By Cliff Kindy
A Public Witness at the Miami Correctional and Detention Center, an immigrant detention facility in Indiana, is planned for Saturday, Dec. 12, starting at 12 noon (Eastern time). This is a nonviolent public witness that is being organized by clergy, lay leaders, and organizers within the Indiana Organizing Project (IOP) and Peace Church Coalition. It will take place at US 31 and about one mile north of the entrance on County Road 850 South.
The witness will start there with a ceremony celebrating the Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day, followed by a walk to the guard house of the facility on the entrance drive off County Road 850 South.
Twelve people, representing the 12 disciples, will offer to be exchanged for immigrant detainees so that they are able to go home to be with their families for the holidays. This offer will be made to Governor Braun, the warden of the detention facility, and representatives of ICE. This offer is an invitation for state and federal officials to mirror the spirit of compassion, love, and mercy during the season of Advent.
This witness is part of a larger nonviolent campaign to close the detention center. Immigrants, at least 75 percent of whom have no criminal charges against them, are being held at the Miami facility where two immigrants already have died this year due to very poor health care. The detention of more than 800 people means many families have lost a bread winner, housing, and food, health care for family members have been put at risk, and families face extreme stress.
Does the Beloved Community, represented by the exchangees, reflect the Light sufficiently to nurture that same spirit among state and federal representatives as they interact with immigrant detainees?
Those who are interested in joining as an exchangee, or those who would offer support by transporting detainees to home, being a nonviolence monitor, giving prayer support, being a clergy presence, or other form of support, may contact Cliff Kindy by email at kindy@cpt.org or call 410-259-1900. Or find more information and sign up to participate at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScAYUZEgJYdm9jFHbLps2CfaUvY23JuMe_taqbY4NlFOIYfCg/viewform. An in-person training for all involved will be held on Saturday, Dec. 5.
— Cliff Kindy is a Church of the Brethren member from Indiana whose longterm involvement in peacemaking has included years of work with Community Peacemaker Teams (CPT).
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