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Root Causes of Migration Pilgrimage to Honduras

From 2016-2019, IM4HI & the SHARE Foundation organized several pilgrimages bringing several hundred delegates to Honduras to deepen their knowledge of the root causes of migration. The goals of this pilgrimage were to:

1. Listen and meet with grassroots and religious partners in Honduras to more deeply; understand the regional root causes of migration (e.g. economic, drug, military, border, and immigration policy).

2. Hear the recommendations and root solutions coming out of Central American partners.

3. Shift the narrative by engaging in advocacy and education in the US and Canada, calling for addressing the root causes of Central American migration and the protection of migrants.

This pilgrimage coincided with the assassination and subsequent anniversaries of the assassination of Berta Caceres, a Honduran environmental activist, Indigenous leader, and founder of the Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH). The journey was centered around a return to the center of pivotal events embedded in the land itself, such as Berta and COPINH’s struggle around the land and rivers.

Below are a collection of resources created as a result of the pilgrimage.

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Sanctuary Resources

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity is part of the National Sanctuary Movement,  which provides support for and solidarity with individuals and communities targeted by detention, deportation and exclusionary immigration policies.


What does Sanctuary Look Like Today?

1. Advocacy & Public Witness

  • Advocate at the local, state and national level for policies that end detention and deportation and promote their full dignity and integration into our local communities.
  • Advocate for policies which help to end detention and deportation and prevent deportation, and fear by creating clear separation between ICE and local law enforcement and civic institutions, for example strong sanctuary city and county policies.
  • Engage in local public actions and activities to shift public discourse towards immigrants, Muslims, and refugees, and bring attention to our responsibility to address root causes.

2. Accompaniment of Immigrant Families or Youth

Individuals and congregations can provide short or longer term support to immigrants in urgent situations and need of accompaniment. This can include newly arrived migrant families, unaccompanied minors, people facing deportation crisis, those just released from detention centers. Trained volunteers can help to provide courtroom accompaniment, access to services, translation, rides and concrete and emotional support to help those in a period of crisis.

3. Freedom Campaigns

  • Support the public campaigns of individual immigrants fighting to get released from detention
  • Connect with targeted communities to help develop relationship and networks of protection.

4. Congregational Housing

There are various kinds of needs for Congregational Housing:

  • Short-term respite housing for someone recently released from immigration detention.
  • Housing for a newly arrived immigrant family seeking asylum.
    On rare occasions, protective housing for someone facing a final order of deportation.

Depending on the case, housing hospitality could be in the private home of a congregation member, or on congregational property.

Links:


IM4HI Sanctuary Flyer p1
IM4HI Sanctuary Flyer p2

Download a printable PDF of our IM4HI Sanctuary Information Flyer:

San Francisco Sanctuary Movement: a Short History

From Theo Rigby of iNation Media. A short documentary on the history of Sanctuary in San Francisco, made on the 30th anniversary of the Sanctuary Movement.


Trailer: Sanctuary Rising

Trailer for the documentary Sanctuary Rising by Theo Rigby of iNation Media. 4:48 mins


Sample Reel for Sanctuary Film

From Theo Rigby. 11:11mins


Sanctuary Movement as a Response to Recent Raids

How to support the Sanctuary Movement from Auburn Seminary.

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Video: This Young Girl Used her Quinceañera to Protest the Separation of Families

“Alexa Lopez protested her father’s detention by ICE by dancing in front of his prison – a dance she was supposed to share with him.” — The Lens.

Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity practices Sanctuary by accompanying families who are advocating for the release of their loved one in detention. At our monthly interfaith vigils we gather to provide a space to nourish our activism, to connect with families, to educate, and to get involved.

In 2018 we supported the Lopez family by training an accompaniment team from First Congregational Church of Berkeley to assist them in their campaign to #FreeRaul. That year Raul’s daughter Alexa was turning 15 and would be celebrating her Quinceañera, but since her father has been detained, this was not an option. Nonetheless she insisted on making a statement of the impact her father’s detention is having in her life. This video was filmed at our interfaith immigration vigil where Alexa performed her “Vals” coming of age dance outside the West County Detention Facility in Richmond, CA, where her father was detained. Her statement gained national media attention, and public support for Raul’s bond hearing.

Update, June 2019: In September 2018, this family celebrated Raul Lopez’ return home to the Bay Area California. He and his lawyer continue to fight his deportation order, but at least he is now with his family, and not incarcerated.

Film by Deborah Svoboda for The Lens YouTube channel.