*** PRESS ADVISORY ***
Pennsylvania Ave NW between White House sidewalk and Lafayette Park
Lawyers and National Faith Leaders to Pray at White House for Immigrant Children and Families
As President Obama continues to delay an executive order on immigration, faith leaders and immigration lawyers will urge immediate action to stop deportations and ensure protection of children
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday morning, over 50 immigration lawyers and faith and community leaders will gather to pray outside the White House to call on President Obama to stop delaying action on immigration and fully protect unaccompanied children.
“The continued inaction by the President and recent immoral votes in the House of Representatives are of grave concern to people of faith,” says Rob Rutland-Brown, Executive Director of Justice for Our Neighbors, a United Methodist immigration legal services network. “We have come to Washington to raise our voices and ensure our leaders know the cost of their decisions for immigrant families.”
Speakers will share stories of children who have fled violence in Central America. The Justice for Our Neighbors network is providing critical, pro-bono legal services to immigrant children and families throughout the country.
As the Administration continues to deport more than 1,100 individuals every single day, the advocates will call for the President to stop deporting their undocumented community members and to ensure the protection of unaccompanied children fleeing violence in Central America.
WHO:
Rev. Denise Honeycutt, Deputy General Secretary, United Methodist Committee on Relief
Rev. Dean Reed, Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) Dallas – Fort Worth TX
Julie Flanders, JFON Austin TX (English and Spanish)
Rev. Alka Lyall, JFON Northern Illinois (English and Spanish)
Jorge Luna, JFON Southeast Michigan (English and Spanish)
The vigil is sponsored by National Justice for Our Neighbors, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, and Church World Service.
The faith leaders and lawyers visiting Washington DC will be available for English and Spanish language interviews immediately following the prayer vigil. Many lawyers have been working directly with unaccompanied children.
