USA: New York group leads prayer vigil and rally to call for the "humane and just" treatment of immigrants to the U.S.

Record ID: 275755

  • Title: USA: New York group leads prayer vigil and rally to call for the "humane and just" treatment of immigrants to the U.S.
  • Date: 17th July 2014
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 17, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING IN SILENT PROTEST VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING HAND IN THE AIR IN SILENT PROTEST VARIOUS OF EXTERIORS OF FEDERAL PLAZA VARIOUS OF REV. SUSAN KARLSON TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) REV. SUSAN KARLSON, CO-CHAIR OF NEW SANCTUARY COALITION OF NEW YORK CITY, SAYING: "We need your presenc
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2014 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
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  • Country: USA
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5YUS6O0XE7XNZDB0QXHLCZ6EV
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  • Story Text: A silent protest, prayer vigil and rally was held on Thursday (July 17) outside of the the U.S. federal government building in New York that houses the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the Immigration Court.
    The group called the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City led a silent protest outside the building. Walking in silence, then stretching an arm to the sky in prayer, the group demanded immigration reform.
    Leading the prayer to God, Rev. Susan Karlson, Co-Chair of the New Sanctuary Coalition said, "We need your presence now in the face of such widespread suffering of all these children and all these youth who have come miles and miles to find relief from the violence and pain in Central America."
    U.S. President Barack Obama is struggling to gain control of an influx of child migrants from Central America.
    More than 57,000 unaccompanied minors from Central America have been caught since October, twice as many as a year earlier.
    The influx of children has overwhelmed immigration resources and has led to scattered protests from people angry at the government for housing some border-crossers in communities around the country.

    "It's an outrage that we have to actually stand here to talk about that because these are children. These are kids and we should not be having a debate on what to do with them. Immediately, when you talk about children we should be speaking about what we do to take care of them," said Ravi Ragbir, an organizer with the New Sanctuary Coalition.

    "Are we a country that we are so selfish, so greedy, so self conscious that we are refusing to help those who are in need and those who are most vulnerable," he added.
    The crowd of about 100 people outside the federal building included immigrants, religious and political leaders as well as workers from a union for food service and restaurant workers.
    Speaking through a translator, soft-spoken Maria Lizeth, 21, from Honduras said, "When I crossed the border, I was held for 10 days. I came with my one year old daughter. And when I was held, they put me in this bracelet you see now."
    Maria Lizeth said she crossed into the U.S. last month and wears an electronic monitor on her ankle. "We just think that the U.S. presents the most opportunities for me and for my child."
    Darwin Mejia, 20, came to the U.S. from Honduras three years ago. He said, "I think the young people come here to keep studying and to have a better life. A better life than what we have in Honduras, Central America, Mexico and many other places. That's what what the young people want is to have a better life and to go to school."
    Under a 2008 anti-trafficking law, children from Central America cannot be turned away at the border but must be given a hearing to determine if they qualify for humanitarian relief.
    Rev. Karlson said, "These children come from places where... They are refugees. They are not really immigrating here just because of some paltry reasons. There are facing violence, gang violence, trafficking, all kinds of situations where they don't know if they will be killed. They live under that threat all the time."
    On Tuesday in Arizona, waving U.S. flags and playing patriotic music, dozens of protesters demonstrated against the arrival of undocumented immigrants for processing at a center near the border before being returned to their homelands.
    Rev. Karlson said, "To greet them at the borders with hatred and animosity and to say, 'You are not welcome here' is just not... New Sanctuary is a faith and inter-faith organization and so it's not part of any of our faiths to treat people in general, but particularly little ones... They have nothing to do with that. They are just running away from the deplorable conditions. And we need to respond in a way that's humane and just."
    The flood of unaccompanied migrants has added a toxic mix to a raging debate over whether to approve comprehensive immigration reform to cover some 11 million undocumented people in the United States. Reform is one of Obama's priorities, but it has no chance until after November congressional elections.
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