There are at least two categories of support solicited by the New Sanctuary Movement:
1. Role and Expectations for Host Congregations
What does a place of worship have to do to participate and become a sanctuary for immigrant families?• Agree to host an immigrant family that meets the following criteria:
Be in the legal process and under an order of deportation
American citizen children
Good work record
Viable case under current law• Host the family for an initial commitment. The family will use the congregation as their mailing address and will be able to spend time as needed at the site. They may need actual hospitality (a place to live) in the congregation, in real estate owned by the congregation or in the home of a family that belongs to the congregation.
• Help with material and spiritual support for the family. There will be a larger network of individuals and congregations who will not be hosting families but will be providing material and spiritual support for families. Expert immigration lawyers will be handling their case.
• Participate in a public press conference with congregations all over the country who are hosting families. All of the host and allied congregations are joining in an interfaith statement of accompaniment/solidarity lifting up the human rights of immigrant families as children of God.
• Be available for press interviews.
2. Allied Faith Communities Statement of Support and Involvement
Moved by our faith to participate in the New Sanctuary Movement, this faith community commits to the following:
Education
• We will educate ourselves about issues facing immigrants in our society, and about the current status of immigration-related legislation.
• We will avail ourselves of resources from the New Sanctuary Movement, and will welcome the first-hand stories of immigrants themselves who have experienced injustice.
• We will renew our study of the sacred stories of migration and hospitality, injustice and hope, which already exist in our own faith tradition.
• Seeking also to educate our greater community, we will offer public forums on immigration.Advocacy
We understand that education alone brings no change if it does not lead to action. Therefore,
• We will actively and publicly work for comprehensive immigration reform in the United States.
• We call for an immediate moratorium on all raids and unjust deportations that cause the separation of families, until such time as the broken system of immigration laws is fixed.
• We agree to include our names, our voices and our selves (or representative members) in public events, various forms of media, and other appropriate venues.
• We will be a compassionate and persistent voice for justice for our immigrant brothers and sisters.In addition, we commit to one or more of the following:
a. Legal Triage
The need for competent and free or low-cost legal advice to the immigrant community far outstrips the capacity of the movements “prophetic hospitality.” Therefore, faith communities are called upon to host legal clinics, provide legal referrals and to identify families in need of such assistance.b. Prophetic Hospitality
Faith communities will "host" a family seeking sanctuary for a period of three months, and serve as a tangible support system for them during that period. Based on the needs of the family in question, such support might include (a) meals for the family, (b) transportation to and from work, school or other events, (c) housing at the faith community itself, should such emergency housing be required, and (d) financial support and/or job referral (particularly in the case of job loss due to publicity of the case). Although this form of very public hospitality is entirely legal, faith communities involved in this aspect will have access to first-rate pro-bono legal services.c. Material Support
Faith communities will provide financial support towards either (a) the New Sanctuary Movement itself, or (b) a pool of money to be used to assist specific families in the local community seeking sanctuary and in need of the support. Depending upon storage and distribution capacity, other forms of donations could also be given, including food, bedding, clothing, and other material goods. Cultural, musical and other educational events are encouraged to raise both money for and awareness of the movement.d. Worker Justice
Despite society’s ongoing desire for the services of day laborers and immigrant domestics, the climate of racism and harassment has reached a fever pitch. Faith communities are called to offer support through: 1) being publicly present at existing day labor pick-up sites as a peaceful presence in the face of racist and hateful demonstrators; 2) serving as an alternative labor/employer match site; and/or 3) being advocates for worker issues.
