No Room in the Inn:

Remembering Migrants on the U.S./Mexico Border

The Mennonite Church USA adopted a statement on immigration at Atlanta 2003 that concludes, "Because of our nation's abundance, because God has called us to welcome the sojourner, and because of the richness that immigrants bring to the Mennonite Church USA, we commit ourselves to action with and on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters."

Two years later, immigrant communities are still beleaguered by increased border patrols, threatened civil liberties and reduced access to public services, none of which have worked to stem the increasing flow of immigrants. Meanwhile, millions of unauthorized workers are vulnerable to exploitation, human trafficking has become a multi-billion dollar industry and a record number of migrants - 358 - died on the border in fiscal year 2005.

The Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office offers the following Advent activities to remember the migrants who died this year on the U.S./Mexico border.

What's happening on the U.S./Mexico border?

The border between the United States and Mexico resembles a war zone. Infared body sensors and footfall detectors, developed for use in Vietnam, rig the desert. Unmanned drones fly overhead. Add dozens of checkpoints, thousands of armed agents and miles of razor-wire fence and you have a low-intensity conflict that has killed over 2,500 migrants since militarization of the border began a decade ago.

There were no recorded migrant deaths before 1993, when a dramatic increase of border agents and fences in 1993 forced migrants away from cities into the deserts. Because U.S. companies continue to hire migrants and U.S. trade policies continue to bankrupt Mexican farmers, there has been no change since then in the number of migrants attempting to cross. The only change has been the steadily increasing death toll in the deserts and rivers along the border.

What is Las Posadas?

Celebrated in Mexico at Christmas time, Las Posadas is the re-enactment of the story of Mary and Joseph, strangers and foreigners in Bethlehem, seeking shelter and hospitality in the hours before the birth of Jesus. In several border towns, it has become an annual gathering from both sides to show solidarity across the border fence.

Millions of migrants have sought survival by attempting to cross our southern border, refugees from conflict, natural disasters and a harsh global economy. Millions of them live among us. The Las Posadas story calls us to see, in the struggles of Mary and Joseph, the difficult journeys of our migrant brothers and sisters.

What can my congregation do?

Choose one or more of the following activities:

	Make small crosses with the names of migrants who have died on the border. Community Mennonite Church (Harrisonburg, Va.) made a cross out of tongue depressors for each member and attached a colorful strip of paper with one migrant's names and information, along with a Web site for more information about border deaths (www.nomoredeaths.org). You can find names of migrants who have died on the border, along with their ages and reasons for death on the Latin America Working Group (www.lawg.org) or the Coalición de Derechos Humanos (www.derechoshumanosaz.net) Web sites. Invite members to read aloud the names of migrants on their crosses and together answer "presente" ("present" in Spanish) after each.
	Gather in small groups to write letters to the president and legislators about deaths on the U.S./Mexico border. Members of Congress have introduced dozens of immigration-related bills for consideration in the upcoming months. Some promise positive change to immigration policy: reunifying separated families, reviewing border militarization, allowing workers to come and go safely across the border and creating a path to citizenship for those who wish to stay. However, most are harsh and unrealistic. Write to your legislators and ask them to support policies that welcome strangers, as well as trade and economic policies that improve conditions in migrants' home communities. See the attached MCC HOTLINE, "Immigration Advocacy for Advent" for more information
	Host a Las Posadas celebration in your church or community. Events could range from a dramatic reading of the litany on a Sunday morning to an evening pilgrimage around the neighborhood complete with songs, candles, colorful costumes, a symbolic fence-cutting and tacos and hot chocolate at the end! See the attached "Litany for Las Posadas" for more information.
	Include the following prayer, adapted from the No More Deaths Campaign, in an Advent service.

	Mennonite Church USA Churchwide Statement on Immigration (http://www.mennoniteusa.org/NewItems/delegates/statement_immigration.pdf)
	Strangers No More: Atlanta 2003 Immigration Statement Congregational Resources (PDF version (175k PDF))
	No More Deaths Campaign (www.nomoredeaths.org) - A coalition of churches and organizations, including Christian Peacemaker Teams, organized in summer 2004 to offer round-the-clock humanitarian witness to help prevent migrant deaths in the desert
	BorderLinks (www.borderlinks.org) - Conducts travel seminars on the issues of Mexican border communities, as well as "The Debt Skit" and "The Free Trade Skit," interactive roleplays that explore the connections between immigration and globalization.
	National Immigration Forum (www.immigrationforum.org) - Advocates and educates about policies that welcome immigrants. Offers useful statistical and historical immigration information.
	Third Way Café (www.thirdway.com) - "Beyond the News" hosts insightful interviews with immigrants and church workers who work with immigrants.
	Mennonite Central Committee (www.mcc.org) - Offers videos including, "I Am Not a Stranger," "Between Two Worlds," and "Ties That Bind: The Stories Behind the Immigration Controversy."
	MCC Immigration Office (www.mcc.org/us/peaceandjustice/immigrat.html) - Offers a packet for congregations: "Welcoming the Newcomer: Doing Advocacy with Immigrants," and conducts workshops on documentation, citizenship, immigrant sponsorship and immigrant rights. Contact Rebeca Jimenez Yoder, (717) 859-1152,
	MCC Washington Office (www.mcc.org/us/washington) - Provides resources on immigration policy and advocacy. Contact the MCC Washington Office, (202) 544-6564, .