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.
In whatever ways immigrants come to the United States and
Canada, the gospel calls us to welcome the stranger.
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." Congregations needing additional
help on immigration issues should contact the director
of RIM.
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 "Is Immigration
Good for the U.S.?"
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
is available 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!" and by signing up for e-mail
Action Alerts through Rapid Response.
