ACTION ALERT

LASALLIAN ACTION Attend a vigil in Newark, NJ, September 4, 10am – 12pm.

Two areas of focus for DENA’s advocacy work for this congressional session concerns the rights of children and the care of our immigrant and migrant families. We have recently received this update from the Catholic Action for Immigrant Children. The Administration is trying to increase the time period they can legally keep children in detention; Border Patrol is refusing to offer flu vaccinations to migrant children (which played a part in some of their deaths); and although the child influx facilities are empty, they may reopen in late October.

Please see the information below and consider joining other Lasallians at the September 4th vigil. If you do plan to attend, please contact Maryann Donohue Lynch.

Background

Newark Catholic Action

Catholic Teaching on Civil Disobedience

Letter from Eli S. McCarthy, PhD

Director of Justice and Peace, CMSM

Catholic Nonviolent Action for Immigrant Children
Newark, NJ, Wed. Sept. 4th, 10am-12pm

With Cardinal Tobin

Images of immigrant children detained in cages, separated from family members, and living in unsanitary, unhealthy conditions have outraged the nation in recent weeks.  The faith community has decried this treatment of children not only as a violation of human dignity and rights, but also as contrary to religious teachings and the sacred call to care for all people, especially those who are most at risk such as children.  

Stop the Inhumanity! Catholic organizations are organizing a nonviolent campaign to end the traumatizing abuse of immigrant children and their families by the U.S. government. Phase two is a national prayerful direct action in Newark, NJ between 10a-12p on Wednesday, September 4.  National organizations are partnering with local groups from NY and NJ, some of whom have been ministering to the people in detention and advocating on this issue for over 20 years. New Jersey has a Federal ICE office connected to the system of detaining children and the obstruction of reuniting children with their families. New Jersey also has 4 immigration detention centers, incarcerating as many as 2500 people. While no children are in these facilities, the parents who have been separated from their children at the southern border are. This event is in anticipation of the Feast of the Nativity of Mary (Sept. 8th).

Anyone from around the country is invited to participate. The event will include prayer, ritual, and a call to action by Catholic leaders.Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, has agreed to accompany us. Because of the urgency and depth of the injustice there will also be an opportunity for those who discern to engage in nonviolent action of civil disobedience.   
This event follows apowerful mobilizationof Catholic faith leaders to launch the campaign in Washington DC, on July 18thand a series of weekly local actions throughout.  With other coalition actions, this nonviolent action assisted in the release of over 2500 children, emptying both Homestead, FL and Carizzo Springs, TX influx facilities. We will gather on September 4 to renew and amplify our call for this Administration toend the abuse, trauma, and detention of migrant children. 
Please seriously consider coming to Newark on September 4 to participate with us in showing the Administration that our Catholic faith demands we treat our neighbor as we would want to be treated. 
Here is theFacebook event pageto share.

If you would like regular updates on the campaign, pleasefill out this form. Our campaign webpage with the strategic campaign goal, theory of change, and sources of power impacting ishere.
Eli S. McCarthy, PhD
Director of Justice and Peace
CMSM
7300 Hanover Dr., ste 304
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-588-4030 (O)
301-587-4575 (fax)
Twitter: @emccarthy3