Washington, DC – Following is a statement from Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) Co-Chairs Elissa Diaz, Policy and Advocacy Manager with Church World Service and Peniel Ibe, Policy Engagement Coordinator at the American Friends Service Committee.
June 19, known as Juneteenth, marks the day enslaved Black people in Texas were informed they were free under the Emancipation Proclamation–more than two months after the end of the Civil War and two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. We honor the annual celebration of Juneteenth and join in prayer, knowing true liberation and justice for all is a continued fight, to this day, in the United States and around the world.
As we join in celebration of steps toward freedom, we stand firm in our commitment to create a humane and just world for all people, regardless of place of birth, religion, or race. The immigrants’ rights movement is inextricably intertwined with the work to achieve racial justice by ensuring the safety and protecting the dignity of Black lives. On Juneteenth, we root ourselves in our commitments and goals as coalition leaders in challenging anti-Blackness, dismantling racism and white supremacy, and building relationships with, centering, and deferring to the work and leadership of Black immigrant-led organizations.
As Congress and President Biden make Juneteenth a federal holiday, we urge them to take further action to prioritize Black immigrants’ and asylum seekers’ lives when crafting policies and legislation to build a more just, humane, and equitable immigration system. We urge Congress and the administration to end immigration detention and shackled mass deportations on charter flights. These practices are harmful to all, but have had disproportionate impacts on Black immigrants and asylum seekers. We urge the creation of a White House Task Force on Black Immigrants, designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon, Mauritania, and other African and Caribbean countries, an end to Title 42 expulsions, and full implementation of TPS for Haiti, to start.
We call on people of faith to join us in advocating for these measures. We also invite faith communities to join the Haitian Bridge Alliance, African Bureau for Immigration and Social Affairs, and people across the country to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Black Immigrants Bail Fund and consider donating to the fund, which provides free assistance and relief to Black immigrants in pursuit of Liberation and Justice.
This day, and every day, we unequivocally state Black Lives Matter. Black Immigrants’ Lives Matter. Black Asylum Seekers’ Lives Matter. Black Refugees’ Lives Matter.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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