Responsible Immigration Reform
Would Protect Working Conditions
for All Workers in the U.S.

Recognizing the desire of many in the religious community to become engaged in the ongoing debate on our nation's current immigration policy, Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) has created a comprehensive educational resource for use in congregations of all traditions. Developed in 2007, For You Were Once a Stranger: Immigration in the U.S. Through the Lens of Faith is a comprehensive immigration toolkit that helps people of faith reflect on what their religious traditions say about immigrations and engage in meaningful action for creating a just and humane immigration program. A summary and guide is now available for download as well.

Here are some things you can do to show support:

• Host a Remember the Immigrant service or spiritual special moment with your religious congregation using IWJ bulletin inserts.
• Organize a delegation to visit your Representative or Senator on the issue of immigrants rights and immigration reform. Our new Immigration Delegation Toolkit will help you every step of the way.

Immigration Resources

• NEW—Letter to DOL concerned for rights of H2-A farmorkers, asks for support for AgJOBS bill
• NEW—Immigration Delegation Toolkit
• Department of Homeland Security New Rules Would Create Boundless Insecurity at the Workplace
• Letter from an interfaith delegation to SSA Commissioner Michael J. Astrue
• New Sanctuary Movement Resources
• For You Were Once a Stranger: Immigration in the U.S. Through the Lens of Faith (lo-res PDF, 2.2 MB), a comprehensive toolkit for congregations seeking to educate themselves on immigration-related issues
  [high-quality print version, 13.2 MB; Summary & Guide]
• Flawed Immigration Bill Could Be Worse Than Inaction, a policy statement from IWJ
• IWJ Board Statement of Principles on Immigration Issues
• Kim Bobo and Kristin Kumpf discuss immigration reform on a panel at the General Assembly of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
• Denominational Church Immigration Resolutions
• New Sanctuary Movement website
• Social Security “No Match” toolkit from the Low Wage Immigrant Worker Coalition. The toolkit includes worker rights and legal materials in English and Spanish.
• Remember the Immigrant (reponsive reading bulletin insert)
• What You Can Do To Support Humane U.S. Immigration Reform Law (bulletin insert)
• Celebrating Immigrants (interfaith service)
• Immigration Litany
• What Faith Groups Say About Immigration Reform

Background

Humane immigration law would provide opportunities for millions of hard-working immigrants who are already in the U.S. to apply for a change of status and to earn their way to eventual citizenship.

Such reform is essential to prevent the creation of a permanent underclass of indentured, exploited workers who would be used to undermine the standard of living for all American workers.

Non-public conversations are contemplated between House and Senate conferees in an effort to agree on one proposal that incorporates key elements of legislation recently passed by each chamber. Virtually identical House and Senate “immigration reform” bills may result that would be sent to each chamber for a floor vote by the full body. Any “compromise bill” is expected to address:

• Whether or not to offer a path to citizenship to immigrants who are in the U. S. illegally (and if so, to how many).
• Whether or not and to what to extent to penalize immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally.
• How much to expand the temporary guest worker program.
• Whether to include enforceable worker protections for guest workers.