Dear friends of Rio Grande Borderland Ministries,
In May, I was hired by Blueprint, a creative agency that has been advising Rio Grande Borderland Ministries as a pro bono client for the past several months. Blueprint focuses on development and growth for public-good companies and nonprofit organizations. The founder of our firm, The Rev. Maryetta Anschutz, is an Episcopal priest who has worked in the school and nonprofit space for the last 25 years. She felt strongly that the only way to be truly useful to RGBM would be to have her firm underwrite my position as a development and communications coordinator. It is my great privilege to be chosen for this role, and I look forward to getting to know you all as we continue to help grow the ministry.
In terms of my own background, I was raised in the Episcopal Church and formed by ministries like The Barbara Harris Camp and Conference Center through the Diocese of Massachusetts. Previously, I served on the Diocesan Youth Council in Massachusetts and as a Sacristan at All Saints’ Chapel during my undergraduate years at Sewanee: The University of the South. Along with other leadership roles at Sewanee, including serving as President of the Order of the Gown and as a Dialogue Ambassador for the Office of Dialogue Across Difference, serving as a Sacristan allowed me to connect with the community on a deep level through ministry. The Episcopal Church has been present in every chapter of my life and guided me always, particularly in my passion for social justice.
Now, down to the business of RGBM! Even in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, we are working harder than ever to support asylum seekers. Given the constantly changing nature of the current asylum process, RGBM is no stranger to unpredictability. Now more than ever, the three tiers of our mission—relief, advocacy, and development—are especially critical. Like many organizations, the needs of RGBM have increased during this time, and your financial support allows us to continue our vital work.
Juarez is currently in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, and RGBM’s shelter at Church of the Holy Spirit has been converted into a quarantine shelter to meet the needs of the community. Our shelter at San Matias Church has been our primary location during this time, offering a safe place for individuals and families to live while they engage the U.S. asylum process as well as serve the indigenous Mexican people.
Finally, we are excited to announce that our new and improved website is up and running! Thank you to those of you who have already visited our site. In addition to our website, you can stay up to date on all things RGBM on our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Thank you for continuing to support the work of Rio Grande Borderland Ministries.
Peace,
Nellie Fagan
RGBM Project Coordinator
Blueprint Consulting
A Message from the Bishop
Friends of the Diocese of the Rio Grande,
I want you to know the people involved in this ministry on both sides of the border. I want you to hear their voices. I want you to see their faces. I want for them to know that they are not invisible but are seen, heard and loved. This newsletter will bring you their stories.
COVID-19 has increased the need of those seeking asylum on our border. Those seeking shelter and those providing the shelter now face increased risk. The coronavirus has also changed the ways we must work with our neighbors, but our commitment to this partnership has not changed.
We have the responsibility to respond to this crisis with love and compassion in order to make sure that our partners have the tools they need to love our neighbors. Together we also now have the opportunity to build the tools and infrastructure that serve these communities in the years to come.
I want to thank you for your ongoing support of the important work that Rio Grande Borderland Ministry is partnering to accomplish on our southern border. And in the name of those in need, I ask for your continued prayers and support.
Sincerely,
The Rt. Rev Michael B Hunn,
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande
Bridge chaplain during the time of COVID-19
“After six visits to RGBM’s Espiritu Santo asylum shelter, COVID-19 came along to our diocese and we had to stop many activities. For the safety of volunteers, staff, and those in the shelter, we had to stop physically going. The separation was hard since a strong relationship was established with the community through the work of Rev. Christina Rathbone, who called us all to this ministry. We had to redefine the ministry without our physical presence there. We have regular calls with the volunteers through zoom every other Friday. We want to keep sharing the story of the asylum seekers and the injustice of programs like Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP). We want to show how we are connected to the asylum seekers through our faith. We understand God is love and must show it to all. We are collecting teaching material in Spanish to digitally share it with Padre Hector and those that are helping with education for the kids. We are also working on fundraising which is something we have been doing all along as a diocese, so now the volunteers want to focus more on this mission. While we are physically apart, we are connecting in video meetings with asylum seekers through Padre Hector and with each other, sharing our desire to be of service during this time of COVID-19 and beyond.”
— Ana Reza, Bridge Chaplain, Diocese of the Rio Grande.
Ana Reza, Bridge Chaplain for the Diocese of the Rio Grande, began serving in her role just prior to the closure of the Border due to COVID-19. Bridge Chaplain Ana serves to create pastoral connections between Asylum Seekers and our volunteers who serve them.
ADVOCACY UPDATE, RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES from EPISCOPAL MIGRATION MINISTRIES
Overcrowding at Border Patrol Station in Weslasco, TX
Public Domain
On June 15, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR, within the Department of Justice) published a new proposed rule in the federal register: Procedures for Asylum and Withholding of Removal; Credible Fear and Reasonable Fear Review. Immigration advocates note that this is the latest in a series of policy changes from the Trump administration that restrict the ability of asylum seekers to seek safety in the U.S. In an article from the Seattle Times, Ur Jaddou, director of advocacy group DHS Watch and former chief counsel of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is quoted as saying that the past actions taken by the administration against asylum protections were like “a death of a thousand cuts, but this [new proposed rule] is a guillotine.”
Amongst other changes proposed in the 161-paged rule:
Limits the number of individuals who would qualify for asylum;
Would redefine protected grounds for asylum recognized in international and U.S. law, including membership in a particular social group and political opinion;
Would bar from seeking asylum any individual who, while in transit to the U.S., has spent 14 or more days in another country and did not seek asylum there;
Would encourage immigration judges to deny asylum to those who have worked without authorization in the U.S. or have failed to file taxes;
Would eliminate gender-based asylum.
Protest against child detention outside Border Patrol facility in Clint, Texas 27 Jun 19
Copyright 2019
Susan Barnum
Used under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International License
The Episcopal Church has a longstanding policy affirming the universal right to seek asylum, and has long advocated to the federal government that we must protect vulnerable individuals rather than enact enforcement or deterrence-only policies.
There is currently a 30-day comment period for the public to respond to the proposed rule; advocates are asking for an extension of the comment period. This is a critical moment for Episcopalians, all people of faith, and immigration advocates to take action and submit a comment on the proposed rule. We encourage all to join Episcopal Migration Ministries and The Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations on Tuesday, June 23, 3:30-5:00pm Eastern, 1:30-3:00pm Mountain for Episcopal Action on Asylum, the third in the three-part webinar series, “Love God, Love Neighbor: Episcopal Month of Action.” In this webinar, we will pray, engage in conversation, and learn about urgent advocacy needs for asylum seekers – including the “Stay in Mexico” policy, metering at border ports of entry, and how to submit a comment on this new federal rule which would make virtually impossible for asylum seekers to receive asylum in the U.S. The webinar will conclude with advocacy action steps and all registrants will receive critical advocacy follow-up materials. Register for the webinar here. Recordings of the previous webinars available on EMM’s Vimeo channel and Hometown podcast.
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WITH EMM
Networking: In response to energy from Episcopalians across the country, EMM is creating an Episcopal ministry network focused on asylum. EMM is convening an initial organizing conversation to discuss an asylum ministry network on Monday, July 20, from 12-1:15pm Eastern. Are you involved in accompaniment/hosting ministry or do you provide other support to asylum seekers? Have you engaged in advocacy for asylum seekers? Are you a lay or clergy leader interested in exploring what a ministry in this area might look like in your congregation or diocese? Please join us. To protect the meeting from trolls and robots, and to manage meeting capacity to allow for fruitful conversation, we request that you register. We will review your registration and approve you.
Ministry Resource: In fall 2019, Episcopal Migration Ministries released the first edition of Supporting Asylum Seekers: A Toolkit for Congregations. This resource is free; request it here and it will be emailed to you for download.
“O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family, especially those who are fleeing violence and fear; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all people may serve you in harmony; through Jesus Christ our Lord. ”