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Justice and Peace
Links
The electronic
newsletter of the Presbyterian Women Justice
and Peace Committee |
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No More Deaths
By Amy Robinson |
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2006, Issue 1 |
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Background
Between October 2004 and September 2005,
279 migrant workers died in the Sonoran Desert while
attempting to cross into the United States. The
number of deaths has risen annually since 1994, when
the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of
the Border Patrol implemented a blockade strategy
redirecting the flow of migrants to the more
dangerous, less protected sections of the southwestern
United States borderlands. In response to this situation, concerned
organizations on both sides of the
U.S./Mexico border formed a coalition in 2003 called
No More Deaths. Together, they create respite
stations, put out water tanks throughout the desert, aid
new immigrants in finding the medical attention they
need, and advocate for change in U.S. immigration
policies. Two No More Deaths young adult volunteers, Shanti Sellz and Daniel Strauss, were arrested by Border Patrol in July 2005 for medically evacuating three people in critical condition from the 105-degree Arizona desert. Shanti and Daniel eventually were acquitted in October 2006. For more information on the decision go to the No
More Deaths Web site. |
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Photo courtesy: No More Deaths Web site |
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Photo courtesy: No
More Deaths Web site |
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Biblical/Theological Dimensions
"For the LORD your God is God of
gods and Lord
of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is
not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice
for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the
strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall
also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the
land of Egypt" (Deut. 10:17–19). |
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Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Position
The 215th General
Assembly (2003) approved
an overture from Presbytery de Cristo, which calls on
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to work
with local governing bodies and congregations in the southwestern
U.S. borderlands to minister to migrants in
life-threatening situations. Sponsoring organizations
for No More Deaths include PC(USA) groups such
as St. Mark's Presbyterian Church, Southside
Presbyterian Church and an Arizona Presbyterian
Young Adult Volunteer site, all in Tucson.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance gave the Synod
of the Southwest a grant to plan and implement
a conference for the wider church, examining a
faith-based response to the plight of migrants
throughout North America. This conference was
held in April 2005. Learn
more about the conference. |
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What Can
Presbyterian Women Do?
- Pray for migrants and their families, those
who minister to them, and lawmakers, so that
we may find a mutually beneficial solution to
this critical issue.
- Adopt
a volunteer or a migrant center, create hygiene and migrant
care packs to be
distributed at migrant centers, or volunteer
your time. Call No More Deaths at (520) 882-5466 (Tucson)
or (602) 818-5447 (Phoenix) for more information.
- Make
a trip to the U.S./Mexico border with BorderLinks. Get
information about a trip.
- Encourage
your congregation or presbytery to endorse Faith-Based
Principles for Immigration
Reform, a statement created by No More Death.
- Hold
a worship service in memory of the migrant experience.
- Establish
a migrant center in your own community.
- Write
your politicians. Ask them to work for change in immigration
policy and to support
No More Deaths volunteers Shanti Sellz and
Daniel Strauss in their trial.
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Resources |
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Border of Life, Valley
of Death: An Immigrant Journey of the Heart, by
Daniel Groody, (Lanham, Md.: Rowman &
Littlefield, 2002). The book is a spiritual reflection on the
immigration experience.
No
More Deaths
This is the official Web site of the organization.
Latin
America Working Group
Offers policy analysis, statistics and action alerts concerning
U.S. border security and migration issues
BorderLinks
BorderLinks is a recognized mission of the PC(USA). |
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Photo courtesy: No
More Deaths Web site |
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Christian
Peacemaker Teams in Arizona
One of No More Death's
partners, the CPT in Arizona Web site
includes liturgy and worship
resources.
National Immigration Forum
Advocates for immigrant rights,
provides information on
immigration policy, and helps
newcomers to the U.S. access the
support they need to become
productive citizens
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