daca

posted on January 30, 2018 by marchaumc

MARCHA Statement on Current DACA Debate in Congress

1/29/2018 – “You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him(her), for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt” – Exodus 22:21

MARCHA, Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans, is deeply concerned with the inability of Congress to provide the just and necessary protection to the 800,000 youth who participated in the DACA Program. Young persons that were brought into the US by their parents at a very early age, through no choice of their own, who have lived most of their lives in the US and consider our country their nation. Young people who have grown up to be responsible members of society, many of them members of United Methodist congregations and transformational leaders in our denomination and the community.

MARCHA denounces the political game that plays with the lives of these young people, creating great anxiety and fear of deportation to a country that they do not know or claim as their own. The action of ending the DACA program without providing for a way to protect the 800,000 participants was mean and cruel. Such action made these law-abiding youth clear targets of ICE and the aggressive immigration raids now taking place across the nation.

We believe that when a country and its leaders are not willing to protect its children and youth, the most vulnerable persons of society, it represents a sign of moral decay that could lead to the moral bankruptcy of the nation.

MARCHA calls on all United Methodist and people of good will to contact their Representatives and Senators and demand they do what is right, ethical and moral and pass a DREAM Act that protects the lives of all DACA-eligible young people in the United States.

Click here for a DACA Action Toolkit and other resources on immigration.

Contact Person: Bishop Elias Galvan, Executive Director (galvan222@msn.com)

Filed Under: Noticias Tagged With: daca, Dreamers, immigration, slider, social holiness, social justice

posted on September 6, 2017 by marchaumc

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Call to Action: Support for Dreamers & DACA

MARCHA supports and join the Immigration Task Force of the United Methodist Church in their Call to Action regarding President Trump’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which provides undocumented immigrants young employment authorization, which allows them to obtain a social security card, work and go to school. Rooted in our Hope, we will continue to work for a comprehensive immigration reform that provides a fair path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants and keep families together.

A Call to Action to The United Methodist Churches in the U.S.

September 5, 2017

We have learned that President Trump is considering rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) which presently provides undocumented immigrant young people employment authorization. Under DACA young people are able to obtain social security cards, work and go to school.

Since DACA’s inception in June 2012, almost 800,000 young people have received its benefits. Many other young people who qualified for DACA did not come forth for a number of reasons. Some did not trust that they would be safe if they came forward to request DACA, fearing deportation. Others did not have the funds to pay for the fees or the legal help they needed to apply. Some simply did not have the support systems to help them take the steps to apply for DACA.

DACA recipients have been able to work and support themselves and their families. Economic studies have clearly shown that they have significantly contributed to the economy of the country. They have been able to go to school and prepare for their future, futures that have the potential of strengthening the well-being of the many communities where they live. As DACA young people will share, they received hope and the opportunity to be useful and productive. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Noticias, YNews Tagged With: Action, daca, Dreamers, immigration, justice, slider

posted on June 24, 2016 by marchaumc

MARCHA & GBCS Joined Statement on the DACA/DAPA Supreme Court decision

6/23/2016 – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States – in a 4-4 decision – upheld the decision of a lower court, which challenged President Obama’s executive action on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA). This split decision will result in the forced separation of families, and as United Methodists living out our faith in a global connection, we must prioritize keeping families together.

The United Methodist Church is in “support of just and fair immigration policies that benefit and allow the family to preserve and maintain its unity” (2012 Book of Resolutions, “US Immigration and Family Unity”).

And just last month, the General Conference affirmed – in the resolution “Welcoming the Migrant to the US” – the Executive Action taken by the President as a “necessary temporary step that allowed certain groups of immigrants to apply for temporary legal status, though not citizenship.” And acknowledged that legislative change is “the permanent step that is needed.”

Separating children from their parents is immoral and is contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and The United Methodist Church. We remain committed to education and advocacy efforts that support our sisters and brothers who flee violence and terror and are in search of a better life.

The Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe

General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society

Bishop Elías Galván

Executive Director,

Metodistas Representando la Causa de los Hispanos Americanos (MARCHA)

Filed Under: Noticias Tagged With: daca, dapa immigration, slider