Pacific Southwest District
J from Las Vegas, Nev., Pacific Southwest District

Mobilizing in Springfield, Ohio

Multiple Church of the Brethren members are planning to participate in faithful witness this week and weekend in Springfield, Ohio, to stand in solidarity with the Haitian community there who are facing aggressive immigration enforcement.

Beginning Wednesday and continuing through Sunday, faith leaders and allies from across the country are invited to come to Springfield for as long as they are able, whether for one day or several, to stand with the Haitian community and local faith leaders. Operating from a central faith-based headquarters, participants will receive rolling orientation and nonviolence training, will support locally led responses and will be given participatory roles, will help coordinate public presence and be faithful witnesses, said information from the organizers.

According to the Dayton Daily News, Rich Morales, deputy field director for Shared Future, said, “Volunteers will receive training to accompany Haitian residents as they run essential errands, serve as observers, offer defense, and provide aid where needed.”

Consider the call to go if you are able. Register to attend the Faithful Witness mobilization in Springfield, Ohio

Prayer requests

— Pray for the wellbeing of all who have been detained, deported, and those who suffered the trauma of detention and have thankfully been released. Please be in prayer for their families as well. A list of updated affected Church of the Brethren members is provided above.

— Pray for the safety and wellbeing of all whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been terminated, for all who are working to obtain legal status, and for all who are impacted by restrictive and unjust immigration policies that put them at risk of detention and deportation.

— Pray that bill S.4814 will be passed and TPS will be reinstated for Haitians.

— Pray for a unified resistance to all injustice against immigrants, including the end to ICE detention expansion.

— Pray for the Holy Spirit to transform the hearts of government officials, business leaders, and all who hold positions of power.

— Pray for the wellbeing of all pastors, faith leaders, legal professionals, organizers, teachers, social workers, and community leaders supporting immigrants.

Fundraising for our Legal and Mutual Aid Fund

Because of your generosity, we have now raised more than $327,000 for the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund. All of the money raised has gone directly to those in need of legal assistance and meeting basic needs when family members have been detained and deported.

We still have many others waiting for grants, and we need your help. We have a new goal of $500,000 so we can continue to meet the needs of our siblings in Christ. We encourage you to take up an offering in your congregation, host a fundraiser, and let your community know of this opportunity to directly support our immigrant siblings in Church of the Brethren congregations across the nation!

Find out more about the fund and how it has helped people. Watch and share with your congregations this fundraising video

Donate online or send a check with your donation to Atlantic Southeast District with “DDR” in the memo line. Checks can be sent to: Atlantic Southeast District, 64954 Orchard Dr., Goshen, IN 46526. Questions? Contact Beth Sollenberger at atlanticsoutheastcob@gmail.com

To apply for grants from the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund, contact ddrcobcoordinator@gmail.com or text 561-647-8981 to receive the application.

Are you involved in a Rapid Response group in your area, or are you interested in being involved/learning more? Contact migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org.

New resources

Make sure to check out our DDR webpage and our Resource Toolkit

Resources recently added to the DDR Toolkit:

— Advocacy Folder. Currently in it are the important action alerts and a legislator lookup.

— Handouts and the resolution from Annual Conference (recently updated to reflect current numbers and the recent TPS termination)

— Webinars and Immigrant Connection (under “Theological Resources”)

— Faithful Witness Campaign (under “Theological Resources”). This contains tons of resources and upcoming events you and your church may be interested to engage with!

Among upcoming events:

— The online Prayer Gatherings for Immigrant Justice. Our gatherings in September will be held on Sept. 10 and 24 from 12 noon-1 p.m. (Eastern time). RSVP for the September prayer gatherings

— The biweekly Pastoral Care Gatherings in Spanish and Haitian Creole, which take place every other Monday over Zoom from 6-7 p.m. (Eastern time). These gatherings are open to all pastors and members of Church of the Brethren congregations who speak Spanish or Haitian Creole. The gatherings in September will take place on Sept. 7 and 21. For more information and to receive the Zoom link, please contact ddrcobcoordinator@gmail.com or text 561-647-8981.

Praises!

Communities are supporting Haitians who have lost TPS by donating groceries, offering shelter and transportation, and being a faithful presence.

Over $327,000 has been raised and given to our immigrant siblings in need through the Legal and Mutual Aid Fund because of your generosity!

For all who are organizing to support and advocate for immigrants. We are so very encouraged to witness the work being done across the country. Join us in Prayer and Praise!

For all questions and inquiries, contact migrantjustice@onearthpeace.org

#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving

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