Immigrants in Sanctuary and Allies Across the Country Come Together to Press Congress Members for Support

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contacts: 

David Bennion, [email protected], (646) 441-0741

[email protected], (520) 243-9777

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

The National Sanctuary Collective – Colectivo Santuario, abbreviated as the Colectivo, comprised of immigrants in sanctuary, immigrant organizers, attorneys, and allies in faith communities across the country are coming together from February 24-29, 2020 in their Week of Action to shed light on the families currently in sanctuary, as well as engage action-oriented support from current and new allies.

 

WHAT: Week of Action to build solidarity and demand action from congress members

WHEN: Ongoing from Monday, February 24th, 2020 to Friday, February 29th, 2020 

WHERE: Across the United States and in Texas, Ohio, Missouri and Pennsylvania

WHO: National Sanctuary Collective – Colectivo Santuario, immigrants in sanctuary, immigrant organizers, attorneys, and allies in faith communities

 

The Colectivo will host national actions such as press calls and an ongoing “call a Representative” mobilization. The latter is an effort in urging four key congress members – Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Jerry Nadler, Zoe Lofgren and Pramila Jayapal to support and move forward a series of private immigration bills on behalf of the families in sanctuary. As families in sanctuary are targeted and unjustly persecuted by ICE, these Congress members must take swift action in fighting for legislation to grant them legal status, as this group is not covered by any currently proposed legislation. “I need help from Congress and our whole community because this is an injustice. We don’t have a normal life. That’s all we want.”, said Hilda Ramírez, who has taken sanctuary in an Austin church for almost four years.

 

Actions will also take place at the local level in Texas, Missouri and Ohio. The Week of Action will bring people of faith and allies to stand in solidarity with immigrant community sanctuary leaders and their families. “We are committed to defending immigrant moms, dads and children who need to take refuge in the face of unjust deportations, with cases ranging from racial profiling to denial of their asylum pleas.”

 

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The National Sanctuary Collective – Colectivo Santuario is comprised of immigrants in sanctuary, immigrant organizers, attorneys and allies in faith communities spanning seven states—Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and Virginia.