The U.S. Senate is about to vote on a bill (H.R. 29 – Laken Riley Act) mandating the detention of thousands of immigrants, including longtime residents, without any due process or justification. This bill requires the detention, potentially for years, of people who pose no risk to their communities for nonviolent offenses like shoplifting diapers – even if they were never charged, even if the alleged offense was decades ago, and even when ICE itself does not believe they pose a danger or flight risk.
The murderer of Laken Riley was rightfully prosecuted to the full extent of the law, but that violent crime should not result in something as minor as an unconfirmed shoplifting accusation, with no charge or conviction, to require detention by the government, particularly when immigration authorities have already ruled it unnecessary. As noted by the National Immigration Law Center, “the Department of Homeland Security already has statutory authority to detain any undocumented person facing deportation proceedings including those charged with a criminal offense. What the bill does is apply ‘mandatory detention,’ requiring detention without any opportunity to even request release on bond.”
This is the first immigration bill of the new Congress. We must set a clear precedent that bills which violate due process rights should not pass. Instead, Congress must ensure rational means for determining when a person should be detained, with due process. Your Senator could make the difference between this bill passing or failing – the difference between families torn apart for the profit of the private prison industry or a commitment to common sense values of humanity and justice.
Sample call script (please personalize this message as it relates to your family or community)
Hello Senator [Peters / Slotkin], My name is _____. My zip code is ______ in Michigan. As a constituent, I urge you to vote NO on the Laken Riley Act, H.R. 29 in its current form. This bill will open the way for cruel mass detention and deportation of immigrants. It will strip immigrants, including longtime residents and Dreamers, of a fair review and could force them to be held indefinitely in detention. Please vote NO on this harmful bill in its current form.
Click here for additional information about this bill from the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights.
H.R. 9495 is named, “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act.” The bill’s title does not convey the full effect. It has the potential to grant the executive branch extraordinary powers, such as allowing it to investigate, harass, and, in effect, shutter any nonprofit organization based on unilateral accusations of wrongdoing. Congress rejected its passage on November 12, and it’s coming up for a second vote possibly today or tomorrow. MUUSJN joins the call from Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) to contact our representatives and urge them to withhold support for this bill.
Click here to read more about the bill and the reasons for opposing it. Complete the form that is provided and click “Take Action” to send it.
During the 8 days of the legislative session left in Lansing, YOU can push for passing House Bills 5300 through 5303, which protect trans Michiganders’ access to accurate IDs, making it as easy for a trans person to change their name as it is for someone getting married. Call and email the people listed below, using the sample script that follows. Personalize the message as you choose.
Hi (TITLE AND LAST NAME): My name is __ from (CITY) and I’m calling to urge your support and advocacy for the immediate vote and passage of House Bills 5300 through 5303 to protect trans Michiganders’ access to accurate IDs. The bills have been sitting in the House for 380 days, and failing to take action could have dire consequences for your trans constituents. Please act now on House Bills 5300 through 5303. Thank you for your service to your constituents.
ALSO, if you’d like to make your voice known at Michigan’s Capitol, join a rally and informal visits to congress on Wednesday Dec. 4, 10:30 am – 3:00 pm. Click the link below to RSVP.
We want to be sure you have heard about the UU Climate Justice Revival taking place on September 28-29 with the theme of “Reimagine Together: From an Extractive Age to a New Era.” Following is a description of this program. The work will be done within your congregation/fellowship to prepare for and carry out the events of the revival. You may also join with others to share the work of planning and facilitating.
You can do this at a different time if there’s a better time for you than September 28-29.
On September 28-29, congregations will host UU Climate Justice Revivals to collectively reimagine a spirit-filled and liberatory future. Through conversations, worship, and advocacy, congregations will work together to realize climate justice and collective liberation in our communities. Congregations will receive everything they need to host a revival in their communities, including discussion guides and materials for all ages, training, worship resources, and advocacy actions designed to transform our communities through climate justice.
Visit uuclimatejustice.org to access recorded information sessions and registration information. After registering, you will get access to a host of materials available for your group to use.
You may choose to reach out to another congregation/fellowship to explore possibilities for sharing the work of planning and facilitating.
If you need help getting connected with others, contact Mary Jo Ebert at maryjoebert@gmail.com or 248-224-0223 and we’ll help with that.
Seven Michigan UU congregations/fellowships are registered as of today. Click here to access a map showing all who are registered.
UUs are known to be justice-seeking people. It takes many of us working together to achieve the goal of freedom and equity for all. The Michigan UU Social Justice Network (MUUSJN) leverages expertise and resources to support this work for member congregations and fellowships across our state and gives UUs a larger voice among partners, allies, and justice-makers. Become a supporting member today and help foster this collaboration. We need 50 of you (or more!) to reach our new member goal. Go to uujustice.org; click “Become a Member” and make a donation today.
Some of MUUSJN’s most recent accomplishments:
For information or help, please contact:
Miriam Epskamp, uucommunity@gmail.com, 269-993-8758 or Mary Jo Ebert, maryjoebert@gmail.com, 248-224-0223
I’ve decided a newsletter is the best way to keep UUs and friends up to date on the things I am working on as a MUUSJN consultant. I hope to compile a list of interested folks, so if you’d like to be added to the list for future newsletters focused around Environmental and Racial Justice, send me an email! I hope that if you’re reading this you’ll share it with others, so they have the opportunity to read too! I hope to send a newsletter every 2-3 months, depending on how much I have to share. The stories will be very short updates, sometimes with a link for more info. Please always reach out with questions, or if you have resources to share. If you or your church are working on any of these issues or want to get involved- please get in touch with me, so we can build together, a wider, stronger network! It was a pleasure to host an event with Dr. Rob Spirko from the Article II Study Commission a few months ago. We had good attendance as he shared more info, and answered many questions. I’m looking forward to GA to see how the vote turns out. This is an interesting time in our world, country and denomination.
You can view the video here: bit.ly/Art2Spirko
Article II resources from the UUA: https://www.uua.org/re/article2
Read the full newsletter:
From Linda Cypret-Kilbourne, co-founder of Michigan Coalition Against Racism in Sports and Media (MCARSM):
The following are the schools we look to change. (2/1/2024)
If your city’s school does not have a racist mascot, but plays another school who has a Native American nickname: go to the school board and ask them to only announce the opponent as the school name and not the Native American nickname. For example, instead of “Here comes the Indians” suggest saying “Here comes Athens”.
Resource for more information: https://www.aclumich.org/en/news/spotlight-native-american-heritage-month-fight-remove-racist-school-mascots
To engage in this work please contact Linda Cypret-Kilbourne- osagekwe@gmail.com
Bi-partisan Community Solar legislation is currently in the Michigan State Senate and the House, but needs some help from Michigan citizens to be passed. You can help it pass.
Community Solar provides:
For more information and specific suggestions of what YOU – and your friends, family and neighbors – can do :
At MUUSJN, we are committed to bringing about meaningful change in our society
Join us for these two events that will challenge your perspective and empower you to be a force for change.
End Cash Bail, taking place this Monday, January 8 from 7-8:30 PM, will explore the impact of cash bail and the unjust criminal justice system that disproportionately punishes low-income communities and communities of color. Rubina Mustafa, Senior Staff Attorney with the Detroit Justice Center will also discuss strategies for ending this system.
Decolonize Your Mind, taking place on January 30 from 7-8:30 PM, will examine the harmful effects of white settler colonialism on Native Americans. Jaike Spotted Wolf and Bronson Herman will share personal and historical stories and offer ways to decolonize our thinking and become a source of reconciliation.
Don’t miss out on these incredible opportunities to learn, grow, and take action.
For more info contact: Jennifer Teed, jennifer.a.teed@gmail.com
Click here to register for Decolonize Your Mind
Click here to register for End Cash Bail