In December 2018, Rev. Florence Caplow joined other UU ministers and seminary students to bear witness to the challenges confronting migrants at the US border with Mexico and to reflect together on how our UU faith calls us to respond.

Florence brought her experiences and reflections back to us as we gathered one evening in a sometimes teary-eyed circle as each of us shared our interest in the issue.  We collected names to guide our advocacy work on issues surrounding immigration. Ideas included:

1. Traveling to the Border to witness, first-hand, what is happening and to connect with organization and groups who are trying to meet the needs of asylum seekers both before and after they enter this country (or are turned away).

2. Sending (and/or bringing) money and supplies to organizations working with asylum seekers at the border. Florence handed us all a list of resources.

3. Learning how to meet the need for connecting families or unaccompanied minors crossing the border with sponsors in C-U, expanding and augmenting the work already taking place in our community.

4. Supporting sponsored families and/or unaccompanied minors with housing and financial resources, particularly during the first 12 months they when those who are undocumented cannot (officially) work.

5. Supporting sponsors of families and/or unaccompanied minors financially. and protecting sponsors from potential liabilities.

In February, our group focused on items 3-5 above and began with a meeting with leaders from three C-U groups that work with immigrants, Lucia Maldenado, LatinX Family Liaison in the Urbana Schools; Ben Mueller of C-U Fair; and Ricardo Diaz of the C-U Immigration Forum.  Each of these groups works differently with immigrants in our community and with immigration issues in general. They gave us ideas for how we might have the most impact in our own area.

So we–the Immigration Justice Task Force–requested and received funds from the UUCUC Social Action Committee’s annual budget.  We then asked Lucia, Ben, and Ricardo to submit to us requests for funding for a project that their group would use to further their missions. We funded their requests. Lucia requested funds for backpacks of personal supplies for the students who will arrive in C-U from the border this year.  [INSERT PHOTO and caption from recent e-news.] C-U Fair requested funds to help set up and maintain their new offices that provide help for immigrant households and a call for volunteers to work with their various committees. C-U Immigration Forum requested money for sound equipment to use at rallies and for meals for participants in El Tur, a program to introduce immigrants to the community.  All have received their funds and the Immigration Task Force is already thinking about how to provide support for immigrants this year.

An opportunity came! This summer we were approached by Three Spinners, another immigrant-focused organization in town.  They were looking for churches with space and the willingness to use it to provide hospitality to immigrants during the few weekdays every so often when ICE comes to town.  Churches, you see, along with schools and hospitals, are places that ICE usually will not come into when pursuing undocumented people. And so, the Immigration Task Force, on behalf of UUCUC began conversations on all the possibilities for providing this hospitality and the nuts and bolts of how we might pull it off.  

While we’re still having these discussions, your Board of Trustees passed a motion approving a plan for UUCUC to be a place of hospitality for immigrants.

And, two Sundays ago, we heard from Ellyn Bullock, a local adoption lawyer and guardian of an unaccompanied teen, about how we might become either temporary or permanent guardians for unaccompanied young people who are arriving in CU all too often.  Ellyn’s available to speak with you if you’re interested.

Love truly knows no borders and now is time for you to register your love.  Providing hospitality to immigrants in our church will require MANY volunteers. We’ll know more particulars soon but for now, we’d like to ask you to take a moment and, if you’re willing to help, please fill out this form to give us your name, email, and contact phone.