2009 - A Year for Justice - Take Action

Change is in the air.

Our president-elect rode its wave to the White House. In January, we'll welcome a new Congress and a new president who seems to share our values and priorities.

President-elect Obama has expressed a commitment to bring a new energy and spirit that imbues bipartisan collaboration; encourages ideas and policy solutions; addresses the needs of vulnerable members of our society while also helping working and middle-class families improve their economic standing. He has also promised an administration that will listen and promote transparency and the involvement of civic society.

We invite you to take a few minutes to write to President-elect Obama in your own words about the need for humane immigration policy.

Invite President-elect Obama to lead a bipartisan process for humane immigration policy and affirm the value of all family unions. Encourage him to support the quality of life for border dwellers by increasing job opportunities; investing in schools, roads, and other infrastructure; and working for a clean, healthy environment that benefits everyone.

By working together, we can bring about the change we need in immigration policy and the future vitality and viability of immigrant, non-immigrant, and refugee communities.

Thank you for joining AFSC in this call for justice and human rights.

Jingle Bells of Justice for Some Children

After some weather delays and a re-routing of his sleigh , Santa Claus stopped in to visit children at a Texas detention site. Children detained with their families at T. Don Hutto Detention Center in South Texas received presents collected in a toy drive organized by community members, New America Media reports.

Unfortunately, the injustice of detention almost stole Christmas from the children. "We only got to deliver these toys as a result of lots of litigation and many protests" said Luissana Santibanez, an immigrant rights advocate with Grassroots Leadership and one of the toy drive organizers (New America Media). She explained that the toy delivery was allowed because of the community outcry about the horrific conditions in privately-run immigration detention centers for children and families including lack of medical treatment, food with cockroaches, and deaths.

“The fact that we’re able to bring these toys to children is a huge victory.” said Santibanez. "We can’t let them be so cruel to kids; we can’t let them hide this,” she said.

Learn more: Visit http://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/ to learn how you can take action.