Immigration Reform Continues in Senate

June 17, 2013

*Action alert: Call the Senate*

The Senate continues debating immigration reform this week after taking a break from voting on amendments last Thursday.  Caught up in an argument over procedure, they hope to take up additional amendments starting Tuesday.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may hold the Senate in session through the weekend—Friday, Saturday, and Sunday—in order to finish the bill by the 4th of July recess.

Meanwhile, tired of waiting for the House Group of Eight to submit a comprehensive bill, the House Judiciary Committee has begun to consider individual bills on separate immigration issues.  The first bill, sponsored by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R – SC), is called the Strengthen and Forify Enforcement Act, or SAFE Act for short.  This bill would authorize states to participate in enforcement efforts, a controversial move reminiscent of Arizona’s S.B. 1070, which created a stir in 2010 over racial profiling practices.

Related links

Leave a Comment » | Action Alerts, Immigration, Legislative Updates | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Brandon Waggy

Walls that Divide

June 14, 2013

Brandon Waggy writes about immigration reform in Third Way Cafe.

Over 11 million immigrants currently live in the United States without documentation. For many of them this country is home, even though they are not citizens. The U.S. Senate is currently debating an immigration reform bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for most of these immigrants.

Read the entire article here.

Leave a Comment » | Articles, Immigration | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Brandon Waggy

While Senate immigration debate begins, House moves slowly

June 10, 2013

*Action alert: Call the Senate*

As the Senate begins debating the bipartisan bill for immigration reform this week, the House of Representatives has yet to introduce a bill of its own.  The “Group of Eight” (the House counterpart to the Senate “Gang of Eight”) has not yet finished any bill.  Rumors that the group will break up seem to come on a weekly basis, only to be followed by another reassurance that every day a bill is closer to introduction.

This past Wednesday, however, Representative Raul Labrador (R-ID) announced that he was leaving the group over disagreements about access to health care for newly legalized immigrants.  Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Action Alerts, Immigration, News Stories | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Brandon Waggy

A New Opportunity to Support Peace in Colombia

June 5, 2013

Rebekah Sears writes about aid to Colombia in Third Way Cafe.

The U.S. has been connected to Colombia through aid, trade and politics for many years. Plan Colombia, a 10 year aid program run throughout the 2000s, brought in over 7 billion dollars, 75 percent dedicated to military and police operations. It focused on eradication of illicit crops and other state efforts in the ongoing armed conflict with guerrilla groups like the FARC and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

Read the entire article here.

Leave a Comment » | Articles, Latin America/Caribbean | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Jesse Epp-Fransen

Improving food aid

June 3, 2013

Patricia Kisare writes about proposed improvements to food aid in the most recent Mennonite World Review.

Mennonite Central Committee and other nongovernmental organizations have been advocating for reforms that focus on creating and supporting sustainable food systems that empower local farmers while creating a foundation for self-sufficiency.

As part of his Fiscal Year 2014 budget request, President Obama has proposed some changes that, if enacted by Congress, will allow the U.S. government to administer food aid in a more effective and efficient manner.

Read the entire article here.

Leave a Comment » | Articles, Global Economic Justice, Issues | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Jesse Epp-Fransen

Action alert: June 3 immigration call

May 30, 2013
  • Monday, June 3rd, 1 PM PDT/4 PM EDT
  • Call in Number 805-399-1000 , Code 104402
  • Please RSVP for the webinar

The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is hosting a webinar on Monday, June 3, at 4pm EDT for anyone interested in learning more about the amendments made to The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 (S. 744) and post-committee advocacy strategy.

Thank you for your incredible advocacy during mark-up on driving calls, holding vigils and making your voices heard! But we aren’t done yet. Please join the June 3 webinar to learn more about which amendments passed in committee, how those amendments change the bill, and the strategy for getting the best bill possible passed on the Senate floor.

People of faith have played an integral role in moving our national conversation forward and moving our nation is closer to enacting compassionate and fair immigration reform—keep up the great work! Please RSVP to receive the visual portion of the webinar on the day of the call.

Thank you for all your work helping to bring immigration reform this far! Keep an eye out for new action alerts in June.

More immigration resources

Leave a Comment » | Action Alerts, Immigration | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Tammy Alexander

Prayer for the Korean peninsula

May 3, 2013

God who knows all history,
hear our prayer;
For an identity shaped by the shame of occupation,
hear our prayer;
For a land still cringing from the rape of a war waged more than six decades ago,
hear our prayer;
For bodies that toiled to rebuild and recover,
hear our prayer;
For the painful separation of sisters and brothers,
hear our prayer;
For stubborn governments unable to hear one another and negotiate,
hear our prayer;
For those that deny responsibility,
hear our prayer;
For an entire world that continues to provoke and live with hate,
hear our prayer;
For the voices that call for and take steps towards peace and reconciliation;
hear our prayer.
Grant us your church a renewed vision;
hear our prayer.

by Kathi Suderman, MCC Representative for North East Asia

Continue reading context for prayer: Read the rest of this entry »

Leave a Comment » | Asia, Faith Reflection, Issues | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach

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