Pax Christi NJ Helps Organize Statewide Vigils to Keep Families Together

September 15, 2009 - 3:04 PDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA ADVISORY

Vigils Call for Humane Immigration Policy that Protects Children and Families

Contact: Alix Nguefack, American Friends Service Committee, 973-943-0343
Kathy O'Leary, Pax Christi NJ, 973-610-1684

NEWARK, NJ (September 15, 2009) - Ten communities throughout New Jersey are holding "Children's Vigils" today as a part of a coordinated campaign by Pax Christi NJ and NJ Advocates for Immigrant Detainees called "We Are One Human Family" in support of children at risk of family separation because of immigration detentions or deportations. Immigrant rights advocates and religious leaders will gather with families at churches, parks and town halls in Bridgeton, Dumont, Freehold, Hightstown, Jersey City, Highland Park, Keyport, Montclair, Morristown, and Newark in support of the rights of millions of children living in families in which at least one parent is an immigrant.

Members of the community will bear witness to the ordeals of immigrant and mixed-immigration status families including long or permanent separation and denial of basic rights. Vigil participants will join in a call for federal immigration legislation that respects human rights, particularly family unity. "If you take a parent away and send them back to their native land, you are fracturing a family. Anything we can do to keep these families safe and together is worth our prayers," said Fr. Patrick McDonnell, pastor, St. Anthony of Padua R.C. Church, Hightstown.

Vigil participants will also call for an end to immigration raids, detentions and deportation because they separate families. It is estimated that in New Jersey around 1,000 immigrants are currently detained at the Elizabeth Detention Center and county jails for suspected violation of immigration laws. Detention Watch Network estimates that the policy of detaining immigrants and asylum seekers is costing taxpayers $1.7 billion a year. "Policies meant to improve public safety are instead sweeping up thousands of families and leaving children behind" said Chia-Chia Wang of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Immigrant Rights Program.

Jocelyn, the young daughter of Harry Pangemanan, a member of the Highland Park Reformed Church who spent several months in immigration detention last year, recalls visiting her father at the Elizabeth Detention Center. "Daddy, I cried when we came to visit you and I couldn't hug you through the glass." Pauline, a resident of Newark and mother of three, stated "Ever since I was released from immigration detention, I have to report to the immigration office every month. Each time, my children are afraid that I would disappear and never come home again. This is the nightmare that my children have been going through. "

Also at issue for vigil organizers is the participation of the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office and the town of Morristown in a federal program that enables local law enforcement to take on immigration enforcement responsibilities. Advocates believe this will split their communities even further. "The people here in Morristown reject the idea that immigrants are to be treated like criminals," said Vigil co-organizer Diana Mejia of Wind of the Spirit in Morristown. "People in our community from all walks of life are coming out in droves in support of all families who work and live in our town - with or without papers. We are all members of the same community."

WHEN: Tuesday September 15th, 2009 (Except Dumont vigil, see below)

WHERE: (list of local vigil sites and local press contacts)

Newark - Peter Francisco Park (east side of Penn Station) 4:00 PM
Cynthia Mellon, Ironbound Community Corporation, 862-755-9577
Bridgeton - In front of the Courthouse on Broad St. 11:30 AM

Pastor Jamie Bagley, Karll's Corner Community Fellowship, 856-455-7669
Dumont-Calvary United Methodist Church185 W Madison Ave; 7:30 PM, Bonnie Strain, 201-384-8324 [Note: this Vigil will held Monday, September 14th]
Freehold - Sheriff's Office (corner of Main and Center Sts), 6:00 PM, Rita Dentino, Casa Freehold, 732-492-1852
Hightstown - St. Anthony of Padua Church, Franklin Street; 7:00 PM, Lenore Isleib, co-coordinator, St. Anthony's Social Justice Group, 609-448-6470
Jersey City - McGinley Square; Bergen Ave & Montgomery St. 4:00 PM, Kathy O'Leary, Pax Christi NJ, 973-610-1684
Highland Park - Reformed Church, 19 S. 2cd Ave; 4:00 PM, Pastor Seth Kaper-Dale, 732-249-7349
Keyport - St. Joseph's Church 376 Maple Pl; 7:30 PM, Fr. Ronald Cioffi, 732-264-0322.
Montclair - Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair 67 Church St; 4:00 PM, Johanna Foster, 914-552-5376.

Morristown (2) - 1) St. Margaret's Church 6 Sussex Ave. 6:00 PM; 2) Pentecostal Church 59 Spring St.; 7:00 PM, Diana Mejia, Wind of the Spirit, 201-563-1062

Co-sponsored by NJ Advocates for Immigrant Detainees *, Calvary United Methodist Church of Dumont, Casa Freehold, CATA (Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas), Hudson Catholic Regional High School, Ironbound Community Corporation, Justice Ministry Office of the Mid-Atlantic Sisters of Mercy, Karll's Corner Community Fellowship, Middlesex County Coalition for Immigrant Rights, New Labor, NJ Immigration Policy Network, Pax Christi Monmouth County, Pentecostal Missionary Church, Sacred Heart Peace Community, St. Anthony of Padua Social Justice Group, Salvation Army of Bridgeton, and Wind of the Spirit.

*A coalition including American Civil Liberties Union- New Jersey; American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) Immigrant Rights Program; Casa de Esperanza; the Episcopal Immigration Network; IRATE & First Friends; Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry in NJ; NJ Association on Correction; NJ Forum for Human Rights; Pax Christi NJ; Middlesex County Coalition for Immigrant Rights; People's Organization for Progress, Bergen County Branch; the Reformed Church of Highland Park; Sisters of St. Joseph of Chestnut Hill; Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Montclair

Contact

Pax Christi NJ
http://www.paxchristiusa.org
NJ, 07901 US
Kathy O'Leary - region coordinator, 908 273-0751

Keywords

immigration

Category

Catholic Organizations

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