Society of St.

Vincent de Paul WESTERN REGION Information from

Voice of the Poor

JANUARY 2013
VOICE OF THE POOR Voice of the Poor does not take positions for or against a political party or individual candidates. However, Voice of the Poor is interested in working with those elected officials, whether Republicans, Democrats or Independents, who support initiatives that will benefit the poor, children, elderly, immigrants (documented or not), and all of those served by SVdP.

INDEX SPIRITUAL REFLECTION NATIONAL MIGRATION WEEK 2013 IMMIGRATION CATHOLIC TEACHING WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO LEGAL IMMIGRATION? THE ILLUSION OF BORDER ENFORCEMENT A CHALLENGE TO YOU FROM SOUTHERN ARIZONA VISIT AT KINO BORDER INITIATIVE MEDICAID EXPANSION CATHOLIC SOCIAL MINISTRY GATHERING 2013 PARISH SOCIAL MINISTRY REGIONAL TRAINING Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page Page 2 3 4 6 7 9 11 14 15 15

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SPIRITUAL REFLECTION
MIGRATION/IMMIGRATION We Call Out To The Father Source of Sound: in the roar and the whisper, in the breeze and the whirlwind, we hear your Name Your Name, your sound can move us Create your reign of unity now Help us love beyond our ideals and sprout acts of compassion for all creatures Generate through us the bread of life: we hold only what is asked to feed the next mouth Erase the inner marks our failures make, just as we scrub our hearts of others faults Dont let surface things delude us, but free us from what holds us back To you belongs each fertile function: ideals, energy, glorious harmonyduring every cosmic cycle. Amen. (Neil Douglas-Klotz: Prayers of the Cosmos) Are you struck by the powerfulness of the prayer? This is a translation of the Lords Prayer in Aramaic. In Aramaic, a word or a phrase may have several meanings and as you reflect on the words and their many meanings they lead you to deeper understanding. I chose just one of the many phrases the writer cites for our reflection. This months issue is devoted to the Migrant so let us look at these words through the eyes of the Migrant. In our reflection we are called on to love someone whose world we cannot imagine so we call on our Creator to help us in the tasks that face us. In helping the Migrant as the prayer says we are creating unity with our brothers who often live in the shadows. In our reflection on this prayer we ask not to be deluded by surface things that so often hold us back. (By Gloria DiCenso Sprietsma, Ph.D. - VOP Tucsons Spiritual Advisor)

NATIONAL MIGRATION WEEK 2013

National Migration Week 2013 (January 6-12) primary themes We are Strangers No Longer: Our Journey of Hope Continues is in observance and commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the historic joint pastoral letter of the US and Mexico bishops conferences, Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope. This theme reminds us of our responsibility as Catholics to help newcomers integrate in ways that are respectful, culturally sensitive and responsive, and of the ongoing need for comprehensive and compassionate immigration reform. The Bishops acknowledge that the current immigration system is badly in need of reform and offer a full set of recommendations for changing U.S. laws and policies to bring about a more humane and just immigration system in the United States. See: STRANGERS NO LONGER TOGETHER ON THE JOURNEY OF HOPE: http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-anddignity/immigration/strangers-no-longer-together-on-the-journey-ofhope.cfm

IMMIGRATION CATHOLIC TEACHING A rich body of Church teaching, rooted in the Gospel, including Papal encyclicals, Bishops statements and pastoral letters, has consistently reinforced our moral obligation to treat the stranger as we would treat Christ himself. Quotes from Church Teachings on the Rights of Migrants and Refugees
(http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/human-life-and-dignity/migrants-refugees-andtravelers/quotes-rights-migrants-refugees.cfm)

Every human being has the right to freedom of movement and of residence within the confines of his own state. When there are just reasons in favor for it, he must be permitted to migrate to other countries and to take up residence there. The fact that he is a citizen of a particular state does not deprive him of membership to the human family, nor of citizenship in the universal society, the common, world-wide fellowship of men. -John Paul II, Address to the New World Congress on the Pastoral Care of Immigrants (October 17, 1985) The Church hears the suffering cry of all who are uprooted from their own land, of families forcefully separated She senses the anguish of those without rights, without any security, at the mercy of every kind of exploitation, and she supports them in their unhappiness. [We are called to work] so that every person's dignity is respected, the immigrant is welcomed as a brother or sister, and all humanity forms a united family which knows how to appreciate with discernment the different cultures which comprise it. -Pope John Paul II Message for World Migration Day 2000 From the viewpoint of the U.S. bishops, it has been apparent for several years that our immigration system is broken and badly in need of repair. The U.S. Bishops are united in the view that migration is beneficial to our nation economically, socially, and culturally. The strength of our nation comes from its diversity and from the hard work and contributions of immigrants who have come to our shores over the past two hundred years. It is our identity and our soul. -The Most Reverend Kevin Farrell, Bishop of Dallas The reality is that our current system is immoral. While many may condemn the presence of the undocumented in our land, we willingly accept their hard labor, their contributions to our economy, and their cultural and religious spirit which enriches our local communities. While we accept these contributions, we do so at the expense of the human beings who come here not to harm us but to help us. They are often ridiculed, exploited, and abused. This must stop, and this immoral system must be changed. -The Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio,

Bishop of Brooklyn, Statement at the Immigrant Workers Freedom Ride, October 4, 2003

We need a strong and clear immigration policy. It must serve our country's security and prosperity and at the same time be based on the moral values on which all our lives must ultimately rest. We must never forget the Gospel call of Jesus "to welcome the stranger" for in the face of this stranger, we see the face of Christ. -His Eminence Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, former Archbishop of Washington, Editorial in the Catholic Standard, To be Clear, June 2, 2005 Providing a clear route to legal status for longtime residents and providing legal entry to migrants would not only help cure the excesses of a flawed system but ensure that our nation benefits from the contributions of immigrants participating as full members of their communities. Although some in the public square consider any such rule changes a reward for lawbreakers, we should look at the issue holistically and realistically, and understand that the current law is unjust and must be changed. -His Eminence Roger Mahony, former Archbishop of Los Angeles, Editorial in the Los Angeles Times, A Nation That Should Know Better, June 1, 2005 We can no longer accept a situation in which some public officials and members of our communities scapegoat immigrants at the same time our nation benefits from their labor. We can no longer accept a status quo in which migrants are compelled to risk their lives in order to support their families. We can no longer accept a reality in which migrants fill jobs critical to Americans and U.S. employers without receiving appropriate wages and benefits. We can no longer tolerate the death of human beings in the desert. Most Reverend James Tamayo, Bishop of Laredo, Statement at the Justice for Immigrants Launching Press Conference, May 10, 2005 The so-called illegals are so not because they wish to defy the law; but, because the law does not provide them with any channels to regularize their status in our country which needs their labor: they are not breaking the law, the law is breaking them. Most Reverend Thomas Wenski, Archbishop of Miami, Column U.S. immigration policy outdated and unjust toward working Immigrants, May 13, 2005

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has not been absent in supporting immigration reform see the Voice of the Poor Position Paper on Immigration, issued in September 2004: http://www.svdpusa.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=hv61Diihdd8%3d&tabid=236 5

WHAT ARE THE OBSTACLES TO LEGAL IMMIGRATION? Any person of common sense would like to see an orderly immigration flow, within the parameters of reasonable laws, designed to meet the labor requirements of our country and to ensure its security, while also respecting the human rights and dignity of immigrants. But this is not what is happening Why is it so difficult, often impossible, to be a documented migrant? Here are some reasons. Under the current immigration system: Foreigners, who are parents, spouses, children or siblings of a US citizen can take from 7 to 28 years to acquire US citizenship themselves. Foreigners, who are spouses or children only of a US lawful permanent resident can take 13 to 20 years to become a US citizens. Skilled foreigners (with university degree) or investors can receive US citizenship in 7 to 16 years For unskilled foreigners, with no close relatives in the US, there is practically no legal way available to receive legal documentation to enter the country. The labyrinthine immigration bureaucracy is well illustrated by the chart below:

The chart by Mike Flynn and Shikka Dalmia, illustrated by Terry Colon, is very detailed and, perhaps, difficult to read. You might want to look at an enlarged PDF version of it at this site: http://reason.org/files/a87d1550853898a9b306ef458f116079.pdf The US Bishops had no hesitations in calling the current immigration system immoral. It violates the basic human rights of those who have no opportunities for work in their country of origin and come to the US to find work and sustenance for themselves and their families. It violates the sanctity of family by not allowing family members to be together as one unit. It is highly discriminatory with quotas by country and it humiliates immigrants by a bureaucratic and insensitive process, taking many years or decades to complete. Because of the obstacles encountered, many migrants take the risk of being here undocumented, by overstaying their tourist visa or by crossing the border undocumented, not at a port of entry. Are you surprised? Immigration is a hot button issue that our Congress representatives of both parties have been reluctant to touch for decades. After all, immigrants do not have a vote and have no voice! So, the United States, a nation of immigrants, has one of the most backwards, piecemeal and unworkable immigration systems among all modern nations. THE ILLUSION OF BORDER ENFORCEMENT Rather than enacting a comprehensive immigration reform, Congress took the easy route of legislating the policing of the border to keep out the very same workers that our economy needs. Lets be clear. Our faith tradition recognizes the right of sovereign nations to control their territories and impose reasonable limits on immigration. So, borders have to be monitored and protected, but it has to be done in a humane and merciful way. Billions of dollars were spent in erecting walls along the populated areas of the USMexico border, believing that nobody would dare to cross in remote locations. Instead, the walls have had the impact of pushing any undocumented migrant to inhospitable and extremely dangerous desert areas, with harsh terrain, mountains and no water, where during the day the sun can bake human skin to 140 degrees in minutes and temperatures can fall below freezing at night. No wonder that thousands have died and many more have suffered severe wounds or illnesses! 7

We learn from history that walls are never a solution. They might limit the problem temporarily, but the foolishness and futility of walls becomes very soon evident. From the Great Wall of China, to the Berlin Wall and many in between, they have all been overran and made useless.

The site where a migrant woman died With a makeshift cross and shrine built by other migrants. (Photo: Cristina Grecchi)

Migrant girl Border enforcement, without reasonable immigration laws, is a failed policy. With a good immigration system, those coming for work or to reunite with family would be able to cross the border in a safe, legal, orderly manner, leaving in the shadows only those who have something to hide - criminals, drug dealers and smugglers. These are the people that border patrols should be after. Instead, in todays chaotic situation both laborers coming to our farms and heavily armed criminals cross in the desert and both are prosecuted, if caught. Is this a good use of our resources? In Southern Arizona there is a glut of Border Patrols. We are tired of being stopped at permanent or improvised road blocks, where if your skin is a bit dark, you are better have your passport handy, even if you are a long way from the border Use of excessive force by Border Patrol is common: unprovoked shooting and killing, chasing of tired and dehydrated migrants through the desert, verbal and physical abuses, break-up of families through deportation, lengthy detentions with no contacts with the outside, etc. A number of permanent residents or US citizens have been deported as well, simply based on the color of their skin. The accountability of Border Patrol is questioned by many. Every weekday afternoon, at the US Courthouse in downtown Tucson, as in other cities along the US-Mexico border, Operation Streamline takes place; this is the 8

Federal fast track legal process created in 2005 for the purpose of deporting undocumented migrants, under a zero tolerance approach. Hundreds of them go through en-masse hearings, every week. According to a study by the Mercy Law School of the University of Detroit, Operation Streamline cannot be justified. This is a pretty shocking study with similarly shocking conclusions: Operation Streamline (OS) violates the due process clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments OS often violates criminal defendants Sixth Amendment right of effective assistance of Council OS diverts important resources away from prosecuting other serious crimes OS does not have the strong deterrent effect its advocates purport OS enriches private prison companies with taxpayer money

See the entire study at: http://www.law.udmercy.edu/udm/images/lawreview/v89/Brink.PS.pdf And those described above are just some of the problems. Consider also the exploitation of undocumented migrants, which starts in Mexico, where they are being sold the necessary supplies for surviving several days in the desert at exorbitant prices. Exploitation continues in the desert where the coyotes regularly rob migrants of their money, hurt or rape them and often abandon them. Exploitation continues in the US, where unscrupulous employers pay hourly wages far below market or refuse to pay them all together after they have completed their work, because undocumented migrants have no legal recourse anyway. Again, with a legal immigration process, all of this would not happen. This morass is a circumstance of our countrys own making. It is the result of a combination of hard-right-wing politics trumping practical fixes to real problems that affect peoples lives wrote the Arizona Daily Star on December 9, 2012. The article continues: Its a much broader issue, and many Americans view it as a matter of human rights. Continuing a national policy that results in people being victimized by criminal gangs or dying torturous deaths in our deserts in unconscionable no matter the nationality or legal status of the victims (By Giulio Grecchi Tucson, AZ Voice of the Poor Western Region Representative) A CHALLENGE TO YOU FROM SOUTHERN ARIZONA The pastor at St Cyril of Alexandrias Parish in Tucson compares the current situation in Southern Arizona with that of the city of Munich under the Nazi regime. While traveling in Germany and visiting the Dachau concentration camp, he realized 9

how close it is located to downtown Munich - from the camp one can see the skyline of the city Yet, under the Nazi regime, the citizens of Munich decided to ignore the suffering and extermination that was going on the outskirts of their city. Well, in the desert, just outside the city of Tucson, there have been thousands of people dying of fatigue and dehydration, thanks to our ill conceived immigration laws.

While in Arizona anti-immigration is rampant, many of us in Tucson have decided not to ignore what is going on and to care. We do all we can, but this is a national problem - we cannot change the situation from here alone. We are at the countrys periphery, far from the center of power. We challenge all Vincentians in every part of the United States to demand that their Senators and Congress representatives finally address immigration reform, to put an end to deaths in the desert, abuses, violence, discrimination, exploitation - as US citizens, we have a very heavy responsibility. Because of the increased weight of Latino voters in the recent elections, fixing immigration might have a chance of being considered soon. Lets not miss it!

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In the meantime, in Tucson and elsewhere in Arizona we assist migrants at various stages of their plight, we educate the public on immigration and advocate for immigration reform. Many volunteer organizations - Humane Borders, No More Deaths, the Tucson Samaritans, among others - try to bring some relief to border crossers, by providing water, food, medical supplies in the desert under very difficult circumstances. Sometimes they encounter migrants, more often supplies are left in points along the trail. That is all that can be done - we absolutely cannot transport migrants, even in case of desperate medical emergencies, because under current Federal law transporting undocumented migrants has been criminalized In 2005, two volunteers that brought a severely wounded migrant to an emergency room were prosecuted. Then, a sign stating Humanitarian Acts are never a crime! appeared all over the city of Tucson.

Humane Borders Water Station (Photo: Cristina Grecchi)

No More Deaths medical tent in the desert (Photo: No More Deaths)

The Society of St. Vincent the Paul does its part by helping undocumented families, who live in our neighborhoods and need food or other necessities. These are families in hiding, who have no right to public assistance, cannot drive and leave in constant fear to be deported. In Nogales, Sonora just across the border, the Kino Border Initiative (KBI), a Jesuit ministry, assists those that are deported every day, with no money or possessions, often after months spent in jail and isolation. See related article by Lucy Howell below.
The wall Nogales that divides the city of

(By Giulio Grecchi Tucson, AZ Voice of the Poor Western Region Representative) 11

VISIT AT KINO BORDER INITIATIVE by Lucy Howell, former Western Region VOP Chair Margie Carroll, Regional Director of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps in San Diego was my travel companion to and from Nogales, last November. We were met in Nogales by Frank Barrios, Steve Jenkins and Walt Gray of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix. After dropping off donations of clothing and toiletries at the KBI office on the U.S. side and greeting Father Sean Carroll, S.J., we parked at the border and walked across to the KBI's dining room (ComDep) for deportees. We saw huge trucks everywhere and were told that Nogales is the port of entry for 25% of produce consumed in the U.S. The trucks are inspected in various ways including by x-ray and drug-sniffing dogs. Fr. Pete Neeley, S.J. was our excellent guide for the day. We began by serving to the deported a breakfast of beans, scrambled eggs, meat and rice washed down with gallons of hot coffee. The dining room is extremely simple - cement floors, corrugated roof. The sides are composed of brightly painted drop down tarps. The deportees were courteous, grateful and generally cheerful, largely young men although there was one table of young women. Since my first visit nearly 3 years ago, the KBI has added a small but highly efficient kitchen, bathrooms and additional refrigeration. About half of the time, meals are provided by local churches and non-profits on both sides of the border. Other days, meals are prepared by Sister Lorena and the other sisters. This is a huge task done 365 days a year with an average of 150 meals served twice daily. Deportees must present paperwork issued by the Mexican government validating deportation from the U.S. on a certain date - they can eat for 15 days at the ComDep while figuring out what to do, where to go. (Current government policy, is to deport people far from where they were caught by Border Patrol - if you were detained in Texas, you could be deported in AZ or CA, for example. Families are often split up in the process). After breakfast, Good Samaritans, a group from Green Valley arrived with clothing to be sorted and offered to those in need. Father Pete took us across the street and up the hill to the public housing where KBI rents several apartments - some as a shelter for women and children run by the sisters, others are for visiting scholars and at least one is for storage. One of the sisters presented a Power Point featuring information collected by staff from the women guests - Margie included many of the slides - poignant in the percentage of women who have left children behind in Mexico or in the U.S. Our next stop was the local cemetery still very gaily decorated for the Mexican celebration "Day of the Dead". The cemetery is where many of the deported men sleep - the local shelter is almost always filled. Beyond the cemetery we found the Kino Border Initiative First Aid Station - very clean and well-stocked but some distance from the ComDep. 12

Next, onto a local bus that took us into downtown Nogales, Sonora (pop. 200,000 as compared to Nogales, AZ pop. 20,000). Every seat was taken and the ride was very bumpy. We exited near Leo's restaurant, our destination for lunch. After lunch we walked around the streets noting that shops were either farmacias or dentistas. The thriving tourist trade disappeared after 9/11, which created delays at the border and there is fear of gangs and the drug cartels. The "new" border fence (high rusty bars) did not look particularly intimidating, but Fr. Pete told us the bars go 10 feet into the ground. Back on the local bus, we returned to the ComDep for water and to help serve dinner. Dinner was soup and tortillas. It arrived late because the family providing the food had been in a car accident en route, but it did arrive! It was time for us to walk back across the border (we entered and departed Mexico via a large port of entry designed for trucks - faster for pedestrians). We were surprised to look up and see footprints (adult and child) pressed into the new concrete walls as a design motif (the footprints were running from Mexico toward the U.S....). We were tired and quiet - thinking of the young man fighting back tears (15-16 years old) who had just been deported from Alabama or the 30 year old from Los Angeles who had lived in the U.S. most of his life and spoke perfect English. He was deported leaving a wife and two children behind and because of multiple attempts to re-enter the U.S. illegally, is now considered a felon. He would fit the profile of the average deportee based on KBI data - early 30's and average time living in the U.S. of 9 1/2 years. The photographs at the link below were taken by Margie Carroll. If you wish, click on "slideshow" to roll quickly through the 269 photographs. They will give you a sense of the border and of the KBI [Note that the first 20 pictures relate to St. Xavier Mission in the Tohono OOdham Reservation and the last 35 pictures relate to Tumacacori Mission (in ruin); both Missions, founded in the late 1600 By the Father Eusebio Chini, S.J., are just south of Tucson]: https://picasaweb.google.com/117443783345977113724/KinoBorderInitiativeLocal Missions?authkey=Gv1sRgCNuby_ProNfb1QE# See brief KBI documentaries at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LOmcDprI4IQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG3qzRzlqTE&NR=1&feature=endscreen
HH

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MEDICAID EXPANSION As State Legislatures start the 2013 sessions in January, they will be faced with the decision to expand Medicaid coverage to all individuals with income up to 133% of the poverty line, effective January 1, 2014. This decision will directly impact many of the people that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul serves. As we know from our home visits, lack of insurance coverage makes people ignore preventive medicine; this, in turn, can cause mild medical conditions to spiral out of control, requiring expensive treatment that the uninsured can afford even less. Eventually, the only treatment available is through hospital emergency rooms, at a very high cost to society. To expand Medicaid is a decision that is taken state by state. Diocesan Councils in the same state should coordinate their advocacy and work together until a favorable decision is made by their Governors and Legislature. As we discussed in last months newsletter, potential action can include: Build broad public support for Medicaid expansion within the local Catholic Church, with interfaith coalitions and with neighborhood / civic associations. Find / recruit allies supporting Medicaid expansion (local Hospitals, doctor associations, businesses, friends, neighbors, etc.) Involve the State Catholic Bishop Conference in supporting the expansion Coordinate Action with all the above Collect and distribute compelling personal stories to be used during our advocacy efforts Write / meet with the State Governor include Council President and representatives of the Board Meet with State legislators Advertise the campaign through the media Write letters to the editor and Editorials about Medicaid expansion

The Societys goal is to help the people we serve to become self-sufficient. Vincentians do all they can with limited resources; advocacy is simply making the larger "society" do their part. Voice of the Poor Vincentians at the local or regional level are available to help build and coordinate a strategy in each state.

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CATHOLIC SOCIAL MINISTRY GATHERING 2013 February 10 To 13, 2013, Wardham Park Mariott, Washington, D.C. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, as a sponsoring organization, has a significant role in this gathering, together with the USCCB, Catholic Charities, Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Relief Services and others. There will be a special SVdP session on Monday night, February 11, with Sheila Gilbert, Jack Murphy, National VOP Chair, and many other SVdP leaders. The St. Vincent de Paul Society has been well-represented at the gathering over the last 10 years. The Society wants to increase our participation even more, with the goal of representation from every Diocese/Council in the country. Exciting plenary presentations, briefings, workshops, and strategy sessions will address current topics essential to SVdP / Voice of the Poor issues and ministries, and better prepare us for the challenges ahead. Council Presidents in every Diocese have been invited to send one or more representatives to this gathering This is an opportunity to (1) Connect in person with social ministry colleagues from across the United States, (2) Learn about the larger picture of Catholic Social Ministry and pressing current domestic and global, (3) Pray together to renew our spirit and vision for mission. (4) Advocate for policies that will protect and support people suffering poverty and injustice through Congressional visits at Capitol Hill.

PARISH SOCIAL MINISTRY REGIONAL TRAINING

March 15-16, 2013 - Tucson, Arizona

Come to the Parish Social Ministry Regional Training and strengthen your skills in putting your faith into action in your family, in your parish, in your work, and in your school. Join other parishioners to be inspired about the connection between our faith and actions of charity and justice. Learn how to organize social ministries in the parish and to work effectively to advocate for those in need. The Dioceses of Albuquerque, El Paso, Gallup, Las Cruces, Phoenix, and Tucson, together with Catholic Charities USA are the sponsors / organizers of this conference. The SVdP Society is present across the agenda, with Sheila Gilbert, National President, leading the Closing Session. For Information and registration: https://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50868/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=6 9414 15