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Church World Service Will Join National Immigration Rally in Washington April 10

April 6, 2006

Update: On today's (April 6) Senate Agreement, CWS's Joan Maruskin notes,

Senator Kennedy stated in today's news conference, " We are a nation of immigrants. And when we're really at our best, we recognize the extraordinary contribution that immigrants have added to our culture, to our enterprise, to our initiatives, to our ideas."

The Senators who worked together on this compromise are both immigrants and the children of immigrants. They recognize the value of the America dream. Although the compromise is not perfect, it is a step forward and a light of hope to the millions of undocumented immigrants who are helping to keep this nation great and to the citizens of the land who recognize their worth and welcome them.

Humanitarian Agency Opposes Criminalizing of Undocumented Immigrants, Supports Earned Path to Citizenship

WASHINGTON -- Proponents of comprehensive immigration reform that treats immigrants fairly and does not criminalize undocumented immigrants and those who help them are planning a National Day of Action for Monday, April 10.

The global humanitarian agency Church World Service, whose Immigration and Refugee Program resettles refugees in the United States in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, is encouraging grassroots participation to support compassionate immigration reform, whether in the mass rally in Washington, D.C., or in additional events in cities across the U.S.

Massive protests, marches and rallies across the country in recent weeks have roused proponents on both ends of the debate.

In December, the U.S. House approved H.R. 4437, which would declare 11 million immigrants -- men, women, and children -- to be felons simply because they are undocumented. H.R. 4437 also would make criminals of the teachers, doctors, social workers, and clergy who provide humanitarian assistance to undocumented immigrants.

This week, as plans for the National Day of Action are being laid, the U.S. Senate is striving to bring its own version of immigration reform to a vote.

Church World Service's Immigration and Refugee Program advocates are supporting the bill that received bipartisan support in the Senate Judiciary Committee March 27. "It begins to address our broken immigration system in a realistic and humane fashion," said Rev. Joan Maruskin, CWS Immigration and Refugee Program Washington Representative.

"The committee's bill creates an earned path to citizenship for the current undocumented population and new workers, and provides a way for future workers to safely migrate to the U.S. and work with labor and worker protections," Maruskin explained. "It addresses the family backlog so that families can be reunited, exempts Good Samaritan work from being subject to criminal penalties, grants permanent residence to college-bound high school graduates, and creates a special program to enable immigrant workers to fill agricultural jobs."

Once enacted, any Senate bill will need to be reconciled with the House version in conference committee.

A key message of the April 10 National Day of Action will be: "Defeat H.R. 4437!"

The Washington, D.C., rally will begin at 4 p.m. at the Washington Monument. New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, San Antonio, Phoenix, Miami and cities across the country also will hold events on April 10 (visit www.April10.org for a list of events).

Church World Service and the United Methodist Church's General Board of Global Missions and General Commission on Religion and Race will offer hospitality/information all afternoon April 10 at the United Methodist Building, 100 Maryland Ave. N.E., Washington, D.C. (across the street from the U.S. Supreme Court).

Church World Service says individuals who wish to participate in the Washington rally and who need a ride can call 301-431-4185 or 703-684-5967 x 300 for connections.

Media Contact:
Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676;
Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526;

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