Video: Immigration Raids and Church Response (by Patty Kupfer)
Please check out this moving video shot and edited by our own on-the-ground correspondent, Sojourners Web assistant Matt Hildreth. Matt researched, made calls, and then stopped through Postville, Iowa, last Friday and got some great footage. It features Sister Mary of St. Bridget’s, who has been ministering to immigrant families affected by the raid.
Our allies have been spreading this video around among activists all over the country and they’re thrilled to have some interviews with real people telling their stories. Watch it:
Patty Kupfer is the Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform campaign coordinator at Sojourners.
posted by God's Politics @ 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (21) | 
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Comments
In a huge moment of irony, I was watching this video when an email blast came in from my senator, Jim Inhofe, a self-professed evangelical Christian. In part the message read:
"Please join me in telling Senate leaders that the vast majority of American people want border security and enforcement.
"The Senate Amnesty Caucus is at it again and they must be stopped. Failure to defeat this amendment could set a dangerous precedent in the Senate. Give an inch on this issue and we can count on the Amnesty Caucus to try and stretch it into a mile.
"So please help me quickly demonstrate that conservative Senators' firm stance on the amnesty amendment is backed by tens of thousands of American voters."
Can there be any common ground between Christians for social justice and Christians for "border security and enforcement"?
Posted by: gbl3 | May 20, 2008 5:09 PM
As of Tuesday, 3:45 PM, Pacific time, a message reads "This video no longer available." when I click to play this video. Anyone know why?
Posted by: Serwind Netzler | May 20, 2008 6:47 PM
I think Jim Inhofe had it removed.
Posted by: canucklehead | May 20, 2008 7:33 PM
May God have mercy on all our souls for what we have done and what we have not done
Posted by: joyce antila phipps | May 21, 2008 12:39 AM
Thank you, Sojourners, for putting a human face on this issue. My prayer is that we as a nation will be sensitized to this suffering and that things will change.
Posted by: JamesMartin | May 21, 2008 7:09 AM
I watched the video at 8:30am on 5/21/08.
The entirety of the illegal immigration situation is a very complex issue that requires the best that we have to offer in terms of thoughtfulness to determine a humanitarian resolution and not simply an emotional one. Just from what we know of the isolated situation on the video it seems that there was little to no forethought as to how to handle those individuals detained that had minor children in the community also. Or possibly the authorities asked the detainees to let them know if there were kids also so they could be deported along with them yet they got no response for obvious reasons. There could have been numerous scenarios in this particular case that we're not aware of.
Traveling through the Carolinas this past weekend my wife and I witnessed a horse trailer packed full of humanbeings being unloaded. I would estimate there were anywhere between 35 - 50 people detained in this case. Either being sensitized or desensitized by our witnessing of these types of situations doesn't change the situation unless we act upon our instincts.
"Immigration reform is much needed" is a vast understatement that has only been given lip service for way too long and needs to happen and happen soon. These situations, as viewed in the video are occurring everyday throughout our land and the price they bring with them is tremendous both in the economical relm as well as with the humanitarian area.
We must push our representatives to address this issue or it will simply continue to be political folly. Peace
Posted by: d.e.sharp | May 21, 2008 9:31 AM
Jim Inhofe is also the Senator who stalled action on global warming. He doesn't beleive in it. We call him "Senator Constipated."
Posted by: I and I | May 21, 2008 1:15 PM
I, for one, applaud the Senator for having the courage to stand up for what is right when it would be easy to go with the crowd. Global warming is an unproven theory that Al Gore is making money off of and we have to respect the rule of law in this country.
I feel for all the families that are torn apart because we haven't enforced our own laws and employers have gotten away with breaking the law and taken advantage of cheap labor for too long.
But ladies and gentlemen we have to uphold the laws of this country and those who come across our borders illegally should be deported. I feel sorry for people living in poverty that sell illegal drugs, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't prosecute those people. We can have a heart for these people without the church blatantly aiding and abedding people who have broken the laws of our country.
Posted by: Russell | May 21, 2008 1:55 PM
Dear Russell
When a person comes to my church for help should I ask for their green card or birth certificate? How about a child who is in need? A woman? We are not abetting anybody when we preach the gospel nor are we when we are living the gospel.
It is hard to understand how you can feel sorry for someone you want deported, knowing that their family can be torn apart.
The only answer is to insist that our legislators stop all the posturing and work together for a solution.
At this point probably none of us will be happy with what they come up with but given the history and the current circumstance I do not think we deserve to be happy.
Posted by: wayne | May 21, 2008 6:36 PM
Russell,
Jesus was a rebel. He had little regard for Jewish law and Roman powers that kept people pushed to the edges of society and living in poverty.
These laws of our country are in place to protect our "right" as 5% of the global population to consume over 30% of the world's resources without being interrupted by people whose children are starving and for whom waiting at the gates is not an option.
We took this land from those who came before us and drew our borders in the blood of genocide.
Which law should carry more weight? American law or the law of the kingdom of God? The law of building more grain houses to store excess crop or the law of compassionate, sacrificial giving?
It saddens me that we sit in comfort and decry people for having the willingness to seek their children's survival whatever it may cost them.
Posted by: J. D. | May 21, 2008 8:28 PM
Postville is a very small town in Iowa. This situation will directly affect the entire community as much as the individual families. This is a big deal on many different accounts. Thankfully religious folks are responding to local needs. But something needs to be done from a more holistic perspective. Here's another story to include in this conversation - especially in a nation of immigrants:
The Latinos of Postville
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-9s80j90NE
Posted by: Brian | May 22, 2008 6:40 AM
I live along the Gulf Coast and we saw a very big influx of immigrants coming to the area after the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005. At the time people for the most part didn't care if these immigrants were legal or illegal. All they cared about was getting their roof fixed quickly and properly. Now that we don't need many of these people, we want to deport them because they came here illegally. I think many of us here in this country need to take a look at our motives for the laws we have created to protect ourselves. I read an article in an alternative news source that called the current immigration system a system of Juan Crow referring to Jim Crow. "Call it Juan Crow: the matrix of laws, social customs, economic institutions and symbolic systems enabling the physical and psychic isolation needed to control and exploit undocumented immigrants." This analogy makes sense in many ways. If you get the chance, take a look at the article.
http://www.alternet.org/immigration/84979/
Peace and good,
Sean
Posted by: Sean | May 22, 2008 10:49 AM
Russell makes a good point. What about the drug addict? Would you share the gospel with them without getting them physical help?
Why do people assume everyone for deportation wants to exploit illegals first? People in my neighborhood won't hire an illegal immigrant contractor because it's a stupid business decision. They could run off with your front money and you would never find them. Or how could they guarantee their work if they may or may not be in the area a couple years from now?
I honestly think the most unloving thing you could do to someone is to drop them in another country without knowing the local language and without giving them a job. But you people keep telling them to come because it will solve all their problems. I have to question your motives.
Posted by: Connie | May 22, 2008 3:27 PM
Connie: "But you people keep telling them to come because it will solve all their problems."
Please cite documented examples of someone (I've no idea what "you people" is supposed to refer to) who tells people from other nations to come to the USA because it will solve all their problems.
Posted by: carl copas | May 22, 2008 6:56 PM
"Why do people assume everyone for deportation wants to exploit illegals first?"
That's not the assumption Connie. We find that the blind desire to deport people shows a flagrant disregard for families- many of which have U.S. citizen members born here. How would you feel if you were born here and your parents face deportation leaving you no option but to go back to a poor country to be with them?
"But you people keep telling them to come because it will solve all their problems."
Us people don't tell anybody to come here. We don't need to. Economic forces push them here. Both our government and the governments of the countries from which they come refuse to address the underlying causes of the mass migration. You would probably do the same if you were facing the harsh realities that these people face. NAFTA has decimated Mexican agriculture but few politicians want to address this issue. These are people in play, here. Not pawns on a chess set that you move from one side to the other.
Posted by: JamesMartin | May 23, 2008 5:57 AM
"You people" refers to the people on this site who really feel these people who come here illegally shouldn't be sent home. If my parents came here from India illegally, I would expect we would all be sent back to our country of origin. I think my folks would be lousy parents if they wanted me to stay without them -- if you really want my opinion. (And no, every family doesn't have to agree with that, but you asked for my opinion.)
The underlying causes of poverty in Mexico and Central America need to be addressed -- which is not what these arguments include. NAFTA holds some blame, but not all of it.
Carl -- why must you document my opinion when you won't document illegals? You really believe they are better off here then in their home countries or you wouldn't want them to stay.
Posted by: Connie | May 23, 2008 11:05 AM
Connie: "Carl -- why must you document my opinion when you won't document illegals? You really believe they are better off here then in their home countries or you wouldn't want them to stay."
Connie, how do you know I want them to stay? Certainly, if any are involved in things like drug trafficking or terrorism, then they should be deported or imprisoned.
Again, I simply want evidence for your assertion, "But you people keep telling them to come because it will solve all their problems." Either you have the evidence or you don't. Nothing terribly complicated there.
Posted by: carl copas | May 23, 2008 2:45 PM
""You people" refers to the people on this site who really feel these people who come here illegally shouldn't be sent home. "
I guess that I am part of that group whom you so dislike. And I am proud of it.
Posted by: JamesMartin | May 23, 2008 4:45 PM
It would be nice if there was a simple solution. If everything was black an white. Makes you realize why the abolition of slavery was economically messy and continues to haunt us. We haven't found a way to do pure capitalism with out some form of it.
I hate seeing the invisible people in my community used like indentured servants and slaves. It makes me feel as if MLK died for nothing. What happened.
On the other hand we can not chase people way just because we are feeling vulnerable economically. Its not going to be that simple.
The last time we decided to solve our economic problems by chasing away people of Latin American decent we made a difficult economic situation even worse. We had what we now call the great depression.
Silly us, our Grandparents thought they would create jobs and what they actually did was chase away people who were keeping the economy working.
At some point many families started a stampede for the border. Mind you many young women found a way to stay because they had no interest in loosing their new found freedoms, which are still not available for Latin Americans at risk.
Americans who once had their own businesses and farms found themselves doing those slave labor jobs that kept big business churning for pennies on the dollar the way it was used to doing things, until some major reforms were enacted to get us out of that jam. Just like the Iowa community in Postville they found that their lives were intricately entwined with the families they were sending away.
We have some economic inequalities going on both locally and globally. We need to put more pressure on our politicians for trade reform and workers rights abroad.
I look for a day when the invisible people in our communities will have the right to go on strike with out being deported.
We need to acknowledge the contributions of the people in our midst and offer them the respect that is do to them, because in really we and our children benefit from their presence.
As more villages across America begin to see this reality we will once again be back with the same moral quandary.
Posted by: Ms. Cynthia | May 25, 2008 10:53 PM
I continue to be moved by the personal and tragic stories of the victims (the immigrants), as they are only doing what we would do under similar circumstances--seeking opportunity. Having said that, there is a cost to our own society and working poor when we continue to allow unregulated immigration. It's very easy to blame the government or businesses for these types of incidents and consequences--but let's be honest--we are to blame. Our greedy appetite for material wealth thru investments and business development; material goods at inexpensive prices all of which are built upon exploiting cheap labor, is the true culprit in this issue. Until we as christians come to real terms with this appetite within ourselves, both exploitation and backlash incidents will continue, and the tragedy will always be felt by the poor and desperate of both our citizens as well as the immigrants.
Posted by: Steve | May 29, 2008 5:11 PM
I understand concerns about following the "rule of law" but the problem arises when the law itself is corrupted. The more and more I learn about immigrants from talking to them or reading about immigration or being around organizations that work with immigrants, the more I realize that the system is corrupted-exactly what many of you have already said.
i have to add: i love immigration. its just so complicated! i can't get enough of it. i have to read and study and ask and wonder and get a little angry and cry and then disagree and change my mind a little. So good.
Posted by: Katy Fuchtman | May 31, 2008 12:26 AM
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