February 25, 2009

Ecumenical prayer vigil calls for immigration reform

By Anna Maria Basquez

AURORA, Colo.—A minister stood outside one of the state’s largest immigration detention centers Feb. 16 and asked 50 people of different faiths to close their eyes for a final gesture closing an evening of prayer for comprehensive immigration reform. 

“Send that energy, that heart, that love, whatever you call that, to the people inside,” said Anne Dunlap, pastor of Comunidad Liberación Church in Englewood. “That power does not recognize walls or borders or jail cells.”

The group gathered for an organized vigil and walk, A Light to Guide Us. The event was held in prayer for strength for immigrants, conviction by people of faith to speak up for justice and courage for Congress to enact fair and humane immigration reform. It is one of many such prayer vigils that were happening through the week nationwide through Justice For Immigrants, the U.S. Catholic bishops’ campaign for immigration reform.

The vigil was at the GEO Aurora I.C.E. Processing Center, 11901 E. 30th Ave. in Aurora. The center is privately held and works with U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement to take illegal immigrants into custody. The facility is under construction to expand from 400 to 1,500 beds, vigil coordinators said.

Jennifer Kraska, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, said she wanted to encourage people of faith to pray and to take action by contacting congressional leaders so that policies that separate families during deportation and other inhumane treatment will end.

“Not all immigrants want to be here illegally,” Kraska said. “They want to be able to have the right paperwork. There are real serious barriers to getting proper documentation.

“The bishops of the United States have  made it clear that the U.S. has the right and duty to protect itself,” she continued. “Unfortunately, there are a lot of policies that are old. We want (politicians) to look at updating policies and bringing them into the 21st century in a just manner that respects the rights and dignity of every human person.”

Jeremy Shaver, executive director for the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, said immigration reform is central to all faiths.

“When any one segment of our community is treated less than human, that really degrades all of our humanity,” Shaver said.

“I think immigration detention is inherently unjust,” said Robert McGoey, 26, of Cherry Creek, who is part of Coloradans for Immigrant Rights. “The abuses we see in private facilities in particular are atrocious.”

One Spanish-speaking woman attending the vigil told the crowd that a woman friend of hers is moving herself and her three children into her basement since her husband had been deported, who was the main bread-winner of the family.

Another attendee wrote a poem that touched on the aftermath to families from events like the Swift & Co. raids. The Swift raids occurred in early December 2006 when federal officials raided meat-packing plants in six states, including Greeley headquarters, arresting 1,200 for alleged immigration violations. In many cases, children came home from school to find parents gone, some who helped families after claimed.