United Methodist Women Joins Letter to Obama on Immigrant Rights
On August 25, United Methodist Women joined over 500 organizations in sending a letter to President Obama that calls for an end to the federal 287(G) program which empowers local police to act as immigration agents. This program has led to racial profiling and human rights abuses. 287(G) also undermines community safety and women’s freedom to report domestic abuse.
United Methodist Women’s endorsement of the letter reflects United Methodist policy as approved at the 2008 General Conference, in the resolution, “Welcoming the Migrant to the US” which states, “The use of local law enforcement as immigration agents should be stopped. When local law enforcement officials engage in immigration enforcement, migrants are often unwilling to report crimes and are forced to live in situations where they are exploited, abused and victimized.” [The Book of Resolutions 2008, p. 417]
This advocacy also reflects actions taken by Women’s Division directors in April 2006 in adopting an Immigrant and Civil Rights initiative for United Methodist Women. Directors called on United Methodist Women to “promote and support action on behalf of justice for immigrants, refugees, migrants and the creation of just communities for all with special attention to public policy advocacy for women, children and youth including such issues as access to education, health care and safety from violence and economic exploitation.” [Journal, Women’s Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, April 2006, p. 147]
In addition, directors affirmed a report on the Immigrant/Civil Rights Initative (October 2008) expressing concern for families affected by detentions and deportations and calling on United Methodist Women to “advocate, in particular, for the rights of women and children impacted by harsh immigration and detention policies” and to “challenge current enforcement practices.”
This stance is part of our work to live out the Charter for Racial Justice, in which “we commit ourselves as individuals and as a community to follow Jesus Christ in word and in deed and to struggle for the rights and the self-determination of every person and every group of persons,” including working “for the development and implementation of national policies to protect the civil, political, economic and social and cultural rights of all people.” [Book of Resolutions 2008, p. 463]
The letter, organized by Detention Watch and the National Immigration Law Center among other groups, was shared publicly in an August 27 press conference, with simultaneous public actions across the country. United Methodist Women joined the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society, the Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program, the Episcopal Church, and many partner organizations such as the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee rights in signing the letter to Obama. They voiced concern that despite grave problems with the program, the Department of Homeland Security has moved to expand it.
For a full copy of the letter and all signatories, 
click here (PDF, 451K).
For more information about 287(G), see the UMW Immigration online community at www.umwonline.org.