Recommended DVDs
One Border One Body: Immigration & the Eucharist
In the dry, rugged, and sun-scorched terrain where many immigrants lose their lives, bishops, priests and lay people come together each year to celebrate the Eucharist. Like other liturgies, they pray and worship together.
Dying to Live:  a Migrant's Journey
Immigration is a complex issue that is changing the face of cultures worldwide. In the United States, it is often a controversial issue with many social, economic, political and even religious implications. In the midst of the debate, what often gets lost are the human issues at stake.

Recommended Reading  

Summary of bipartisan immigration reform bill likely to be proposed. Washington Post article, "The Right Way to Mend Immigration" by Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC):  
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/17/AR2010031703115.html

Al Franken on immigration: http://www.alfranken.com/pages/immigration/
 
Proposed Budget (increase) for Department of Homeland Security. Napolitano is requesting a 1.7% increase in the DHS budget of $56 billion.  DHS, as   well as other war/security items, are exempt from Obama's proposed freeze in spending. Read here how this affects immigrants.  http://immigrationimpact.com/2010/02/02/napolitano-unveils-enforcement-heavy-immigration-budget-for-dhs/
and read the whole DHS budget here:  http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/budget_bib_fy2011.pdf#page=22

MPR reporter Sasha Aslanian highlights the monthly Faith in Action Vigils (first Sunday of each month, 2:30 p.m.) at the Ramsey County Detention Center and the stories of immigrant detainees in Minnesota.   http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/12/01/ice-detainees/


    The mission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates is to love 
    God and neighbor without distinction.  Surely, the immigrant among us is 
    our neighbor.

    How can we treat our neighbor with the love their and we deserve?  
        ~ by creating a realistic path to citizenship,
        ~ by addressing the backlog of applications for permaent residents,
        ~ by having an effective worker program,
        ~ and by supporting the Dream Act so children of undocumented families 
            can go to college.

    Women and children - over one half of the undocumented people in the United States - endure particular hardships.  
    We support a strong family reunification component so children and their mothers are not separated.

    We need to put aside the languiage of "alien" and of "other" and remember that these are our brothers, these are 
    our sisters, thesee are our mothers and fathers, and our children.  These are the neighbors we are called to love.  
    We are called here in prayer for the people in detention and their families.

Faith In Action Prayer Vigils at the RCADC are planned for the first Sunday of every month.  Sponsored by: Interfaith Coalition on Immigration, co-sponsored by the Immigration Working Group of the Justice Commission of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Consociates.

"Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind." Henri-Frederic Amiel (1821-81), Swiss philosopher, poet


Contact Congress
        Congressional Aides - Immigration Policy
            Congresswoman Betty McCollum:  Chao Lee, 651.224.9191
            Senator Amy Klobuchar:  Clara Haycraft, 612-727-5220
            Senator Al Franken: Amy Hang, 651.221.1016

updated: 9/24/11
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