Immigration authorities are carrying out home raids targeting mothers and children who recently escaped violence in their home countries. On Monday, January 4 DHS reported that at least 121 individuals, mostly women and children from Central America, were detained by ICE and are ready to be deported. The ICE raids were conducted primarily in Georgia, Texas, and North Carolina. Sign the petition asking the Obama administration and DHS to stop the ICE raids that are causing fear in our communities. ____________________ Las autoridades de inmigración están llevando a cabo redadas de casas dirigidas a las madres y niños que recientemente escaparon la violencia en sus países de origen. El Departamento de Seguridad Interna (DHS) dio a conocer el lunes 4 de enero que por lo menos 121 personas, en su mayoría mujeres y niños de Centro América, fueron detenidos y serán deportados. Las redadas se llevaron a cabo principalmente en Georgia, Texas, y North Carolina, de acuerdo al comunicado. Firma la petición pidiendo a la administración de Obama y el DHS que ponga un alto a las redadas de ICE que están causando terror en nuestras comunidades.

At the end of December, immigration authorities confirmed they would be expanding their home raids to include mothers and children who recently escaped violence in their home countries. On January 2nd, agents barged into homes across the Atlanta area, at times pretending to be local police in search of a non-existent suspect, pulling people from their beds, demanding identification, and taking away whomever they chose. At least 47 people have been flown from Georgia to a processing center in Texas where the agency may rush to deport them before pending cases can be heard or appeals can be filed. These raids are not the first and unlikely to be the last. Sign the petition asking the Obama administration and DHS to put a halt to immigration agents' violation of civil rights and stop the raids.

Six months ago Pastor Max Villatoro, a beloved father, husband, pastor, and Iowa City community member was deported to Honduras despite over 40,000 petitions asking immigration officials to stop his deportation. For six months, the Villatoro family has been forced to live thousands of miles apart, separated by our nation’s immoral and unjust immigration system. We cannot allow this tragic situation to go on. We must continue to tell Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson that six months is too long -- it’s time to bring Pastor Max home! Because of our shameful immigration system, Max’s children have been left without a father. Gloria, his wife, has been left to support her family and raise her children by herself. And the community as a whole has been left to deal with the loss of a true leader. Max should never have been deported away from his family and community. The last six months have been too long -- let’s join together and bring Max home. We we will not give up. Our struggle to keep the Villatoro family together continues as we work to reunite Max with his family and community. Through generous donations, we have been able to send Max’s children to Honduras to visit their father and to support the family as they await Max’s return. Advocates in Iowa and DC continue to put pressure on government officials to reverse Max’s deportation order, but we can’t do it without you. Here's more on Pastor Max's story: Pastor Max was detained early in the morning on Tuesday, March 3, by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) as he stepped outside his family's home. He wasn’t given a chance to say goodbye to his wife and four U.S. citizen kids – Anthony, Edna, Angela, and Aileen. Max is the pastor of the Iglesia Menonita Torre Fuerte (First Mennonite Church) in Iowa City. He has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. Max was originally targeted for deportation because of an immigration identification related charge from 1999. His detention and deportation is absolutely devastating to his family, his church and the community where he has been a leader for years. Pastor Max is a model of what it means to be a servant leader in his community. He has worked for years to strengthen Iowa City and to care for his neighbors. Each day he demonstrates incredible compassion, faith and character. In February, President Obama said that ICE officials would be held accountable for deporting individuals who qualify for relief. As a pastor, community leader and father of U.S. citizen children, Max clearly presents no public safety or security threat and therefore should qualify for relief through the President’s recent immigration executive order. And, even though a federal judge has temporarily delayed some of the President’s immigration actions, ICE guidelines state that immigrants like Max should not be a deportation priority. Max should not have been deported before he had a chance to qualify for relief.

We are an enormous country. We could absorb hundreds of thousands of refugees without blinking an eye. And we'll be a richer country for it. Or, we can turn them away, and damn countless people to unimaginable suffering, and be surprised in a few years if they turn embittered and violent. It's not really a choice.

FOUR MILLION children, women, and families have fled from war-torn Syria to ESCAPE violent extremism, NOT to spread it. But right-wing Republicans and some Democrats are being overpowered by fear and bigotry -- not logic, tolerance, and goodwill. They refuse to even consider allowing refugees to enter the United States, and are fast-tracking legislation to slam our doors on those who need refuge most! To these extremists in Congress, facts don’t matter. The facts are that refugees undergo a rigorous screening process that can take up to THREE YEARS, and not one terrorist attack has been committed in the U.S. by a refugee! This is the same dangerous line of thinking that leads to hate crimes and wars. Don't let our leaders toss aside our American values due to panic and paranoia.

It’s clear to the majority of Americans that our immigration policy is in desperate need of reform. It’s equally clear that if brought to a vote today, there would be enough votes in the House and the Senate to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Add your name to tell Speaker Ryan pass immigration reform this year!

Syrian families have lost their homes, their relatives, and jobs. Half of the entire country is now displaced. A small fraction has waited up to 3 years to gain entry to the US as refugees. They have passed the most rigorous screening of any immigrant to the US, ever. Now our governor has effectively refused them entry into Indiana. This policy does NOT reflect our values!

I believe in the importance of offering aid to other human beings in need, regardless of religion or their country of origin.

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let's recognize that Syrian refugees are fleeing for their lives and the lives of their children - just like many of our early settlers did and as our immigrants since have done. This country and the the state of Massachusetts ("the Spirit of America") is a symbol of freedom and hope to those who are suffering, and refusing those who need protection is signing their death warrant. Rather than refuse to accept refugees, Governor Baker and other state governors should be working with the federal government to create efficient and effective screening processes so that our state can welcome those who are suffering. The protection of ALL human life should be our top priority.

We cannot stand idly by while bigotry spews out of governors' mansions across the country. Idaho has a large refugee population of taxpayers, teachers, etc. We must stand up for those who are marginalized, we must stand up for American values, and we must use our compassion against the hatred of ISIS.

Carl Hulse, reporting for the New York Times on Paul Ryan’s bill that refugee advocates say would effectively suspend the admission of Syrian and Iraqi war refugees to the United States, wrote: “The measure technically does not suspend the refugee program, providing Republicans some cover from criticism they were denying refugees a chance for escape.” [1] But if refugee advocates opposing the bill are correct in their assessments, then Carl Hulse’s reporting was deeply misleading unless you understand the word “technically” to mean “while effectively doing so.” The American Immigration Lawyers Association says the bill “would halt the refugee resettlement program for Iraqis and Syrians.” [2] The Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service says the bill “would exclude all Syrian refugees from the protection of the United States resettlement system.” [3] The New York Times’ own editorial board wrote that “people who will be denied resettlement by this bill would be the victims of war, people who have been tortured and threatened by the same jihadists the United States now battles.” [4] Urge the New York Times Public Editor to investigate why the New York Times’ reporting embraced Paul Ryan’s spin that the bill "does not suspend the refugee program" by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/19/paul-ryan-steers-refugee-bill-and-some-cover-to-a-house-vote/ 2. http://www.aila.org/advo-media/aila-correspondence/2015/aila-vote-recommendations-hr-4038 3. https://secure2.convio.net/lirs/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=215#.Vk39Eq6rRE6 4. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/opinion/refugees-from-war-arent-the-enemy.html

The United States is expected to receive 1,400 to 2,000 Syrian refugees for the year 2015, and 5,000 to 8,000 in 2016. There are over 4 million refugees that have fled Syria, and this number grows everyday. The United States is better equipped than most states to resettle the outpour of Syrian citizens. However, in the wake of the attacks on Beirut and Paris, several politicians are attempting to reject Syrian refugees with misinformed claims of fearing for national security. Thirty-one governors have issued statements expressing opposition to resettling Syrian refugees in their respective states, citing security concerns. To our grave disappointment, Governor Susana Martinez is one of them. While the final decision regarding the immigration of Syrian refugees to the United States will fall to the federal government, Governor Susana Martinez's official opposition to the settlement of refugees in New Mexico is indicative of a greater, reactionary and discriminatory mindset. In the words of former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, “These proposals are motivated by fear, not by the facts….We have always been a generous nation, and we have in place a rigorous process for refugee resettlement that that balances our generosity with our need for security. It works, and it should not be stopped or paused." In light of the terrorist attacks that have rocked the international community, it is important to stand in solidarity with the victims of these attacks. But we must remember that the refugees fleeing Syria are victims of this very same terrorism themselves. We must not scorn the refugees seeking safety in a misguided and misinformed attempt to secure our own safety. Instead, we must extend our sympathy.