Immigration reform conference call overwhelmed

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) is hosting a “National Faith Immigration Conference Call” the first Monday of each month. The calls are open to people of all faiths and focus on legislative updates, trainings for recruiting and organizing, and sharing effective examples of people of faith making their voice heard in the immigration debate

Bill Mefford, GBCS director of Civil and Human Rights who hosts the calls at 4 p.m. (EST), said the first conference call had more than 120 persons. “It was overwhelming. There were so many, in fact,” he said, “that we had to turn people away because the system couldn’t handle it. We are reviewing the system to increase capacity before the next call on Feb. 2.”

Merely building fences or militarizing the border will not repair the broken U.S. immigration system.

To participate in the monthly conferences, contact Mefford via e-mail: bmefford@umc-gbcs.org. He will respond with the new phone number and passcode to enable participation in the conference.

Mefford cited two other events directed at immigration reform. Both are sponsored by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, which includes GBCS.

National Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Families

The National Prayer Vigil for Immigrant Families is Feb. 13-16. “I encourage congregations to join with other churches, synagogues and mosques to pray together,” Mefford said, “and make this an opportunity to publicly state your support for immigrants and their families.” He said the February conference call will focus on how to set up a prayer vigil and recruit others to join.

For more information or to register for the vigil, go to Interfaith Immigration Coalition.

National Faith Immigration In-District Meeting Week

The National Faith Immigration In-District Meeting Week is April 13-17. Mefford said the purpose is for faith communities to join together and meet with their members of Congress in their home districts to urge them to support just and humane immigration reform. He said conference calls preceding the in-district event will focus on how to request these meetings, reach out to others to participate, how to conduct the meetings, and understand what to expect.

“In spite of constant negative messages by members of the media and Congress, the prospects for immigration reform in the 111th U.S. Congress are still very much alive,” Mefford said, adding there are several reasons for this.

“First, a large number of new voters in the 2008 U.S. election were recent immigrants,” Mefford pointed out, “and they have high expectations that immigration will be addressed soon.”

This is the third election in a row in which enforcement-only candidates did not fare well.

Second, Mefford said immigration was used as a "wedge" issue in 21 U.S. House and Senate races in so-called swing districts. “In 19 of these races, the candidate who ran on enforcement-only measures as the way to reform the broken U.S. immigration system lost,” he said. “This is the third election in a row in which enforcement-only candidates did not fare well.”

Mefford said the election results suggest that, overwhelmingly, people want reform. “Merely building fences or militarizing the border will not repair the broken U.S. immigration system or protect immigrant families,” he emphasized. “Politicians from the major political parties are learning that demonizing immigrants and endorsing enforcement-only measures are not sure ways to win elections.”

The issue of immigration is finally beginning to be seen and understood as the crucial moral and theological issue it is, according to Mefford. “As followers of Jesus, we are constantly reminded that our Savior was a refugee to Africa as a child, and grew up to be a migrating teacher, healer and savior,” he said. “We love our newly arriving neighbors from around the world because Christ first loved us. We advocate on behalf of immigrants and their families because Jesus serves as our advocate and friend.”

Mefford encouraged persons to advocate courageously and boldly for immigrants. He said the goal is to see the U.S. immigration system allow a pathway to citizenship for all undocumented immigrants, all workers be given full protections, immigrant families reunited, and an end to all indiscriminate raids.

“We have some real opportunities to see just and humane immigration legislation move forward,” Mefford said, “but it will not go anywhere unless people, their friends and family, their Sunday school class, youth group, Wesley Foundation or church organize, make calls, send e-mails, set up in-district meetings with your Congressional representatives, and make sure that they hear your call for just and humane immigration reform.”

Civil and Human Rights Advocacy

The United Methodist General Board of Church & Society advocates for the preservation of civil and human rights for all people throughout the world. The civil and human rights of all people are upheld by the United Methodist Church according to the 2004 Book of Discipline (¶164A).

The Board of Church & Society has a Web page dedicated to “Civil and Human Rights.”

Action Network

Mefford supervises a Civil and Human Rights Action Network that provides legislative updates, educational resources and identifies opportunities to act on issues involving immigration reform, refugees, criminal justice reform, abolition of torture, religious freedom and racial justice. He issues “Action Alerts” periodically through e-mail.

Joining the Civil and Human Rights Action Network is free: go to umpower.org or click on My GBCS on the General Board of Church & Society Web site, www.umc-gbcs.org. You can also contact Donna Brandyberry, (202) 488-5641.

Bill Mefford can be reached at (202) 488-5657.