Immigrants find sanctuary in growing Austin church network
8 years ago

Immigrants find sanctuary in growing Austin church network

Associated Press  

AUSTIN, Texas — Senior Minister Meg Barnhouse knows she’ll need beds, a dresser, chairs and a mirror to make the classroom at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin feel more like a home for a mother and her young daughter who are still deciding whether they will become the latest immigrants seeking sanctuary from deportation by moving into a church. And as more than 50 Austin area residents were detained in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation raids last month, a growing number of churches in the Austin Sanctuary Network are volunteering to offer physical shelter or support to churches that do. It’s like trying to repair furniture when the house is on fire,” said Pastor Jim Rigby, whose congregation at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Austin has provided sanctuary to Guatemalan immigrant Hilda Ramirez and her 10-year-old son, Ivan, for more than a year. “Opening our arms to our neighbors goes without question.” Pastor Laura Walter’s small Presbyterian congregation in Bee Cave, 12 miles west of Austin, hopes her church can expand the network to reach immigrant communities outside city limits.

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History of this topic

Latino evangelical churches gear up to face possible immigration enforcement in churches
Trending News
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Latino evangelical churches gear up to face possible immigration enforcement in churches

Associated Press  

Bishop Ebli De La Rosa says his motto right now is “to prepare for the worst and pray for the best.” De La Rosa, who oversees Church of God of Prophecy congregations in nine southeastern states, says he has had to respond quickly to the Trump administration’s new orders, which have thrown out policies that restricted immigration enforcement in sensitive …

Immigration arrests in churches? Some clergy say not so fast
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Immigration arrests in churches? Some clergy say not so fast

LA Times  

Susan Russell, stands in the sanctuary of All Saints Church in Pasadena, as the possibility of mass deportations looms over the country, on Jan. 28, 2025. Bishop John Taylor of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles said he looks forward to joining with colleagues in mounting further legal challenges “if the government follows through on its stated intention to violate …

Trump immigration orders fracture church sanctuary movement
2 months ago

Trump immigration orders fracture church sanctuary movement

Live Mint  

Eight years ago, when a newly inaugurated President Trump cracked down on illegal immigration, many U.S. houses of worship became houses of refuge. Photo: Joe Barrett/WSJ “We’re feeling the effects of illegal immigration in our town," said Pastor Ken Peters in Lenoir City, Tenn. “All people have a right to fulfill their duty to God without fear," the U.S. Conference …

Trump to end ban on migrant arrests at churches and hospitals: report
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Trump to end ban on migrant arrests at churches and hospitals: report

Raw Story  

Donald Trump's incoming administration plans to scrap a long-standing policy keeping Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from arresting immigrants at churches, hospitals and family events without approval from supervisors. The policy against making arrests in sensitive locations without approval has been in place since 2011, when it was issued by then-ICE director John Morton, and continued through Trump's first administration …

In El Paso, pastors offer waiting migrants shelter and counsel
1 year, 10 months ago

In El Paso, pastors offer waiting migrants shelter and counsel

Associated Press  

EL PASO, Texas — As changing policies, rampant misinformation and exasperated, fearful crowds converge in this desert city, faith leaders are striving to provide shelter and uplift. “One knows that that this is but one part, that we’re halfway on our way,” said Tatiana Gamez, a Colombian mother who was released by immigration authorities to a small shelter run by …

Faith groups aid Haitian migrants, denounce mistreatment
3 years, 5 months ago

Faith groups aid Haitian migrants, denounce mistreatment

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Before thousands of Haitian migrants dispersed last week from …

Immigrants in sanctuary in churches hope Biden offers relief
4 years, 1 month ago

Immigrants in sanctuary in churches hope Biden offers relief

Associated Press  

— For over three years, Maria Macario has been too afraid to leave the white steepled First Parish church just outside Boston. “It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.” She’s among dozens of people from Colorado to North Carolina who have taken sanctuary as a last resort to stay in the country. The administration also …

Sanctuary Immigrants Take Refuge In Texas Church, Watch Election Closely
4 years, 4 months ago

Sanctuary Immigrants Take Refuge In Texas Church, Watch Election Closely

NPR  

Sanctuary Immigrants Take Refuge In Texas Church, Watch Election Closely Enlarge this image toggle caption John Burnett/NPR John Burnett/NPR Among those anxiously watching the U.S. presidential election is a Guatemalan mother and her teenaged son who have taken refuge in a church in Austin, Texas, for the entirety of Donald Trump's presidency. National Central American Families Fear Deportation As Raids …

Churches struggle to comfort Latinos feeling besieged in a Trump era marked by hate, fear
5 years, 7 months ago

Churches struggle to comfort Latinos feeling besieged in a Trump era marked by hate, fear

LA Times  

Parishioners greet each other after the homily during Sunday service at Church of the Epiphany in Los Angeles’ Lincoln Heights neighborhood. “We are praying that nothing happens to us,” she said as she stood in the back of the church after Estrada’s service. “We are going to protect one another — that’s what we do.” Guillermo Torres, project organizer for …

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets
6 years ago

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets

NPR  

Border Patrol Starts Releasing Asylum-Seeking Migrants To South Texas Streets Enlarge this image toggle caption Eric Gay/AP Eric Gay/AP The U.S. Border Patrol is releasing asylum-seeking migrants who were recently apprehended in Texas' Rio Grande Valley without detaining them because officials say detention facilities are full to capacity. This is not the first time migrant advocates have suggested that the …

Sanctuary churches fight Trump’s deportation surge
7 years, 2 months ago

Sanctuary churches fight Trump’s deportation surge

Al Jazeera  

Dozens of churches across the US are taking in undocumented immigrants to fight the uptick in deportations. According to John Fife, the former pastor of Tucson, Arizona’s Southside Presbyterian Church – the “first sanctuary church” – US political interests in the region meant that those fleeing violence in El Salvador and Guatemala were not granted asylum and were instead viewed …

Texas police arrest DACA recipients in Austin protest
7 years, 7 months ago

Texas police arrest DACA recipients in Austin protest

Al Jazeera  

Activists chant ‘undocumented, unafraid’ as they block street in Texas capital to protest Trump’s immigration rhetoric. There was a “high risk” for the DACA recipients participating in Wednesday’s protest, Cosecha‘s spokeswoman Maria Fernanda Cabello told Al Jazeera. “It’s a very high risk to get arrested as a beneficiary of DACA,” Cabello said, pointing to recently introduced state and national legislation …

Texas Police Ask The State Not To Crack Down On Sanctuary Cities
8 years ago

Texas Police Ask The State Not To Crack Down On Sanctuary Cities

Huff Post  

The Texas State Capitol is seen through the trees on Feb. 22 in Austin, Texas. SB 4, which would fine local officials that refuse to comply with “detainer” requests to hold undocumented immigrants on behalf of the federal government, has already passed the full state Senate. But several police officials from the state’s largest cities have cautioned that the law …

Can churches provide legal sanctuary to undocumented immigrants?
8 years, 1 month ago

Can churches provide legal sanctuary to undocumented immigrants?

CNN  

CNN — In Denver, Jeanette Vizguerra stays in a makeshift bedroom at First Unitarian church, worried that immigration enforcement agents would arrest her elsewhere. Since President Trump signed an executive order apparently beefing up immigration law enforcement, stories about undocumented immigrants seeking refuge at churches have emerged. And the number of US churches willing to offer sanctuary to undocumented immigrants …

Sanctuary Churches Brace For Clash With Trump Administration
8 years, 1 month ago

Sanctuary Churches Brace For Clash With Trump Administration

NPR  

Sanctuary Churches Brace For Clash With Trump Administration Enlarge this image toggle caption David Zalubowski/AP David Zalubowski/AP Jeanette Vizguerra walked into a Colorado church on Wednesday — and into the forefront of a possible clash between Donald Trump and sanctuary churches across the country. Sponsor Message Vizguerra may be the first immigrant to seek sanctuary in a church since the …

Austin Area Becomes Immigrant 'Sanctuary' As Trump Inaugurated
8 years, 2 months ago

Austin Area Becomes Immigrant 'Sanctuary' As Trump Inaugurated

Huff Post  

AUSTIN, Texas ― The Travis County Sheriff’s Office announced a new policy Friday of limiting cooperation with detainers issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold undocumented immigrants. https://t.co/yYxeXql3xL — Greg Abbott January 20, 2017 The sheriff’s announcement said the new policy is aimed at helping the county protect all residents “regardless of their immigration status, and to ensure the …

US churches defy government by offering sanctuary to undocumented migrants
9 years, 1 month ago

US churches defy government by offering sanctuary to undocumented migrants

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Hilda and Ivan Ramirez …

After recent ICE raids, sanctuary movement grows for immigrants here illegally
9 years, 1 month ago

After recent ICE raids, sanctuary movement grows for immigrants here illegally

LA Times  

Fred Morris of North Hills United Methodist Church: “If ICE wants to come get them, they’re going to have to break down the church door.” Rev. That’s one reason Morris said he’s ready to defy Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and offer his place of worship as a refuge for Central Americans facing imminent deportation to a region with escalating …

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