National May 1 Movement for Worker and Immigrant Rights

May 1 was founded by a coalition of immigrant and workers' rights groups to support immigrant rights and help our nation understand that immigrant labor is vital to our economy. At Atlanta 2003, Mennonite Church USA delegates passed an immigration statement and Iglesia Menonita Hispana passed another on August 3, 2006. (read in English or Spanish). Just immigration policy matters because God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves-and because most of 'us' Mennonites are immigrants, some more recently than others. Some Mennonite Church USA offices have chosen to close on May 1 to give staff specific time to show support for immigrants and just immigration laws.

What we call each other is significant. One slogan is, WE ARE ALL HUMANS! NO ONE IS ILLEGAL! Immigrants are documented or undocumented. 'Alien' was a fine term until it came to mean green creatures from Mars.

  Mennonite Church USA May 1 handout (161k PDF)

  www.MayDay2007.org
  www.maydaymovement.blogspot.com

The Bible offers us some valuable insights about welcoming strangers, and in our context immigrants 15 are viewed as strangers. "When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do [the 16 stranger] wrong. The stranger who sojourns with you shall be to you as the native among you, and 17 you shall love [the stranger] as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt…" (Leviticus 18 19:33, 34). We affirm that God has called us to welcome immigrants, because all of us are sojourners 19 (Exodus 23:9, Deuteronomy 24:17-18). We believe that when we welcome strangers, we welcome 20 Jesus (Matthew 25:35). (Adopted by Mennonite Church USA Delegate Assembly, Atlanta, Georgia, July 2003)

  Prayer adapted from the No More Deaths Campaign
  A Liturgy - "No More Deaths", CPT Arizona
  "God, help us welcome those who have come to dwell among us.", Interfaith Worker Justice  
  Worship Resources on Farm Worker Justice , National Farm Worker Ministry

Both the Iglesia Menonita Hispana and Mennonite Church USA statements include action ideas. Here are more:

• Learn to know your neighbors; if this involves learning a few new words, learn a few words of Spanish or Swahili or Arabic.
• Intentionally move outside your comfort zone on a regular basis: shop at a Mexican grocery store, eat at an Indian restaurant, or attend church at an Indonesian congregation.
• Connect with existing social service providers and nonprofit agencies to learn about volunteer opportunities and unmet needs in your community. Bring that information back to your church and social networks. Encourage congregants, friends and family members to get involved where needs are greatest.
• Organize church members who speak a second language to provide translation services for recent immigrants.
• Make sure services already provided by your church are accessible to non-English speakers.
• Organize an "adopt a family" where church people are able to help and connect with individual immigrant families.
• Participate in a learning tour along the U.S./Mexico border and learn about immigration realities in that context firsthand.
• Hold a letter writing party with friends, Sunday school classes or small groups to inform legislators about political and faith beliefs as a group.
• Write letters to the editor of your local newspapers to engage the broader community on the issue.
• Engage in group public witness: vigils, protests, symbolic acts of solidarity.
• Have local pastors and several church families visit their local schools to talk with administrators on how they can support immigrant families who are in need. Examples of support include: start a support group, write a monthly column for immigrant families on immigration reform, pair up with immigrant families and visit them in their homes, start a transportation route for families who don't have drivers' licenses, pay for counseling services.

Invite local legislators to special meetings to discuss legislative bills that may adversely affect immigrants. Ask legislators to explain legislative process to immigrants. Invite MCC Washington office and Immigration Education Center personnel to visit your community to update your office or congregation on issues related to immigration and refugees.

Write letters! Congressional offices receive large amounts of anti-immigrant hate mail produced by a relatively small number of people. Many staffers have specifically requested to hear from constituents who think rationally and compassionately on the issue.

Immigration Policy Principles

The following immigration policy principles come out of the experience of MCC U.S. staff and service workers across the country. Our faith and work, rooted in Jesus’ message of reconciliation, transcends borders, honors the contributions that immigrants offer and compels us to build communities that welcome migrants. Our faith also moves us to call the government toward justice and security for our migrant brothers and sisters, and, in turn, for all of us. We seek immigration policy that…

1. Provides the option of legal status to the undocumented immigrants currently living in the U.S. without first requiring a return to their home countries.
2. Allows family members to reunite in a legal and timely way, as well as to immigrate together.
3. Guarantees immigrant workers fair wages and labor rights to organize, change employers and travel legally and safely to and from their homelands. Provides opportunities for permanent residency and, eventually, citizenship.
4. Allows immigrants to use identification from their home countries to establish bank accounts and obtain drivers licenses.
5. Allows lawfully-present immigrants access to non-emergency health care and other public benefits immediately upon receipt of permanent residency, not after years of waiting.
6. Keeps police, fire and health care officials and agencies separate from immigration enforcement officials and agencies, so immigrants can access public services without fear.
7. Acknowledges that increased enforcement along the U.S./Mexico border has not decreased the flow of migrants, but has rather contributed to deaths in the desert. Holds the Border Patrol accountable for abuses of immigrant communities on the border.
8. Recognizes that, at the roots of many migrants’ journeys, is political instability and economic injustice caused, in part, by U.S. foreign policy and trade agreements. Creates incentives for sustainable development in immigrants’ home countries.

    http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/dbq/officials

• Letters: It is difficult to send timely letters to Capitol Hill because of increased security measures. You can, however, send letters to your legislators' state or district offices or fax messages to them in Washington.
• E-mail: E-mail is increasingly the method of communication on Capitol Hill. Although a letter or phone call may garner more attention, e-mail can also be a powerful advocacy tool. Use the e-mail form on your congressperson's website.
• Provide copies of your letters and e-mails to MCC's Washington Office. Staff members can leverage your communications by contacting your legislator on behalf of MCC. Contact information for the Washington Office is provided below.
• Telephone calls: Do not hesitate to call your legislators. Telephone calls from constituents are expected and the views expressed in them are noted. Ask for the aide that works on the issue you're calling about.
• In general, stick to one or two issues when calling or writing. Ask for specific action or commitment. If calling about a specific piece of legislation, ask how the legislator intends to vote.
• Make your communication personal. Explain how your experiences, observations or Christian faith shape your concerns.

• MCC constituents and friends are encouraged to contact the Washington Office with questions or for assistance with advocacy efforts.
• Sign up for immigration hotlines - action alerts on current immigration legislation at the Washington Office website.
• Subscribe to the Washington Memo: the Washington Office bimonthly newsletter.
• Contact the Washington Office at 202-544-6564 or at
• Visit us on the web at www.mcc.org/us/washington