Iowa Chapter MFSA

Postville: "There has to be a better way"

MAY 12, 2009
A Day of Remembrance for a Sad Anniversary
Tuesday, May 12 marks the first anniversary of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on Postville, Iowa. To stand in solidarity with the 389 people who were detained and their families, a nationwide day of remembrance has been declared to promote awareness of the devastating effects of raids.

A prayer vigil and walk will be held in Postville, beginning at 3:30 PM at St. Bridget's Church, 141 W. Williams St. The event is a unified call for comprehensive immigration reform, just labor practices, family unity and an end to raids. Text of the prayer vigil and remembrance are available for adaptation for local use at St. Bridget's ministry website. Individuals and towns are encouraged to wear red ribbons on May 12th, and faith communities are urged to sound a call for justice by ringing church bells at 10:00 AM, the time the raid began. For more information, please e-mail Sister Mary McCauley, BVM.

Watch YouTube videos with Sister McCauley

Read An Interpreter's Account of Postville

Ongoing needs : St. Bridget's Hispanic Ministry

Reflection & Testimony-One Year Later by Jim Perdue

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	Postville: "There has to be a better way" MAY 12, 2009 A Day of Remembrance for a Sad Anniversary Tuesday, May 12 marks the first anniversary of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on Postville, Iowa. To stand in solidarity with the 389 people who were detained and their families, a nationwide day of remembrance has been declared to promote awareness of the devastating effects of raids. A prayer vigil and walk will be held in Postville, beginning at 3:30 PM at St. Bridget's Church, 141 W. Williams St. The event is a unified call for comprehensive immigration reform, just labor practices, family unity and an end to raids. Text of the prayer vigil and remembrance are available for adaptation for local use at St. Bridget's ministry website. Individuals and towns are encouraged to wear red ribbons on May 12th, and faith communities are urged to sound a call for justice by ringing church bells at 10:00 AM, the time the raid began. For more information, please e-mail Sister Mary McCauley, BVM. Watch YouTube videos with Sister McCauley Read An Interpreter's Account of Postville Ongoing needs : St. Bridget's Hispanic Ministry Reflection & Testimony-One Year Later by Jim Perdue	10 Myths About Immigrants (Open this document to see why the conventional wisdom about immigration is made of myths) Myth: Immigrants don't pay taxes Myth: Immigrants come here to take welfare Myth: Immigrants send all their money back to their home country Myth: Immigrants take jobs and opportunity away from Americans. Myth: Immigrants are a drain on the U.S. economy. Myth: Immigrants don't want to learn English or become Americans. Myth: There are many more immigrants today than there were 100 years ago. Myth: Most immigrants cross the border illegally. Myth: Weak U.S. immigration enforcement has led to high undocumented immigration. Myth: The war on terrorism can be won through immigration restrictions.
	Links to Resources, Articles & Initiatives Justice for Immigrants Sojourners Immigration Portal Immigration Policy Center Iowa Immigration Education Coalition Immigration Impact Blog Iowa Annual Conference 2008 Resolution on Immigration		Book Review by Jim Perdue on Depression Era Mexican Repatriation Decade of Betrayal (left) Read the review here. Reflections on the ICE Raid-2008