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Join Jesuit and other Catholic institutions in educating, praying, and advocating for humane migration policies throughout February 2016.
Ignatian Family Advocacy Month (IFAM) encourages Jesuit and other Catholic institutions to join together throughout the month of February in educating, praying, and advocating for humane migration policy. IFAM will strategically coincide with Pope Francis’s first visit to Mexico from February 12-18, when he is expected to visit Mexico’s border with Texas in a display of solidarity with migrants. Throughout the entire month, we have a powerful opportunity to act for humane migration policy while the world is watching what Francis will do and say.
While we have a variety of learn-pray-advocate options below, our priorities include:
Sign Up and Report-Back: Please help us more effectively engage with you during IFAM by letting us know how you plan to participate, and sending a report back form for any advocacy meetings completed.
Elevate the conversation and help others learn about the issue by hosting educational events in conjunction with Pope Francis’s visit to Mexico February 12-18 or throughout the month of February. Find ways to include the voices of the marginalized including undocumented students and community members.
Join the Ignatian family in praying for families threatened by deportation and for wisdom for leaders in Congress. Host or intention a mass or prayer service during the week of February 12-18 and invite members of the campus community (and beyond!) to join you in prayer.
Liturgy Resources:
Prayer Resources:
1. Schedule In-District Visits With Your Members of Congress
Establishing and continuing relationships with your Senators and Representatives is crucial to advocating for justice. As both representatives and members of your communities, every Senator and Representative has an office – often multiple offices – in their home states. Visits to these offices are an impactful way to speak, neighbor to neighbor, with representatives and let them know why and how migration policy impacts your community. Your Congresspersons will be in-distrct February 15-20, and we encourage you to book your meeting(s) for that week if possible.
How To Schedule Your IFAM Meeting
IFAM 2016 Migration Talking Points (Updated 1.19.16)
IFAM Legislative Advocacy Meeting Task Sheet
Advocacy 101 Training Guide
More Immigration Resources
2. Sign the Humane Migration Policy Sign-On Letter (And Encourage Your Campus to Join You!)
Join fellow members of the Ignatian network in calling on the 55 alumni of Jesuit universities and high schools serving in Congress to support humane immigration policies. Our goal is 5,000 signatures; will you be one of them?
Gather signatures at your events! Download the IFAM 2016 Sign-On Letter Handout
Learn more about current migration policy and ways to organize around the Pope’s visit to Mexico/Ignatian Family Advocacy Month. Join ISN and the Jesuit Conference on Monday, January 27 at 4pm ET for a policy briefing/organizing call.
Facebook Post
We invite you to join us for [ACTIVITY TITLE AND DESCRIPTION] on [DATE].
This [ACTIVITY TITLE] is being held in conjunction with Ignatian Family Advocacy Month (IFAM), a national prayer, education, and advocacy effort that unites Jesuit and other Catholic institutions in the call for humane migration policies. You can learn more about IFAM and the efforts taking place across the country at ignatiansolidarity.net/ifam.
Please see “logos” tab to add accompanying IFAM image to your post.
Tweets
We’re joining #IFAM16, a nationwide advocacy movement for humane #migration policies | #educate #pray #advocate | ignatiansolidarity.net/ifam
Join me in asking #Jesuit educated members of Congress to support humane #migration policies! #IFAM16 | Sign: ignatiansolidarity.net/ifam
We stand with #Pope #Francis in asking for more humane #migration policies. #IFAM16
We’re meeting with [CONGRESSPERSON HANDLE] to talk about #migration as part of #IFAM16
Please see “memes” tab for additional meme options for Twitter.
Sign ISN’s Humane Migration Policy Letter to Congress
Dear Member of Congress:
We write to you today as members of a national network of Jesuit institutions, inspired by Pope Francis’s prophetic global leadership.
This month Pope Francis will make his first official trip to Mexico, which includes an historic visit to the U.S.- Mexico border. His presence there will highlight the violence, extreme poverty and human rights violations that have forced so many people to flee their homes on a perilous search for safety and freedom abroad. The Pope’s visit to the border will serve to remind the U.S. of the inherent dignity of the 11 million humans living in our country without documentation. These are our neighbors—people who make invaluable contributions to our communities and economy, but who are nonetheless forced to live in the shadows of society.
In solidarity with Pope Francis, we ask that you commit to humane policies that respond to the realities of our hemisphere. We urge you to support legislative actions that:
In the Jesuit tradition of serving those in need, we call on you to respond to Pope Francis’s historic action by working for migration policies that respect the rights and dignity of both immigrants and refugees.
Gather signatures for this sign-on letter at your events! Download the IFAM 2016 Sign-On Letter Handout