Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America

On May 1, 2010, the Chicago Metropolitan Association of the United Church of Christ unanimously passed an emergency resolution "Solidarity with Immigrants and the Southwest Conference of the UCC".  The full text of the resolution is attached as a pdf below.  Please read it and share it with your congregation and contact Jenny Dale if your denomination or religious community would like to adopt a similar resolution. 

Please note the action steps that the resolution calls individuals and congregations to make:

1) Sign the pledge of non-compliance with Arizona Senate Bill 1070:  This can be done by going to the web sight: http://www.1070ipledge.net/. A large and rapid response will be of great encouragement to our sisters and brothers in the Southwest Conference. For more information about local Arizona solidarity work visit http://www.crln.org/

2) Support the economic boycott of Arizona until SB 1070 is repealed: attached as a Word document is a document explaining the boycott and listing major companies based in Arizona and the products they make.  Please share this with your congregation and see if there are particularly companies that have a presence in your area and look for ways to make your support of the boycott made know to the local managers and the national office of those companies.  You can also view the document by visiting: www.crln.org/VETO-SB1070

3) Direct Action of prayer, study, protests and civil disobedience for immigrant rights: 

a) You are invited to join with other CMA congregations in the weekly prayer vigil in front of the Broadview detention center (details at the Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition (CNSC) website: http://www.crln.org/Broadview-Detention-Center-Vigil+);

b) Organize an immigration study group or educational event in your congregation (for resources see the national UCC website www.ucc.org/justice/immigration and locally the CNSC has resources and speakers www.crln.org/Education_immigration)

c) Join the new combined UCC Immigration Task Force with the Illinois Maya Ministers of the Illinois Conference, the CMA Church in Society Committee and the Chicago New Sanctuary Coalition and help plan future actions, including bringing a similar resolution before the June meeting of the Illinois Conference. For details contact Jenny Dale, New Sanctuary Coordinator, at jdale@chicagosanctuary.org

As people of faith and conscience let us stand in solidarity with our immigrant sisters and brothers and work for justice.

Also, here is a recent article written by Rev Craig Mousin for the Chicago Theological Seminary newsletter on immigration reform "To Tell the Truth"