Refugee & Immigration Ministries

More about Immigration Ministries

There are thousands of persons in the world who, like Alexander Campbell and other founders of our denomination, desire the opportunity to live in a free and stable society. Some of those persons wait years to come through official immigration processes, others come on temporary visas and overstay those visas, and others come without official documentation.  Those who overstay visas or come without official documentation include persons fleeing persecution and seeking asylum, persons in desperate situations who have no possibility of caring for their families in there homeland, and persons simply looking for a better quality of life.  For whatever reasons immigrants come to the United States and Canada, the gospel calls us to welcome the stranger.  Often the welcome given by the U.S. government is one of detention and deportation.  To understand more about how persons without proper documentation are treated see "Asylum, Detention, Deportation, and the Legal Rights of the Undocumented."

Immigration Help for Congregations

RIM stands ready to assist Disciples congregations who are seeking to help persons who have immigration problems. RIM can provide information about immigration processes, help congregations locate immigration attorneys in their area, and provide very limited funds to assist in emergency situations.

For information about the various immigration categories that would allow an immigrant to come to the United States or remain in the United States, see "Immigration Categories" (PDF document) in English or Spanish. Congregations needing additional help on immigration issues should contact the director of RIM.

A New Sanctuary Movement was formed in early 2007.  If your congregation is considering involvement in this new movement, you are encouraged to consult with the Disciples Refugee and Immigration Ministries program for further details.  See "Considering Involvement in the New Sanctuary Movement?"

Responding to Anti-Immigrant Attitudes

Immigrants are often the first to be blamed when there are problems within the United States. When the economy is bad, immigrants are blamed for taking away jobs and using services they do not deserve. When terrorists strike, immigrants are the first ones thought of as possibly being responsible for the attack. As congregations struggle to understand the blame that immigrants often unjustly experience, RIM stands ready to provide helpful information in this area.

See "Undocumented persons: Should we blame or welcome them?" (PDF document)?"

Border Ministry

Disciples have a border ministry to immigrants along the Texas/Mexico border. Southwest Good Samaritan Ministries (SWGSM) is a ministry of the Southwest Region under the leadership of the Rev. Feliberto Pereira. RIM has been supporting SWGSM since the early 1980s. Learn more about SWGSM on their Web site.

First Christian Church in Tucson, Ariz., hosts Humane Borders, a ministry that provides water in the desert for persons crossing from Mexico to Arizona. Humane Borders was founded by the Rev. Robin Hoover.  Learn more about Humane Borders on their Web site.

Immigration Legislation

Immigration issues continue to be important issues in the political arena. Proposals for new immigration laws and regulations are constantly being put forward by Congress and the U.S. Administration. RIM provides updates on immigration legislation and regulations to the extent possible.

Those updates are available at "What's New!" link and by signing up for e-mail Action Alerts through Rapid Response.