Immigration Resources

This page is to be a resource to help Quakers on immigration issues.  Immigration is complex, involving the economic forces that underlie migration patterns, the impact of migration on demographics, labor (both wages and abuse of workers), enforcement policies and practices, federal versus state jurisdiction issues, detention practices, human rights issues and more.  But it also is a very human issue.  It is the stories of individuals in our communities and sometimes in our own families.  It is our own stories, since most of us have migration in our backgrounds somwhere. 

This page is to help you on all those levels.   One thing we seem to all agree on is that there is a problem with the status quo.  The immigration system is broken, and in its broken state, is causing great harm. 

Quaker voices are especially needed in this crisis.  Our commitment to the dignity of all human beings and our testimony of equality are important as political leaders attempt to "other" the immigrants in our midst, which makes it easier to accept a different standard of treatment.  Our voices are needed in the little daily conversations where a colleague or acquaintance makes racist or mistaken comments.  We need to respond and not be silent.  And our efforts are needed in stopping the legislative efforts coming in 2011 that will foster racial profiling and call us to turn in our neighbors.  This page is to help you in that work.  If you have any suggestions or need resources, please let us know.  We will do our best to provide them for you.