Immigrant Justice Initiative
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How to reach us with questions or to volunteer: You can email us at c3himmigrant@gmail.com
How to reach us with questions or to volunteer: You can email us at c3himmigrant@gmail.com
News
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December 2022
On Dec. 16, 2022, Yeimy had her day in court to ask for asylum. Yeimy is a young transgender woman who came to us three and a half years ago from El Salvador. She had been in one of the terrible border detention centers for several months, and needed a sponsor and a bond of $5000 in order to be released.
We were worried about her ability to testify effectively on her own behalf. Individuals seeking asylum are required to show a credible fear of having to return to their home country, with specific and well documented information. Yeimy, like many survivors, has difficulty remembering specific chronological details, or talking about traumatic memories. In practice sessions, when asked the kinds of things that she would be required to answer in court, she would just smile and say she could not remember. Fortunately, one of our volunteers, Margot Sherman Jollis, won Yeimy’s confidence and helped her get her account in writing. A good friend of Yeimy’s, Florence Simon, who is also from El Salvador, was a great help in connecting us with people who could provide expert testimony on the life-threatening conditions for transgender women in El Salvador. Yeimy’s medical provider and therapist, as well as Jeanne Lemkau and Joy Mermin from the church, provided declarations which were essential to her victory.
Rev. Thom and Mary Hulett went with her to Charlotte for her hearing. The immigration court there is notoriously difficult--94% of the asylum cases heard are denied. Although the judge was very stern, she believed Yeimy’s account and the testimony about the situation in El Salvador. She said that she couldn't send Yeimy back into such conditions.
Yeimy has been granted asylum! She can work freely now without having to renew her work permit, she does not have to fear deportation to a place where her life would be in constant danger, and in a year she can apply for a green card.
There is frosting on this miracle cake -- there is a government program which makes services available to some asylum seekers similar to those provided to refugees: a social worker, some financial assistance for housing, job training, and help finding a job. We don’t yet know if Yeimy is eligible, but she has been referred for consideration.
We are all overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, and want to share this good news with you, owing you thanks as well for all the support you provided Yeimy and so many others on this journey. It wasn’t always easy!
The Talmud teaches: Whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved the whole world. Friends, you have saved Yeimy’s life, and we hope this bright victory will strengthen you, as it does us, for the work of saving other lives.
-- Text by Ruth Gibson
-- Photo by Salem Macknee
On Dec. 16, 2022, Yeimy had her day in court to ask for asylum. Yeimy is a young transgender woman who came to us three and a half years ago from El Salvador. She had been in one of the terrible border detention centers for several months, and needed a sponsor and a bond of $5000 in order to be released.
We were worried about her ability to testify effectively on her own behalf. Individuals seeking asylum are required to show a credible fear of having to return to their home country, with specific and well documented information. Yeimy, like many survivors, has difficulty remembering specific chronological details, or talking about traumatic memories. In practice sessions, when asked the kinds of things that she would be required to answer in court, she would just smile and say she could not remember. Fortunately, one of our volunteers, Margot Sherman Jollis, won Yeimy’s confidence and helped her get her account in writing. A good friend of Yeimy’s, Florence Simon, who is also from El Salvador, was a great help in connecting us with people who could provide expert testimony on the life-threatening conditions for transgender women in El Salvador. Yeimy’s medical provider and therapist, as well as Jeanne Lemkau and Joy Mermin from the church, provided declarations which were essential to her victory.
Rev. Thom and Mary Hulett went with her to Charlotte for her hearing. The immigration court there is notoriously difficult--94% of the asylum cases heard are denied. Although the judge was very stern, she believed Yeimy’s account and the testimony about the situation in El Salvador. She said that she couldn't send Yeimy back into such conditions.
Yeimy has been granted asylum! She can work freely now without having to renew her work permit, she does not have to fear deportation to a place where her life would be in constant danger, and in a year she can apply for a green card.
There is frosting on this miracle cake -- there is a government program which makes services available to some asylum seekers similar to those provided to refugees: a social worker, some financial assistance for housing, job training, and help finding a job. We don’t yet know if Yeimy is eligible, but she has been referred for consideration.
We are all overwhelmed with gratitude and joy, and want to share this good news with you, owing you thanks as well for all the support you provided Yeimy and so many others on this journey. It wasn’t always easy!
The Talmud teaches: Whoever saves a single life is considered to have saved the whole world. Friends, you have saved Yeimy’s life, and we hope this bright victory will strengthen you, as it does us, for the work of saving other lives.
-- Text by Ruth Gibson
-- Photo by Salem Macknee
September 2022
On Sept. 23, Emma's Revolution performed a benefit concert, "You Are Welcome Here,” for the Immigrant Justice Initiative.
Thanks to all the volunteers from IJI and Side With Love, we raised not only money, but also awareness of our work with immigrants . We had information tables and a reception prior to the concert which some of our Manse guests were able to attend.
Emma's Revolution is an American folk music and social activist duo, consisting of songwriters Pat Humphries and Sandy Opatow. Named after activist Emma Goldman, the group has performed at protests for peace, women's rights, labor rights, environmental protection, and other progressive causes. Their songs have been covered by various choral groups, including church choirs and labor choruses. We were thrilled that they came for this performance and drew in some concertgoers from the community. It was a rousing performance. Many thanks!
August 2022
Tania and her daughters arrived in the Manse in April. All three have received bikes and helmets, completed their COVID shots, received physical exams, been linked to pro bono dental care, been referred for trauma-related mental health care, and gone thrift shopping to pick out their own wardrobes. The girls, with no prior formal schooling, have started classes at Frank Porter Graham and attended summer school. Blanca and David recently moved in with friends.
Save the date (Friday, September 23) for an exciting concert from Emma's Revolution benefitting the Immigrant Justice Initiative! More details to come.
April 2022
Three years ago we welcomed our first refugee to the Manse. Since then we have sheltered and assisted 20 refugees or asylum seekers, and are looking forward to welcoming three more. Blanca and her 4 year-old son David have been with us since January, and will soon be joined by Tania and her daughters , ages 7 and 10. Both families are asylum-seekers from Honduras. As asylum-seekers, they do not receive any support or aid from the government.
We and our guests count on the generous help of volunteers and donors. Currently we are in need of:
January 2022
Blanca and her son David, who shared the Manse with Gaby and Oscar's family for a few months in 2021, have recently moved back into the Manse. Living there will allow Blanca to work on her legal case, apply for a work permit, and continue to learn to read and write. We’re excited to welcome them back!
Gaby, Oscar, and their family had an amazingly busy year in 2021, from Gaby and Oscar finding jobs and Sofia and Alberto returning to school in the spring to the family moving into an apartment of their own at the beginning of November!They are deeply grateful for everyone who has supported them in this journey.
For two months after Gaby and Oscar's family moved out, the Manse housed a family of nine Afghan refugees. Members of the church and the larger community came together to make sure they had warm clothes for the winter, laptops for educational purposes, lap quilts from the QUUILTERs, and medical treatment when needed. In spite of a particularly challenging language barrier, two dedicated volunteers worked hard to provide regular lessons in English as a second language. Currently the family is living in a temporary housing situation, but the refugee support agency working with them expects to have an apartment ready for them to move into very soon.
Rosa lived in the Manse from late 2020 to early 2021 after having gotten to know many members of Community Church during her time in sanctuary at Church of Reconciliation before winning her immigration case. In her time at the Manse, she received her work permit and began working full-time, allowing her to move to her own apartment! She is currently working on a case for visitation with her children, a difficulty due to the past uncertainty of her immigrant status, but her lawyer is confident in her case.
Yeimy, who moved out of the Manse in 2020, has remained in contact with us as she lives more independently and continues to form new connections in the Triangle.
Tania and her daughters arrived in the Manse in April. All three have received bikes and helmets, completed their COVID shots, received physical exams, been linked to pro bono dental care, been referred for trauma-related mental health care, and gone thrift shopping to pick out their own wardrobes. The girls, with no prior formal schooling, have started classes at Frank Porter Graham and attended summer school. Blanca and David recently moved in with friends.
Save the date (Friday, September 23) for an exciting concert from Emma's Revolution benefitting the Immigrant Justice Initiative! More details to come.
April 2022
Three years ago we welcomed our first refugee to the Manse. Since then we have sheltered and assisted 20 refugees or asylum seekers, and are looking forward to welcoming three more. Blanca and her 4 year-old son David have been with us since January, and will soon be joined by Tania and her daughters , ages 7 and 10. Both families are asylum-seekers from Honduras. As asylum-seekers, they do not receive any support or aid from the government.
We and our guests count on the generous help of volunteers and donors. Currently we are in need of:
- Spanish-speaking volunteers to help translate conversations
- Drivers to take our guests shopping, to appointments and sometimes, to their jobs.
- Volunteers to bring our guests on outings such as to a pool, a park, etc.
- Our guests generally arrive in need of medical and dental care, which is expensive. Several dentists in the area have offered pro-bono care in the past; if you are willing to ask your dentist if they can provide care for one or more of our guests, please contact us at c3himmigrant@gmail.com.
- Age-appropriate toys such as dolls or stuffed animals
- Ipad
- Financial donations help with everyday living expenses, as well as legal, medical, and dental costs. You can make a donation at https://the-community-church-of-chapel-hill-uu.square.site/iji
January 2022
Blanca and her son David, who shared the Manse with Gaby and Oscar's family for a few months in 2021, have recently moved back into the Manse. Living there will allow Blanca to work on her legal case, apply for a work permit, and continue to learn to read and write. We’re excited to welcome them back!
Gaby, Oscar, and their family had an amazingly busy year in 2021, from Gaby and Oscar finding jobs and Sofia and Alberto returning to school in the spring to the family moving into an apartment of their own at the beginning of November!They are deeply grateful for everyone who has supported them in this journey.
For two months after Gaby and Oscar's family moved out, the Manse housed a family of nine Afghan refugees. Members of the church and the larger community came together to make sure they had warm clothes for the winter, laptops for educational purposes, lap quilts from the QUUILTERs, and medical treatment when needed. In spite of a particularly challenging language barrier, two dedicated volunteers worked hard to provide regular lessons in English as a second language. Currently the family is living in a temporary housing situation, but the refugee support agency working with them expects to have an apartment ready for them to move into very soon.
Rosa lived in the Manse from late 2020 to early 2021 after having gotten to know many members of Community Church during her time in sanctuary at Church of Reconciliation before winning her immigration case. In her time at the Manse, she received her work permit and began working full-time, allowing her to move to her own apartment! She is currently working on a case for visitation with her children, a difficulty due to the past uncertainty of her immigrant status, but her lawyer is confident in her case.
Yeimy, who moved out of the Manse in 2020, has remained in contact with us as she lives more independently and continues to form new connections in the Triangle.
Previous Newsletters
August 2022 Newsletter
January 2022 Newsletter
July 2021 Newsletter
March 2021 Newsletter
December 2020 Newsletter
August 2020 Newsletter
July 2020 Newsletter
June 2020 Newsletter
January 2022 Newsletter
July 2021 Newsletter
March 2021 Newsletter
December 2020 Newsletter
August 2020 Newsletter
July 2020 Newsletter
June 2020 Newsletter
Our commitment
On February 18, 2018, Community Church of Chapel Hill voted to become a sanctuary congregation by passing the following motion:
"Be it resolved that we, the members of The Community Church of Chapel Hill, Unitarian Universalist, publicly declare our intent to be a Sanctuary Church. Before officially hosting someone in our space, we will seek to build a relationship with the sanctuary guest so that each party feels comfortable that this would be a fruitful and safe undertaking, respecting the needs and boundaries of both the individual and the congregation. Further, we dedicate ourselves to educate and activate our congregation and community, to amplify and respond to the voices of immigrant leaders, and to speak out against discrimination towards marginalized people. The Sanctuary and Immigrant Support Ministry, with and through the Minister, will provide periodic reports to the Board of Trustees regarding actions taken pursuant to this resolution."
We have since expanded our commitment to include supporting the legal, medical and personal needs of refugees, asylum seekers and immigrants in relationship with the Community Church.
Our Work
In accordance with our commitment, the Immigrant Justice Initiative has taken numerous actions, including the following:
An overview of the IJI's work can also be found in the downloadable IJI brochure here.
- The church's former parsonage, known as the Manse, has been renovated and outfitted by volunteers to create a welcoming space for immigrants in need of housing and support.
- Some 74 individuals participated in a two-hour training session geared towards understanding the history of the sanctuary movement and the needs of those agreeing to take up sanctuary.
- Congregation members regularly volunteered to support Rosa, a Honduran immigrant, while she was in sanctuary at the Church of Reconciliation. We later
provided housing for her at the Manse as she transitioned to independent living. - We hosted a dinner and awareness night in support of Syrian refugees.
- Short-term housing was provided for a number of immigrants at different points in time, including Dayana, a refugee from Cuba; Bibi, a Rohingya woman, and her son; and a family of 9 Afghan refugees.
- Two separate trips were made to the Stewart Detention Center in rural Georgia, where we could witness the inhumane conditions and talk directly to a few of those incarcerated there.
- We sponsored Yeimy, an asylum seeker from El Salvador, allowing her to be released to us after six months in detention. We paid for a portion of her bond release and provided airfare from the detention center to North Carolina. Once she arrived, we provided housing, logistic support, language services, and arrangements for medical/mental health . After living in the Manse for more than a year, Yeimy transitioned to independent living in Raleigh.
- Support (including transportation) was provided to a family of asylum seekers residing in Chatham County: Gaby, Oscar, and their two children. This family eventually came to live at the Manse and has since transitioned to independent living in an apartment in Chapel Hill. Both adults have full time jobs and the children are excelling at school.
- We contacted local congregations and organizations to find out about opportunities for partnership and collaboration and established a shared covenant with our neighboring UU congregations (Eno River UU Fellowship, UU Fellowship of Hillsborough, UU Fellowship of Raleigh, Mutual Aid Carrboro) to promise financial support, volunteer support, and moral support for Sanctuary efforts.
An overview of the IJI's work can also be found in the downloadable IJI brochure here.
our Team
