Issue Lead: Vacant
Vision: We envision being the action team of information and advocacy for people of faith resisting cruelty to immigrants, refugees, and migrant workers in Washington State and the NW United States.
Mission: Sharing resources, opportunities to advocate, and events that enable and encourage UUs to answer the call of love and fight to resist criminalization of people in our communities regardless of their country of origin.
The Immigrant Solidarity Action Team is a resource for those individuals or groups seeking to learn how to resist criminalization and offer expanded sanctuary, accompaniment, legal advocacy, resettlement support, sponsorships, rapid response teams and other methods to assist and support the refugees, immigrants and migrant workers in our communities.
This action team has grown out of the work of the UUA and UUSC starting with the https://www.uua.org/immigration/witness/partners/newsanctuary which encouraged UU congregations and organizations to assess where they fit on a scale of sanctuary activities that ranged from accompaniment and advocacy to offering sanctuary to immigrants and refugees within their actual religious buildings. Every UU congregation in Washington state is engaged with this issue in some way – wether it is hosting refugee families, demonstrating to demolish ICE, sending congregants to the UU School of Social Justice border trips.
We draw on the work of our partners, specifically:
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UURISE in California who is working to create national leadership in immigration and refugee advocacy and resettlement.
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American Friends Service Committee directly supports immigrant and refugee communities across the U.S. while advocating in Washington, D.C., for humane policy reform.
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Mijente – who envisions a movement that “is not just Pro-Lantinx… but pro-Black, pro-woman, pro-queer, pro-poor because is our community is all that and more.”
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The movement to Abolish ICE which includes too many partners to name.
Specifically this action team wishes to provide the following resources:
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Assessment tools and clear how-tos for congregations and other organizations who wish to engage in resistance against the increasing criminalization of those seeking safety and security for themselves and their families in our country.
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Recommendations for educational and informational materials such as films, publications and news media resources.
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Calendaring for events and activities throughout the region.
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Networking resources for community groups, non-profits, religious organizations and legal advocacy teams that work with immigrants, refugees and migrant workers.
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Individual and group stories of resistance to ICE, Homeland Security and the Border Patrol, as well as stories of success and hope working with individuals who are at risk.
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Background information, alerts and rapid response actions on legislative, judicial and executive actions that impact the immigrant community.
It is the intention of the action team to provide the necessary education, tools, skills and connections to build a strong network for collaboration, alliances and partnerships between immigrants and supportive organizations, communities and individuals, working for a more just and secure future for us all.