April 2012:   Supreme Court Hears SB1070 on April 25th, Justice GA Witness at Tent City & More! 

Dear Immigrant Justice Leaders,

On April 25th, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on the constitutionality of Arizona’s draconian SB1070, and UUs around the country are invited to witness for justice.  Whether you pray with your congregation on the Sunday before or after, come witness at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC, join the march in Phoenix, or organize a vigil in your community, our voices are needed.  Read on to learn about the various opportunities for engagement.  We also have resources about stopping SCOMM in your community, and exciting news about what’s happening at Justice GA in Phoenix.  From a pre-GA gathering that will offer resources for organizing in your community to a witness at the infamous Tent City, our Justice GA will be a continuation of this justice ministry.

As always, let us know what is happening in your congregation and community, what you need, and how we can help. 

In faith,
Audra, Craig, Dan, Kat, Meredith, Schuyler, Susan, and Taquiena
UUA Witness Ministries staff

P.S.: The UUA Bookstore is offering a special promotion -- 5% of purchases go to AZ partners!  Read on to learn more!

Best Practice: 

UUs from New York City, Washington, DC and Phoenix are preparing for major witness on April 25th, the day the U.S. Supreme Court begins hearing on SB1070.  Read on to learn about what is happening and how you can participate! 

Take Action: US Supreme Court Hears SB1070 on April 25 — Witness for Justice!

On April 25, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Arizona’s anti-immigrant law in United States vs. Arizona.  The court’s ruling, expected in June, will determine whether the U.S. will have one immigration policy or 50.  If the court rules to uphold Arizona’s racial profiling law SB1070, the court will also be upholding Arizona’s attempt at state directed discrimination, racial profiling by state and local law enforcement, and the tearing apart of immigrant families. 

As the Supreme Court hears arguments about the legality of Arizona's SB1070, we are coming together to speak to its morality.  Events are happening all over the country!  Thousands of people will be coming to Washington, D.C. and will gather on the steps of the White House.  See our PDF flyer for additional information about how to participate. 

For those in New York City, the New Sanctuary Movement of NYC is organizing buses to D.C. Contact Ravi Ragbir at ravi@newsanctuarynyc.org for more information. 

In Phoenix, AZ, a march is being organized by Puente Arizona and others.  Speakers include Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray of the UU Congregation of Phoenix.  Contact AZ Immigration Ministry for more information: Sandy Weir, Arizona Immigration Ministry Organizer (azim@phoenixuu.org).

Wherever you live you can participate by creating a vigil in your own community and/or participating by way of social media. 

Pray for Justice: The UUA is asking all congregations to pray for the Supreme Court to exercise wisdom and compassion in their deliberations.  See a prayer composed by Rev. Marta Valentin, minister at First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts.  Please use it during your Sunday worship service on April 22nd or April 29th.  

Resource:  Restore Trust to Our Communities by Breaking ICE’s Hold!

The UUA is part of a coalition of migrant rights organizations and faith communities that have launched a national campaign to Restore Trust to Our Communities by Breaking Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE’s) Hold. ICE holds, also known as immigration detainers, are the lynchpin of the Secure Communities (S-Comm) program. Through S-Comm ICE uses local police and jails to funnel thousands of people into deportation. See our page with a congregational toolkit for grassroots organizing, one hour webinar, map of local interfaith partners, and one community's step to stop ICE.  We are gaining momentum as legislation is being introduced in CA to support local discretion on ICE detainers. Participants are invited to a monthly briefing call. Contact Witness Ministries Director Rev. Craig Roshaven at croshaven@uua.org.

Pre-Justice GA Event: SAVE THE DATE – GET TO GA EARLY!  Pre-GA Gathering & Training:  Building Powerful Networks for Effective Advocacy & Organizing!

Wednesday, June 20th, 1-4 pm

Join leaders from the UU State Advocacy Networks (SAN), congregation-based community organizations, and Witness Ministries staff.  We’ll share best practices and strategies for achieving success at the state and federal level and tools for engaging congregations. A detailed agenda will be available by May 1st.  Let us know what you would like to see included at this event. Please RSVP by June 1st to Nancy Banks, SAN Coordinator, at nancy.banks1@verizon.net.

Justice GA: Registration and housing is now open for Justice GA!  Rates go up May 1st, so register this month!

Highlights:  Our Arizona Immigration Ministry is planning some powerful witness events in partnership with Puente, the local barrio committees, National Day Labor Organizing Network, SOMOS, and others to support their campaign to remove Sheriff Joe Arpaio from office, overturn SB1070 and its spread to other states, stop the mass detention and deportation of immigrants, and human rights abuses at the border.  We need to fix our broken immigration system that is breaking families apart.  An interfaith candlelight vigil at Sheriff Arpaio's infamous 'Tent City' will be held on Saturday night.  

Featured Justice GA workshop speakers include: 

• Isabel Garcia, Public Defender’s Office of Pima County in Tucson, AZ and Director of Coalición de Derechos Humanos
• Dr. Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
• Kim Bobo, Exec. Dir of Interfaith Worker Justice and author of Wage Theft in America
• Pablo Alvarado, Director of National Day Labor Organizing Network and other NDLON staffers
• Carlos Garcia of Puente and Salvador Reza of Committees for Defense of the Barrios
• Donna Redwing, Director of Grassroots Leadership, on shutting down private detention centers
• Randy Parraz, who led the recall of Senator Russell Pearce (author of SB1070)
• Margaret Regan, author of Death of Josseline
• Leaders from the “Dreamers” (Student Immigrant Dream Act organizers), Occupy and more! 
• Youth and Young Adult Program: Linda Stout and Manauvaskar Kublall of Spirit in Action & Power Up Networks will lead a three hour session on Collective Visioning. Great for youth groups!

There will also be opportunities for service and voter registration with Mi Familia Vota and getting to know each other at a community dinner and celebration! 

UUA Bookstore Funds for AZ Partners: The UUA Bookstore is offering a special promotion for Justice GA: For every purchase (either online or at the UUA Bookstore at GA) that makes use of the code "PhoenixGA" , we'll make a contribution equal to 5% of your purchase equally divided between Comités de Defensa del Barrio and Puente AZ.  If our sales using the code exceed $100,000, we'll double our donation on sales from that date until the end of GA  - up to a total donation of $15,000!

Join the conversation on Cooking Together: Recipes for Immigration Justice Work blog.

See www.uua.org/immigration for resources, congregational stories, policy information and more!