“And I promise you this, as the Bible says: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Joseph R. Biden, 46th President of the United States
Inauguration Speech, January 20, 2021
Dear Friends,
Now that Joe Biden has been inaugurated as our 46th President and we enter a new era, we are hopeful.
We at National Justice for Our Neighbors know that with this change we have the possibility of achieving an immigration system grounded in fairness, respect, and compassion.
We are hopeful that Dreamers and their families will become U.S. citizens.
We are hopeful that more refugees will be welcomed into our communities and be able to make this country their home.
We are hopeful that detention centers will be closed.
We are hopeful that asylum seekers who have been unjustly denied access to our justice system have a fair and timely review of their claim.
And we are hopeful that our nation’s leadership will embody and articulate our true values and ideals.
While the prospect of new immigration policies brings hope, we cannot fully achieve our vision of ensuring immigrants are fully welcomed into our communities until immigrants and all Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) receive justice. We confront the painful reality—one that was starkly demonstrated by this month’s insurgents at the Capitol—that white supremacy is a very real and present danger to both our society and our democracy. If we are to survive, we must come to grips that we are a part of the very structures that have supported it for generations.
The first goal in NJFON’s new strategic plan is to become a client-centered organization that works to become more anti-racist. We at NJFON will be centering the voices of our client communities and supporting immigrant-led and Black-led groups such as United We Dream, Black Alliance for Just Immigration, the Undocublack Network, and many others.
As an immigration ministry which serves our BIPOC communities, we have much work ahead. We ask you to join with us as we strive to create that more perfect union where there is true and equal justice for all.
Rob Rutland-Brown
Executive Director, National JFON
