Mike Bubla
Many interfaith clergy and lay leaders have made as a major effort comprehensive immigration reform. Bishop Kicanas has stated, “Immigration is ultimately a humanitarian issue since it impacts the basic rights and dignity of millions of persons and their families. As such it has moral implications.” We need to work together to make immigration reform a reality. Currently, there are issues facing the immigrant community, preventing them from enjoying American life. A proposal recently made in Illinois suggests making immigrants choose between receiving healthcare or having lawful permanent status (click for info to understand more about this proposal). This is just one example of the ways that immigrant families are treated. It’s about time immigrants started receiving equal rights to the rest of Americans.
A panel of Presenters will be Father Bill Remmel, retired from parish ministry in October and has begun a deeper involvement with immigrant rights communities in Tucson. Reverend John Fife is a human rights activist and retired Presbyterian minister who lives in Tucson. He was a member of the Sanctuary Movement and was cofounder of the immigrant rights group in 2004, No More Deaths. In the 1980s John Fife cofounded the Sanctuary Movement in the United States which supported Central American refugees. Father Sean Carroll, as part of his ministry, assisted with the exploratory phase of a new migrant ministry in southern Arizona and northern Mexico. These efforts led to the inauguration of the Kino Border Initiative, KBI, a Catholic bi-national, collaborative effort that focuses on humanitarian assistance, education, research and social pastoral outreach in the area of immigration. Since January 2009, Sean has been serving as Executive Director of the KBI in Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora. Ms. Jessica Garcia is Outreach Director and Mr. Matt Matera, Executive Director of Scholarships A-Z, a Tucson organization dedicated to providing access to education for all students regardless of immigration status. Jessica has been integral in making Pima Community College provide instate tuition to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, DACA, recipients and is working to do the same at Arizona’s public universities. Since 2006, Matt has been actively involved in education and immigration issues as a facilitator, program coordinator, and volunteer with educational, faith-based, federally funded, and nonprofit institutions.
Did you know that most foreign nationals working in the United States must obtain an employment authorization document (EAD), more commonly known as a work permit? To do so Form i-765 must be filed and completed. You can learn more about Form I-765 eligibility requirements on the Nova Credit website.
For additional information, contact Sister Jean Mariani at 825-9611 or Mike Bubla at 825-0500.