Author: Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

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Updates

350 California Faith Leaders Sign a Letter to Judge Chhabria: “Life and Death for the Incarcerated”

Judges in this pandemic are arbiters of life and death for those incarcerated and in detention. As we collectively face this pandemic, everyone has the right to live.

Dear Judge Chhabria,

Three hundred thirty faith leaders and organizations across California have signed the following letter.

On behalf of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI), its member congregations, and other organizations and persons that seek the welfare of persons detained by ICE, thank you for issuing the Temporary Restraining Order … and for authorizing the release of detained persons impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. As members of the faith community, we implore you to do more to save lives.

We believe that everyone is capable of redemption, change and transformation, that past convictions do not define who a person is now and can become, and that immigration detention while a person’s immigration case is adjudicated is an unnecessary form of incarceration. We believe that everyone’s life is precious and request that you expedite the process and broaden the criteria for suitability for release…

This letter is signed by:

  • 45 Endorsers. These organizations include denominations, religious networks, conferences and non-profit organizations.
  • 330 Faith Leaders and Organizations. These signatures include Rabbis, Imams, Reverends, Priests, Sisters, Ministry Leaders, Buddhists, Pastors, and many others.
  • 62 Cities Across California. These signatures come from all over California. From the Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Central Valley, Los Angeles, and cities outside of California!

We prayerfully urge you to uphold human rights and consider the following when examining cases:

  • Immigration detention during the pandemic continues to threaten life and health.
  • Accelerating the release of detained people continues to be urgent.
  • Releasing people from detention has a positive impact for families directly impacted, as illustrated in the stories shared in the enclosed letter.
  • The faith community is prepared to support persons released from detention.
Download the 17-page PDF of the full letter and list of signatoriesDownload
Categories
Interfaith Prayer Vigils

Interfaith Vigil on August 14, 2020: Voices of Incarceration and Detention

Join us in our monthly vigil as we stand with those directly impacted by unjust systems of: mass incarceration, U.S. immigration systems, and U.S. foreign and domestic policies that damage people’s lives. We gather to respond to injustice. Join us in honoring humanity through prayer, solidarity, and action.

Our August vigil is co-hosted by Lyrical Opposition, a lyrical collective of artists, activists and administrators opposing injustice through social awareness and systemic change. The vigil will include spoken word poetry, testimony, and prayer centering those impacted by incarceration and detention.

Friday, August 14 | 11:30-12:30PM
Location: Online via zoom. Also streamed on Facebook .

Categories
Freedom Campaigns

Freedom Campaigns: Charles Joseph

Join our Freedom Campaign for Charles Joseph

  • Watch the 15-minute film Bula above, then host a screening with your community! Let us know about your screening plans in this survey.
  • Sign and share his petition: bit.ly/KeepCharlesHome-petition
  • Share his story and write a letter of support for Charles Joseph using this toolkit: bit.ly/KeepCharlesHome
  • Invite Charles to speak at your faith community!

Learn More About Charles Joseph

Photo of Charles Joseph

In California, prison and ICE collaboration impacts immigrants and refugees who have served time in state prison. Instead of returning to their families, immigrants who are found suitable for parole are directly transferred into ICE detention facilities where they await deportation.

This form of double-punishment and exile is cruel and separates families. As the faith community, we are called to practice forgiveness, generosity and compassion for immigrants, and those who are incarcerated. 

One way to stop this prison-to-ICE-to-deportation pipeline is for Governor Newsom to intervene and grant pardons for Charles Joseph, Liyah Birru, and other beloved community members.

Charles Joseph is an example of one community member impacted by this prison and ICE collaboration. Charles is a father, husband, artist, musician, and Indo-Fijian leader. He came to the U.S. from Fiji as a permanent resident as a teenager. After being imprisoned at age 22, Charles transformed his life while serving his 13 year sentence by participating in violence prevention programs and developing his artistic talent. However, after winning parole, because of current policy, he was transferred directly into ICE detention and is now facing deportation.

“Charles’ story illustrates the immorality of our legal system, where his conduct as a 22 year old youth is being used to permanently deprive him of the basic right to go home, and reunite with his family and community.” says his lawyer, Francisco Ugarte, SF Public Defender

If Charles is deported to Fiji it would create more trauma for his family. His wife Shelly says, “With my husband in detention it’s already a separation, but for him to think that he may not be able to come home and the uncertainty makes it unstable for me and my family emotionally and physically. A pardon will be our last hope to finally become complete and be a family.”

UPDATE: On April 13, 2020, Charles was released from Mesa Verde Detention Center after a Federal Judge ordered ICE to release him along with three others detained who were at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 infection. Charles is currently living at home with his family in Sacramento, continuing to support the efforts to release others still detained by ICE and continuing to pursue his pardon application with Governor Newsom.

More Videos featuring Charles Joseph

Charles Joseph, and others in the Mesa Verde detention center, speak on Define American, July 16. 2020.
Charles Joseph Pardon Campaign Event held on August 30, 2020. The co-sponsors for this event included Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies, Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry of California, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, Kehilla Community Synagogue, San Francisco Public Defenders, Congregation B’Nai Israel Sacramento, SacAct, All of Us Or None – Sacramento, Jewish for Voice for Peace-Sacramento, NorCal Resist, KWESI, Restore Justice, and UC Davis Asian American Studies Dept.

Charles Joseph spoke on KALW’s Uncuffed podcast on April 8, 2019.