Our latest news
As our communities face escalating anti-migrant rhetoric and policies, IMIrJ (Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice) invites you to join the collective fight for justice. In this powerful letter, Benjamin McPherson Ficklin, Accompaniment Program Coordinator, highlights the pressing need for solidarity, preparation, and activism to counter policies that threaten migrant rights.
From rebuilding the Deportation Defense Coalition to hosting community education events, there are immediate ways to support and strengthen the movement.
The Time to Act for Migrant Justice is Now
Calls to action:
Contact me directly to figure out how to support the Deportation Defense Coalition: accompaniment@imirj.org
Fill out an Accompanier application form to accompany community members to immigration proceedings: https://www.imirj.org/accompaniment
Email the Pacific Coast Coalition for Seafarers & express your interest in attending ship visits to support migrant seafarers docked in Portland: pccseafarers@gmail.com
Coordinate a showing of Borderland: A Line Within to educate & activate your: Borderland: A Line Within
Learn about the state of migration in the world today
Benjamin Ficklin, Organizer and Accompaniment Program Coordinator with the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice (IMIrJ), recently participated as a panelist at an event on October 9th. They shared their experiences working on the frontline of immigration issues, highlighting the challenges faced by migrant communities and the critical support IMIrJ provides. Benjamin's insights, alongside those of other experts, helped shed light on the global migration crisis driven by climate change, border conflicts, and economic pressures.
Compassion in Action: UUA Provides Emergency Housing for Families in Need
As a lifelong Unitarian Universalist, I wanted to share the good news.
I hope this inspires our local institutions to do more.
In faith, Barbara.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) has partnered with local organizations to offer temporary emergency housing for families in Boston. Their headquarters will shelter up to 25 families who are waiting for placement in state shelters. This initiative is part of the UUA's commitment to justice and compassion, ensuring that families, including migrants, have a safe place to stay during difficult times.
Update From My Trip to the Border:
Stories of Family, Faith, and Hope
Our Community Organizer, Keren Rodriguez, shares her experiences of her trip to the border in Brownsville, Texas. To learn more about our work and opportunities to join our efforts to make Portland a more welcoming place, check out our work here on our website.
First Trip to the Border: Stories of Family, Faith, and Hope
By Keren Rodríguez - Community Organizer IMIrJ
It’s been almost three years now since we first said goodbye to my brother Joel and his family. They left to Honduras to await for his immigration status to “regulate”. They initially had applied for a Religious visa (he is also a pastor) this visa expired while they were applying for their residency.
This family separation was difficult for all us but more for my daughter Ximena 7’ and my nephew Alessio 3’. None of the children understood why they couldn’t live close by. We then longed to see each of them returned.
On Sunday my brother Joel and his family finally returned to the USA.I know my family is a fortunate one, and while I deal with a wave of emotions, I keep on thinking of the thousands of others who are still waiting for their immigration status to regulate.
The thousands of people who are currently at the border with dreams of coming home. I am thinking of my trip to Brownsville Texas on September 12th accompanying a group of ecumenical faith leaders that predominantly include people from the United Church of Christ.
Our time there will include visiting organizations such as angry tias and abuelas, people who continue to be affected by our broken immigration system. My hope is that I can come back to Oregon with stories, and knowledge to share.
I have never been to the border. This for sure will be a first.
Stand with Venezuelans as they fight for autonomy and healthy self-governance
Dear Readers,
Thank you for reading and responding to the letter we shared a few weeks ago.
Many of you expressed gratitude that we were raising concerns about Mr. Guaido’s upcoming appearance in Portland, while others expressed concern that we were undermining opportunities for open dialogue. I am writing to you now to encourage you to attend the event this Thursday, August 8, at 6:00 p.m. and to come a little early to hear some additional speakers.
As we stated in our letter, we think it is important to hear from multiple perspectives, especially considering the contested results of the recent national election in Venezuela. Mr. Guaido is part of Venezuela‘s political past. Nevertheless, with our own national elections only three months away, and the necessary spiritual discernment for all of us, the more we understand about the past, the more skillfully we will be able to navigate the future.
Please join us to listen to several additional speakers and as we help each other prepare relevant and significant questions for Mr. Guaido to answer after his talk.
Our goal is greater engagement. Our hope is for a deeper dialogue.
I look forward to seeing you there and to having the conversation!
Because Love knows no borders - love much and more, Barbara.
Our accompaniment program needs the support of more accompaniers!
As both Democrat & Republican parties are growing increasingly anti-migrant in their policies & rhetoric, we as a community need to ensure that Oregon is a place that fights against anti-migrant bigotry & systemic oppression. By acting as an accompanier, you can help overcome the unjust & complicated barriers put upon migrants going through immigration & removal proceedings. Together we can halt the inhumane policies of deportation & detention! Join us as an accompanier as we work to build the migrant justice movement in Oregon!
To ask questions about or schedule an accompaniment training, reach out to our Accompaniment Program Coordinator Benjamin Ficklin at accompaniment@imirj.org.
In the last year-&-a-half, our Accompaniment Program has expanded to providing multiple accompaniments a week, transporting community members across the state, & assisting the growth of other accompaniment programs in other Oregonian cities. To sustain this movement building we need your help in recruiting more accompaniers!
Our initial accompaniment trainings are about 2-hours long, can be done one-on-one or to larger groups, can be digital or in-person, & can be built specifically for you & your community. While the Accompaniment Program relies on accompaniers who speak some amount of Spanish, English-speaking accompaniers can help by providing transportation to & from the mandatory hearings where we provide support.
Our accompaniers come from across Oregon, so please know we would welcome your support from wherever you are living.
Thank you to our community!
Huge thanks to our incredible recurring donors! Your support is changing lives. Your donations allow us to support migrants from different parts of the world and help them in the transition process. We are happy to support new families who want to make Oregon their new home.
Hosting Support Group (Sunday July 14th)
WHO: current hosts folx interested in hosting
WHERE: Havurah Shalom 825 NW 18th Ave.
WHEN: Sunday, July 14 at 2 pm
You will:
Meet each other
Learn from experienced hosts
Learn what support IMIrJ can and can’t provide
Receive resources on topics of interest, sometimes including guest presenters
Join us every second Sunday of the month for an enriching and supportive gathering of hosts. This event is an excellent opportunity to meet fellow hosts, share experiences, and build community. You'll learn from experienced hosts who will share their insights and life experiences. We will also discuss the types of support IMIrJ can and can’t provide, making sure we have a clear understanding of our resources. Additionally, we will provide valuable resources on topics of interest, and sometimes, we will feature guest presenters to offer their expertise. Don’t miss this chance to enhance your hosting journey and connect with others who share your commitment.
For more information, please get in touch with barbara@imirj.org
Stand with IMIrJ and support Venezuelan immigrants
Dear readers,
We invite you to read the letter below as an invitation to respectful dialogue.
Especially as we move closer to our own national elections here in the United States, we at IMIrJ are recommitting ourselves to the challenging practice of public dialogue as we deepen the roots of our democracy.
With this letter, we hope to inspire study, learning, and greater awareness of the complexity of the situation in Venezuela, a country experiencing a humanitarian crisis and the largest displacement of people in the world today.
As we remain in dialogue with the leadership of Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, you can stay informed about next steps on our website, on Facebook and on Instagram.
We invite you to consider adding your name, digital signature and/or logo of an organization you represent by emailing us at info@imirj.org.
Please feel free to share the letter with others.
Upcoming Convivencia Circles
Washington County Convivencia
Circle Zoom only on Thursday, July 25th at 6:30 pm Which includes primarily congregations that are allied to the diaspora of the immigrant community.
Keren Rodriguez is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: WasCo Convivencia Circle
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
Join Zoom Meeting: https://imirj-org.zoom.us/j/88099463798
Meeting ID: 880 9946 3798
Covinvencia is an an act of coexistence, of living together, while acknowledging our differences. When we refer to la convivencia we refer to communities being with one another and belonging to each other while we co-create and co-learn a pathway and journey onward.
In the global south convivencia circles are broad and often put the being with one another as a central part of existing and being with each other. Convivencia circles are often not focused on the productivity of the circles but instead, on how we interact with one another.
This is an invitation to an intersection where we first revise the self in order to understand how to interact with the other.
Mujeres Doing Migration
A space for Latina femme organizers or faith leaders is an affinity circle for sharing hopes and ideas and working together to address migration issues in our community.
Starting July 19th at 10 am. Zoom link to follow
Keren Rodriguez is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Mujeres Convo
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
Join Zoom Meeting: https://imirj-org.zoom.us/j/89027325770
Meeting ID: 890 2732 5770
Thank you for your support!
Hi, my name is Barbara Prose, and I'm the Executive Director of IMIrJ, the Interfaith Movement for Immigrant Justice. Thank you so much to those of you who have recently become recurring donors. We are getting closer to our goal of getting 15 new recurring donors.
This is a great way to help stabilize and strengthen an organization that's been fighting for the rights of migrants to cross borders for almost 20 years now. Consider becoming a recurring donor today. You can do so on our website.and our Instagram page. Thank you so much for supporting this important work.
"Joining the 'Free Them All' Caravan: A Stand Against Detention Center Abuses"
On Saturday, June 15th, we were invited to be part of a caravan called “Free Them All” to the North West Detention Center located in Tacoma Washington.
Northwest Detention Center is a private, for-profit detention center in Tacoma owned and operated by GEO Group.
Northwest Detention Center has a daily, guaranteed contract with ICE for a minimum of 1,100 beds (paid by you - the taxpayer). They have consistently mistreated and abused detainees since thety opened in 2004.
Northwest Detention Center has one of the highest rates of solitary confinement, and one of the lowest rates of release of all ICE facilities in the country.
It's not unusual for individuals to be detained for years and face retaliation for communicating to immigrant rights groups.
Hundreds of individuals, including our community members from Oregon, are separated from their children and family members, often with no end in sight.
Our host La Resistencia organized this caravan with the Immigrant Mutual Aid Coalition and was support by Adelante Mujeres.
Before driving North, met with a group of Latinos Unidos Siempre (LUS) youth that sends 15-20 teens from Salem each year on the caravan. IMIrJ members shared a ride with a member of the International Migrants Alliance (IMA).
On the drive, we shared our questions and our goals with each other. We also remembered our success closing down the Sheridan Detention Center.
We remembered how IMIrj was able to mobilize many people and how we were one of the key players in passing the strongest sanctuary act in the United States.
Once we arrived we were greeted by members of La Resistencia. They shared their challenges with us, as they remained outside of the jail in what seemed to be an encampment.
Many people have died in this detention center due to the poor living conditions. One of the most recent ones was a 61 year old man named Charles Leo Daniel, from Trinidad and Tobago. He had been detained for about four years and was in solitary confinement at NWDC when he was found unresponsive in what is suspected to be another suicide.
This tragedy happened around the same time that a federal judge blocked Washington state from fully enforcing a law intended to increase oversight at Northwest Detention Center.
My question to our readers is - If we were part of closing a detention center in Oregon, why we wouldn't try to do the same in Tacoma, Washington?
Often people feel they are forgotten in these types of jails. When we organize and advocate for them, we not only fight for greater justice, we co-create hope.
I hope that we can gather our Gente and can come together just as we did with Sheridan Detention Center.
We can organize another Caravan with our other friends and organizations. We can support our friends, our comrades, and our greater community! Because we know - NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL.