Stop Raiding our Churches

The urgent need to resolve the immigration problem and demand that ICE stop their raids is getting closer to home. For about the last two years I have tried to encourage pastors and ministers to speak out against the raids and the lack of respect and dignity ICE has for our people.

Thus far the church has been safe until last Saturday. In Yavapai County in Arizona, the Sheriff's Office responding allegedly to complaints of people fighting and creating a disturbance prompted them to arrest several men at the camp ground.

The rest of the story is simply a tragedy and should serve as a warning that now, not even a church on retreat can be safe from the local sheriff deputies or ICE agents.

In Yavapai County, the Christian church, Christian Agape from Phoenix was sponsoring a church retreat for a group of men. According to the Phoenix Republic newspaper, it reports members of the group started singing songs and praying around 6:30 a.m. or so in the morning.

When the Sheriff Deputies arrived, they ended up detaining at least 12 men including an 11 year old child. They ended up deporting 7 males back to Mexico; one person was released after he proved he had the proper documents to be in the country legally.

Unfortunately, the 9th person, the pastor, identified as Rev. Manual Maldonado was not released. His status to be in the country is being disputed and no doubt a judge will need to decide his case.

But let me go back and repeat..­. 7 Christian men were deported to Mexico and the pastor was not released.

This is an outrage and must be condemned by every faith leader and pastor not only in Arizona, but across this country. Fortunately, the pastors in Arizona have issued a joint interfaith statement charging that law enforcement officers were guilty of racial and religious prosecution.

Other members of the Alliance of Religious Leaders say the raid and arrests were prompted by skin color and profiling, and that many of the church members are undocumented.

If this incident does not cause people of faith to condemn the arrests of men in song and prayer at a church retreat, then I ask you to drop to your knees and ask for forgiveness.

This is simply unwarranted, it is a raid against church going men, and is an affront to our religious beliefs and values. Furthermore it is against our rights under the United States Constitution for the right of assembly and freedom of religion.

We know that many of our church members may be undocumented immigrants. As a practice, I have never heard of any pastor demanding status papers before anyone could worship in our churches.

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that this will have an alarming effect on church members who may be undocumented. Now, no doubt many will fear getting together for worship, prayer, and praise.

The Phoenix Republic newspaper quotes Rev. Jose Gonzalez, involved in the Latino ministry in one of the local Baptist churches. "He said Hispanic pastors, who previously had said this won't happen to me, this won't affect my congregation" attitude on immigration, now are taking it more seriously.

Pastors, we all better take this deplorable and unacceptable action of the raids more seriously as well. ICE condones these raids and it is time they are stopped!

I encourage and I am sorry my friends, but for those pastors who still think this is not a problem, demand that we condemn these raids against Latinos worshipping, praying, and singing to our Lord Jesus Christ in our churches or in public campgrounds.

Those of you who used to laugh at my predictions..­.now we all need to pray in unity for our congregations and our families.

As Magdalena Schwartz, an assistant pastor at Iglesia Comunidad de Vida church in Mesa quoted in the Arizona Republic said, "We cannot encourage people to go camping any more," Schwartz said."For us, it's an evil attack. We cannot pray any more in the public places, or go camping because somebody can call the sheriff. It's intimidation. It makes us scared."

Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative

Reining In Sheriff Joe

Several years ago, I held the position of Manager of Safety for the City and County of Denver. In that position I was responsible for the Denver Police Department, the Denver Sheriff Department, and the Denver Fire Department. It was a tremendous opportunity and responsibility, but one that also came with many critics as you can imagine.

Over the years, prior to being appointed to this position, I fancied myself as a "community activist." I found myself on the side of many Latino activists protesting or fighting the local politicos over issues of injustice, poverty and racism, and the drop out rate hovering over the 50% mark, and yes, occasionally protesting against the police for some sort of questionable police action in the Latino community.

So when I was appointed to the position, a position I served for almost 7 years, it immediately placed me in the eyes of some of my community comrades, as an adversary.

Being the top law enforcement agent in the city responsible for implementing public safety policies, at times it was difficult trying to please the public or some of the public servants who answered to me and carried guns.

I remember one occasion, where I attended a neighborhood meeting discussing an incident where a police officer stopped and ticketed a high school student who was caught speeding in the high school parking lot. The police officer then turned around and called the INS because he determined the student was an undocumented immigrant. While this issue caught fire, I did not realize how my image would change for some activists and friends until that meeting.

When the incident was brought to my attention, I immediately called for the Police Chief to reverse the action, and ensured the protesters calling my office that in my opinion police procedures were not followed, and I clearly stated that Denver Police would not be agents of the INS.

Of course, some police officers decried the action saying I was harboring “illegal immigrants.” “Illegal immigrants” I thought to myself, what is that? I felt and many of the residents of our city agreed with me, that what had happened was an injustice and should not happen again.

I briefed the mayor about the situation, and he agreed that I was correct in reversing the action taken against this terribly frightened high school student and his family.

Hate radio talk hosts had a field day, blasting my “intervention in police work.” Still, I stood my ground and took the heat from people on the radio who thought I was being sympathetic to "illegal immigrants" over the police. Even some police officers, and believe it or not, some of the “high command of the police department” urged me not to discipline this particular officer because after all he was just doing his job.

Internally we had our discussions, and I made it clear, we were wrong to arrest the high school student and in the future it would be expected that police officers would follow the correct police policy toward undocumented immigrants.

At a community meeting – a rather large community meeting I might add, I took with me every division chief from the police department, and the undersheriff of the sheriff department to the meeting, not to mention a hand full of antacid tablets. I figured I'd be fairly safe surrounded in blue from any unruley protestor.

We sat there and literally took our “verbal beating from the Latino activists," and community members. Even though I assured the community what had happened was contrary to police policy, and that it would not happen again, the angry protests did not stop.

Even today, one of Denver's hate radio talk show hosts will still bring it up and criticize me for something that happened years ago. Only now, I can laugh about it.

In essence, I apologized to the family of the young man over the objections of the police chief and assured the community we would work with them on these kinds of issues. For the record, the chief had the good sense to keep his objections to himself.

As we were leaving the meeting, “a friend, a long time community activist, and someone who worked with me as a fellow city employee” came up to me and made a comment that seared my heart and made me step back from the comment.

She said, “How does it feel for the oppressed to become the oppressor?” Wow, I was shocked and essentially stunned to find that my friends now considered me "the dreaded oppressor".

Along with all the other criticism, my own “gente” were now taking me out to the wood shed. Why is it that our own gente always seem to be our worse critics??

In a Wednesday, April 9 editorial of The New York Times, entitled, "Immigration, Outsourced," the infamous Arizona county Sheriff Joe Arpaio is criticized and rightly so in my estimation for his cruel and abusive police tactics profiling brown people in Arizona.

If you have a broken windshield, or a back tail light that is out, or if you even look suspicious, in Arizona, Sheriff Joe or his little Gestapo army of deputies will stop you and most likely arrest you for driving while being brown.

Even the mayor of Phoenix and several smaller town officials want Sheriff Joe out of their communities. In my opinion, there is little doubt that Sheriff Joe is definitely out of control and with all the police powers he carries in his gun holster; no one seems able to stop him, or question his abusive police tactics.

Incredibly frightening as far as I am concerned when no one seems willing to stand up to the Nazi sheriff of the southwest or his Minuteman followers. I believe when people are so afraid of the sheriff, that many would rather live in fear than confront him, something is terribly wrong with law enforcement.

The whole reason we have people like Sheriff Joe along with his army of 160 deputies and a “3,000 member posse” of minutemen and racists, with about 500 of them armed, locked and loaded and patrolling our streets is because the Bush Administration continues to support this kind of “enforcement first immigration policy". It also lets other local law agencies do his dirty work.

Under a program called 287(g),the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is encouraging “junior agents,” or local deputies and cops to receive very little immigration law training, allowing them to enforce laws so complicated that a good immigration attorney with years of experience will tell you it is very difficult to do. Yet DHS continues to "train" local cops so they can enforce Federal immigration laws.

Almost like giving a gun to a small child and expecting him to know how to use it properly.

The New York Times editorial says it is time to rein in Sheriff Joe, and as a former public law enforcement official, I could not agree more. When will the rest of you agree as well?

Fidel "Butch" Montoya
H. S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Based Initiative

The Still Small Voice that says, "Write it Down"

Three years ago when we started to warn the pastors and churches about immigration issues, I know that many of them laughed at us. Many refused to understand the seriousness we were going to face. Many simply refused to accept the information.

Today, there are still many pastors who simply will not accept the fact that times are going to be very difficult for the faithful. The Latino Evangelical Church still needs to prepare for more attacks of the evil one....and we need to pray.

I have been sending out notices about prayer ONCE a month for ONE hour on Wednesdays. Thus far only ONE other pastor has opened the doors of his church for prayer.

Some pastors are too busy with their own agendas. Too busy with their own ministries not to understand their ministries will be affected. Too busy to stop and think about joining together in prayer. Praying with one another strengthens the fellowship between pastors. It strengthens the body of believers.

Last week, no one showed up to pray. I prayed alone.

It may be true that pastors are too busy. But unless we make time to pray together, when the times of hardship come....and trust me, they will, we will not know how to pray for each other.

Like everything else, we must train and discipline ourselves. WE do that by praying with each other. The Lord called for his disciples to pray with him....on the eve of his arrest. While “he prayed more earnestly,” we are told “his sweat was like drops of blood falling to ground.” – When the Lord looked for his disciples, his one question to them was, “Why are you sleeping?”

Are our churches sleeping through the biggest crisis of our time? Are we still more concerned with the ministry within the four walls of our churches? Can’t we understand the new laws that passing in state legislatures will make life so much more difficult for our people?

All across America we are seeing the effect of hate, suspicion, and fear upon our communities. The communities of Latino immigrants are being uprooted and they are running away in fear from the ICE agents.

Oh, that we would simply heed the words of the Lord. Oh, that we might fall on our knees in humbleness seeking His face and wisdom. The Holy Spirit is ready to minister to our needs, to help and guide us through the difficult times we face.

Instead we are stubborn and think WE know better. WE don't need to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit. WE think we know the way. In all reality, this is the time that WE must rely upon the wisdom, strength, and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We need to find a better way and God is waiting for us to stop playing church and to get serious about the problems facing not only our ministries, but the problems facing our people.

As I read the newspapers from across the country, the problems are the same everywhere. Laws are being passed to make life more difficult. Along the way, it is not just the migrant or undocumented immigrant being affected, but Latino citizens of the USA as well.

Latino Evangelical pastors...born and raised in the USA are being pressured, harassed and intimidated by ICE agents. They are attempting to shut down the one most important leader in our communities, the Pastor.

If they can intimidate the pastor from standing up for the undocumented immigrant, from preaching justice from the pulpit, from assisting families that need support, ICE agents will win this battle and churches might as well hang signs that say, “Closed.”

It is past time of trying to get more pastors to understand that our country is changing for the worse and Godly people must speak out.

It is time our pastors join together in prayer on a regular basis. It is time for the pastors from across the country to understand that united in prayer, we can call upon the power of the Holy Spirit to fight for us.

My brother and my sister....there is nothing like the power of prayer. Why can't we understand that? Many preach that doctrine every Sunday, but yet we have not learned to put it into practice ourselves.

Let us learn to pray without ceasing. In Micah Chapter 6, verses 6 -9, we ask what offerings we should bring as we bow down before the Lord.

Should we bring a brunt offering of calves a year old?

Would the Lord be pleased with a thousand rams?

How about ten thousand rivers of oil?

Should I offer my first born for my transgressions?

How about the fruit of my body for the sins of my soul?

The Prophet answers those questions by telling us, HE has shown us what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you? "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God....and Listen,for the Lord is calling to the city...."

Why can’t we act justly? Love mercy? Walk humbly with our God? And listen to His voice?

I believe in order to hear His voice, we must join together in prayer all across this country in great need of revival. If we simply write it down in our hearts, he will direct our work for His Honor and Glory.

Change is the word at the moment

Every where I read on the Internet or in the newspapers, I keep reading how Obama is going to change the political landscape, bringing with him a renewed sense of hope for the future that Hillary is unable to generate. But I have been wondering if we are dealing with strictly with a wave of emotions or a genuine overwhelming desire for change?

It will be interesting if the Obama people will still stand up for change and the party if Hillary were to win the nomination. Is it just the politically correct thing to say that you are for Obama and change? Or will everyone work for change regardless of who the candidate is?

Pundits have tried to make Hillary the old guard. How can the first woman candidate running for President be old guard? Does it mean she is old guard and defender of the status quo because of her extentsive experience, both in the United States Senate, as well as from the ringside seat of history in the White House?

We hear how Obama is an historical figure running for Presidient, but let's not forget a great woman is also running for President. Gender and race, both are factors in this election. I think the Democratic party can be proud that the standard bearers are diverse and both regardless of their gender or race, are committed to change.

The neoconservative pundits are trying to make race and gender dirty words. "Oh, we shouldn't bring those issues up." "Oh, we shouldn't fall in the trap and start talking about race or gender." "The candidates are just kicking up the dust (or hell) if we talk about race or gender."

Folks, I hate to be the one to tell you, but race and gender are who we are. We should not allow others to demean who we are. We shouldn't be ashamed of who we are and not be angry when someone may accuse us of being negative if we discuss gender or race. We do not have to be apologetic about who we are, or what our leaders represent. Gender and race are positives in the Democratic party as far as I am concerned.

The news media wants to label who we are. They want to set the agenda for this election. While they can claim that talking about race and gender are evil, we know better. We have been talking race and gender all of our lives. It is not new. It is not divisive if we understand the value of diversity.

We should be proud a Black man is actually running for President and has a chance to win. We should be equally proud a woman is running for President and actually has a chance to win as well.

To the supporters of Obama, I encourage you to work hard for his election, but remember there are a lot of people out here who support Hillary, and are working just as hard for Hillary's election.

The true legacy of JFK is not Camelot, but a history far worse than any other president caught sneaking around the back rooms at the White House.

Let's not confuse history with the emotional need to rewrite history. Just because some people may need a quick fix for change does not give them license to rewrite histroy to their liking.

If more people knew the history of the Kennedy legacy, in particular the old patriarch of greed and corruption, it would cause many to pause over the Kennedy legacy. I wouldn't want to associate Obama with that kind of history. If we truly want change....let's not reminisce about a time in history when the mob was literally running around the White House.

Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama was meant to be a big plus, but those of us old enough know old Ted has a lot baggage, and it has nothing to do with change.

What I don't understand is how some pundits think that Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Obama has some mystical power on the Latino community. Let's not forget that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is endorsing Hillary Clinton. How can we forget that the United Farm Workers have endorsed Hillary? That endorsement carries far more weight than old Ted's attempt to be relevant.

Let us seek change on the attributes and goodness of Hillary and Obama. Not on some mythical need to return to Camelot. I can support who ever wins the nomination...but the way some of the Obama people gossip about Hillary and talk about their undying support for Obama, I wonder if they can support Hillary if she is standard bearer?

Don't demean Hillary to the point that you lose objectivity and hope for the future. The point about all of us wanting change is to get away from the corruption and stench of the Bush years.

We want to get back to the days when we can restore democracy in America. We want our Constitution followed and honored. We want the crooks thrown out of office and held accountable for their crimes. We want habeas corpus restored. We want Democrats in the House and Senate to vote like Democrats not clones of the Grand Old Party.

We want Democrats in Congress to return our liberties, not just promises to do so like they did during the mid-term elections. You know you can't always blame Bush for all of the problems in our county when half of the Democrats are supporting Bush or his policies.

Look at the votes of our Democratic Representatives and Senators and yes, sometimes it is hard to tell the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

We want a leader who will challenge, encourage, or push Democrats if necessary to work for change. Is Obama the best person as President to do that? Or can Hillary do a better job because of her broad experience in government?

Democrats promised us they would end the war, instead they voted to continue to support Bush and his war policies.

We had a chance to push hard for immigration reform, except someone forgot to tell the Democrats they are not supposed to vote like Republicans.

Many of us support some kind of economic stimulus to kick start our economy and clearly we don't need a bunch of Democrats delaying the stimulus package in the Senate because they cannot agree amongst themselves what is the best policy.

The leader we want as President has to believe in change. But we also need a leader who can shake up the old guard Democrats in the Congress and if they refuse to budge, let them know that all hell will break out, and that our President will not put up with whiney Democrats. I suppose we can throw them out as well if we are as serious as we say about wanting change.

Progressive change is what we are working for. It is what we want to accomplish in the next election. Those old Democrats who are just stradling the fence on issues important to our communities better get ready to rock and roll, or maybe better said, lock and load.

Whoever gets elected president must be responsible to appoint a cabinet that reflects the true diversity of America. The cabinet must be "nicer" to immigrants and join the President to fight for comprehensive immigration reform. The cabinet must work along with the President to change our image around the world. The cabinet needs to help our nation continue to be a leader in the world. We are tired of being treated like second class citizens and fearful of the Department of Homeland Security which abuses our laws and citizens.

If you can't support Hillary if Obama were to lose the nomination, the question that remains to be answered is will you run away and sulk because your candidate didn't win? If we can't unite together, then I believe we are not sincere in our efforts to fight for change. Is your desire for change just centered around Obama, or something worth fighting for regardless of what Democratic candidate is nominated?

We have the greatest opportunity to elect a Democratic President if we work together regardless of who the candidate is from our Party. If we don't work togethr and unite around our candidate, then don't complain when the next Republican President is sworn in.

Forbidden Editorial: Supporting Immigration

A few days after the New Hampshire primary, I was reading through the reaction blogs and editorials trying to figure out what the results really meant.

Of course, some bloggers never change; they just change the name of the new state. After awhile you can almost figure out what perspective a newspaper or blogger are going to come up with.

I happened to catch an editorial a friend of mine sent me from the Colorado Springs Gazette. The title caught my eye immediately as I read, “Forbidden topic: How immigration could save us.”

I was surprised as I read the Gazette editorial. The editorial took the position that the voters were rewarding the candidates for ignoring the immigration issue. “And that’s too bad, because immigration may be the most important issue pertaining to our country’s economic plight.” Wow, was this the Gazette?

“Anti-immigrant tough talk has failed, once again, as it did in the 2006 election. The toughest of the tough-on-immigration candidates — Colorado’s Tom Tancredo — didn’t get to New Hampshire before his campaign fizzled. John McCain and Hillary Clinton, two of the weakest tough-on-immigration candidates, stole the show in New Hampshire, where immigration never became an issue.”

Now as most of you know, Colorado Springs is practically the home of every far right wing Evangelical organization. For one, Dobson’s strictly by the Bible, “Focus on the Family” is located here. This was the home base of National Evangelical Association leader Ted Haggard before he was booted out of his New Life Church after he allegedly had been caught paying for sex and drugs with a male prostitute.

Needless to say, the news about one of their own Evangelical right wing icons falling from grace was hard to take, and it left followers stunned.

So with this backdrop, the traditionalist Gazette had never wandered away from the strict values of its conservative base, much less taken a position that most Colorado Springs Evangelical leaders simply couldn’t do – support immigration.

The Gazette had just interviewed a prominent financial planner, James Lonny, author of “Surviving the Storm; Investment Strategies that Help You Maximize Profit and Control Risk during the Coming Economic Winter.”

Lonny says the coming economic winter is coming. He points to a weakened Wall Street, mortgage lenders on the brink of financial ruin, and the drop in value of the dollar against the euro or the yen among other warning signs.

The Gazette editorial went on to say. “Massive immigration, legal or not, is nothing other than a demand of our economy — a force powered by the wants and needs of some 300 million consumers who vote with their dollars every day.”

“Politicians such as Tancredo mistake the immigration influx as exploitation of America by a poorer class, believing that our country has tolerated the influx as a favor to Latin Americans. They fail to grasp the American economy as a self-serving, self-correcting entity so powerful and sophisticated that market forces of correction mimic gravity, or the suction of a vacuous void, regardless of political whim.”

The economy pulls immigrants in to give us a working class, and a base of consumers to help support the businesses and fill the homes that resulted from a large class of baby boomers, most of whom are moving past their most consumptive and productive years.”

The editorial stated that most Americans are confused about the immigration issue. Tancredo did his best to whip it up in an emotional message of fear and anxiety before his campaign went belly up. He was scaring the American voter with his one issue campaign.

The editorial ends with this poignant warning and plea for a better understanding of how immigrants are a positive economic force, by adding value to our economy, not simply taking advantage of the good life.

“Presidential candidates will probably continue ignoring the debate, viewed as a proven campaign failure. As a result, the country will continue with inane immigration laws that mischaracterize a legitimate reaction to economic demand as a dark and unlawful attack on our country.”

“Open, honest political dialogue about the causes and benefits of immigrant consumers and workers — and ways to curtail the liabilities associated with them — could be the first step in saving us from recession, or worse. Unfortunately, such conversations don’t conform to the emotional and expedient nature of presidential politics. Neither, however, does tough-guy anti-immigrant talk.”

And yes folks, it was the Colorado Springs Gazette that I had just finished reading.


http://www.gazette.com/opinion/immigration_31796___article.html/economy_americans.html

Who Will March Against Racism and Bigotry??

Dr. David Maldonado sent me a copy of an "open letter" from MARCHA urging the United Methodist Church "to challenge and oppose the current wave of anti-Latino demagoguery, treatment, and public ordinances intended to suppress a people." MARCHA - "Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans" is one of the very first Latino Church organizations to openly condemn the anti Latino wave of hate and racism.

For this fact alone, the letter represents a courageous stand by the Godly men and women of MARCHA and should serve as a model and challenge for other church organizations to stand up and voice their strong displeasure and condemnation against the racism and bigotry being hammered against Latinos by bigots and evil people.

Notice I said, "other church organizations" and not just "other Latino Church organizations." It is way past due for the Evangelical Church to at least take a stand on Biblical principles alone and condemn the racism and violence against Latinos in this nation.

The leadership of Dr. David Maldonado, Jr., and Elias Galvan, on behalf of MARCHA, represents a significant demonstration of courage and one that other spiritual leaders in the Evangelical Church should take. It is unGodly for good people to stand silently and refuse to condemn the climate of fear, hate, and intimidation facing immigrants and Latinos alike.

MARCHA's open letter against the wave of hate, fear, and suspicion will be perceived as an historic and courageous document in the Latino Church's battle against racism and bigotry in the 21st century.

When the extremist and racist message of hate and discrimination against Latinos is accepted by the public as a mainstream message, without any public embarrassment or concern, we must sound the alarm that as a country we are entering a new and dangerous phase in our democracy's history.

I call upon other church Movements to join with MARCHA in condemning the hateful climate and hostile actions which millions of Latino/as must endure everyday.

The dangerous political and social silence which we in the USA find ourselves today, is only allowing the voice of the extremists, whose message is filled with hate and fear, to be considered and given credence in the mainstream media as everyday language. The language of intimidation and hate must be condemned and called for what it is, nothing but evil bigotry and racism.

I pray that other Godly leaders across the country may feel the urgency and need to join with MARCHA in condemning the harsh treatment and racial profiling taking place aginst not only undocumented immigrants, but in many cases, American citizens whose only crime is being the color BROWN..

AN OPEN LETTER FROM MARCHA
(Methodists Associated Representing the Cause of Hispanic Americans)

TO ALL UNITED METHODISTS

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We greet you in the name of our Savior, the Resurrected Christ.

We write to you on behalf of millions of Latinos and Latinas living in fear, threat, and intimidation due to the hostile climate generated by the political and social attitudes towards immigrants and Latinos in particular. Latinos face daily suspicion of their citizenship and rights as residents of our communities. They are subjected to racial profiling and suspicion as they seek employment, housing, or simply driving down the street. Latinos are forced to prove their citizenship and proved that they have a right to live in their communities like any other citizen or resident.

Communities and states across the country are enacting laws and practices that are having a severe impact on the daily lives of our families and neighbors. Children born in this country are increasingly treated as persons without rights. Latino families have to prove their citizenship in order to rent a house, to be employed, or enroll their children in school. These are harsh practices that are not applied to the general population. Because of our color, culture, and language Latinos are singled out for suspicion and unfair treatment. This is legalized racism.

Latino immigrants are receiving the harshest treatment in recent history in the long procession of ethnic immigration. The issue of undocumentation has released a flood of racial negativity, harsh treatment, and, more alarming, a marked increase of hate crimes against Hispanic/ Latino people. Undocumented immigrants are treated as criminals and public enemies. They are defined as a threat to our nation when, in fact, they simply come with an urgent desire to work in order for their families to survive. They are the vulnerable sojourners in our midst. Yet, for political benefit and other agendas, Latino immigrants are denied their humanity.

The United Methodist Church has a proud and faithful history of standing with those who are oppressed and subject to such racist practices and attitudes. MARCHA calls upon the United Methodist Church to challenge and oppose the current wave of anti-Latino demagoguery, treatment, and public ordinances intended to suppress a people. We invite you to stand with those who are subjected to such senseless and unjust treatment. The United Methodist Church needs to oppose city ordinances and state laws that are grounded on anti immigrant and anti Latino attitudes intended to frighten and intimidate Latinos and force them to live in fear or leave these communities.

During this Christmas season when we remember the Christ child born to parents journeying in a foreign land for the sake of their survival, we invite the United Methodist Church to join MARCHA in standing against the negative and anti- Latino forces and voices around us. Let us be truly the United Methodist Church.

Elias Galvan David Maldonado, Jr.
Executive Director President




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Immigration Debate does Cause Heartburn

Here is a very significant report from the Pew Hispanic Center. It highlights some new impressions and feelings of Hispanics as the immigration debate continues on the path of hate and fear. The report also dispels some urban myths about Hispanic perspectives regarding immigration. Here is quick summary of the report:

• This report puts into perspective the feelings Hispanics have about raids & deportations.
  
• The national survey also explores how the issue of immigration has affected Latinos from a personal stand point, and how the heightened attention to immigration issues has had a specific negative effect on them personally. "These effects include more difficulty finding work or housing; less likelihood of using government services or traveling abroad; and more likelihood of being asked to produce documents to prove their immigration status."
  
• While generally the report says the current immigration debate has made life much more difficult, Latinos are upbeat about the long-term prospects for Latino children, expecting them to have better jobs and more money in the future.

Interestingly enough, it should not come as a great surprise to some, but the report verifies the fact and feeling that many of us have regarding raids, deportations, local and state legislation, and current Homeland Security policy.

• "Federal, state and local governments have pressed forward with hundreds of new enforcement bills, regulations and procedures--including stepped up deportations, more workplace raids, and restrictions on access to driver's licenses and other government services and benefits."
  
• "They oppose--often by lopsided margins--many of the new enforcement measures being pursued by federal and state authorities. Three quarters (75%) disapprove of workplace raids; some 79% prefer that local police not take an active role in identifying illegal immigrants; and some 55% disapprove of states checking for immigration status before issuing driver's licenses.
• By contrast, non-Hispanics are much more supportive of all these policies, with a slight majority favoring workplace raids and a heavy majority favoring driver's license checks. "

Another urban myth that the Pew Hispanic Center reports clears up is the fact that "Hispanics generally see illegal immigrants as a plus – both for the Latino community itself and for the U.S. economy in general.

Here, too, there are differences by nativity – with the foreign born significantly more positive than the native born in their views about the effects of illegal immigration. But even the native born are more positive than negative. And, as they assess the impact of illegal immigrants on the economy, native-born Latinos are more inclined to see a positive impact now (64%) than they were five years ago, when just 54% said the impact was positive."

I believe it is urgent that our elected leaders and the faith based leadership continue to work for comprehensive immigrant reform. The piece meal approach is so much more enforcement oriented and it seems that immigration proponents are giving up much more in terms of compromise than we are receiving in laws and legislation that are just and reform oriented.

The Pew Hispanic Center report is clear.....life under the current hate and fear filled immigration debate is being felt in a negative manner by Hispanics regardless of their legal or unauthorized status.

The report is available at the Pew Hispanic Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.