Members of Congress will be home for recess August 5-September 8 and will be anxious to hear how the immigration debate is playing out in their home districts. These are critical moments to raise our voices by setting up meetings with our representatives, attending town hall meetings, calling or emailing, or  organizing a postcard action campaign.

Media: Opportunities for Action

The August Recess is a good time to draw media attention to your support for just and compassionate immigration reform. Try your hand at letters-to-the-editor or op-ed pieces. Voice your support for an immigration reform that keeps families together and creates a roadmap for the 11 million aspiring Americans.

• Writing a letter to the editor is one of the most effective ways for you to reach your member of Congress.  Getting a letter to the editor published in a local newspaper is like sending hundreds of emails to Congressional offices. Write your letter in favor of immigration reform today!  
• Most daily and weekly newspapers accept op-ed pieces for publication on their opinion pages. Longer than letters to the editor, op-ed pieces generally run between 500 and 700 words.

Talking Points

As people of faith we are committed to religious teachings that remind us that the dignity of the person is at the core of our moral vision of society; that how we organize our society affects human dignity directly; and that any system that is deliberately cruel or inhumane needs to change. 

We call on Congress to pass just, compassionate immigration reform that:

• Prioritizes Family Unity 
• Provides a Pathway to Citizenship 
• Protects Refugees and Migrant Survivors of Violence
• Ensures  Workers' Rights
• Places Humanitarian Values at the Center of Enforcement Policies
• Address the Root Causes of Migration

Resources

General Resources on Immigration Reform

• Justice for Immigrants Campaign
• Interfaith Immigration Coalition
• National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.

State Specific Resources on Immigration Reform

• CLINIC's Talking Points on the benefits of comprehensive immigration reform for states.
• Partnership for a New American Economy's interactive 50-state map.

Find you Member of Congress at www.house.gov/representatives/find/

Thanks so much for raising your voice in support of a compassionate and just immigration reform that honors the contributions of migrants and refugees to our society. We promise to press on until Congress passes legislation that reflects gospel values.