In the midst of a holy season for many, more than 800 faith leaders across religious and spiritual traditions sent a letter to President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas to take immediate action towards ending immigration detention, beginning by closing ten detention centers in 2021.
“In many of our sacred texts, migration stories are foundational in developing a moral framework that includes the right to move and live freely, be welcomed, and find belonging. We are morally compelled to seek ways to dramatically reduce all forms of incarceration in favor of systems of help, community support and non-carceral solutions.”
During the season of holy days of Jewish Passover, Christian Holy Week, and upcoming Muslim Ramadan and Buddhist Hanamatsuri; we invite your presence virtually to pray with us for the closing of the first ten detention centers.
Interwoven with music and prayers, we will have testimonies from immigrants who experienced detention and faith leaders from some of the ten sites we are pushing to close.
Together we call for the liberation of those still held captive.
We invite the national interfaith community and all those impacted by our immigration and incarceration systems to come together as we deliver this message from the faith community to President Biden and his administration.
This event was organized by:
Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity
American Friends Service Committee
Church World Service
Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
Detention Watch Network
Have You Signed the Faith Letter for Liberation? National Faith Letter urging Congress and the Biden administration to end the contracts and close the first ten (#FirstTen) detention centers. This would move our nation in the direction towards humane treatment and effective community alternatives to detention. FAITH LETTER HERE
This month, we celebrate both International Women’s Day and Pesach (Passover).
Join us to hear testimonies from women impacted by the systems of prison and immigration detention, as women are the largest growing incarcerated population.
Come listen to a retelling of the freedom-from-bondage message of Passover and the roles women play in liberation interpreted by Rabbi Katie Mizrahi and Rabbi Mychal Copeland.
Join us to learn how you can be take part in advocacy and action to support immigrants and free others who are not yet free. None of us are free until all of us are free. Let us work together to build a society that upholds equity, fairness, and justice.
It is our hope that Gabby Solano (pictured above) will be able to speak with us in person at the vigil. In just two weeks, Gabby, a 48-year old immigrant and domestic violence survivor, is scheduled to be released from the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF) in Chowchilla, CA after serving a 20 years and earning a commutation and parole. Her family is waiting to welcome her home. Unfortunately, ICE has placed a hold on Gabby and is seeking to send her to ICE detention and deport her to Mexico, a country she left as a baby. Please take action to ask Governor Newsom to use his power to protect immigrant survivors and not allow CDCR to transfer her to ICE custody. To take action, see: bit.ly/FreeGabbyToolkit
