Category Archives: General

Faith Leaders confront 287g

This is a presentation delivered by Rev. Gary Henderson and actress Rocio Martinez to faith leaders in the community. This presentation depicts everyday events in Nashville and urges clergy to get involved in comprehensive immigration reform and to communicate to their churches, synagogues and mosques the effect that 287g is having on families. The Davidson [...]

Holland man agrees to stop handling immigration documents

but denies he improperly represented himself
By Nate Reens | The Grand Rapids Press
January 28, 2010, 9:50PM
HOLLAND — A notary public accused of acting as a qualified immigration attorney has agreed to stop preparing and submitting immigration-related documents as part of a settlement, court records show.
Elias Cruz Ortiz, 77, denied all allegations that he improperly [...]

Haitian TPS Clinic

Please save the date, March 6, 2010
On that date there will be a (note new location:  Lansing) legal clinic sponsored by MIRP, Diocese of Kalamazoo IAP, and the Immigration Law Clinic at UD Mercy, among others, to assist eligible Haitians in filing for Temporary Protected Status.  More information about location and how to make an [...]

JFON Year in Review

JFON publishes its Year in Review Letter summarizing their work in 2009.  This report includes two client success stories, summary of special projects, new case statistics and funding data.
To View:  2009-e-letter

JFON begins Know Your Rights Outreach

JFON has finally gained access to the ICE Detention Facility in Calhoun County to conduct Know Your Rights presentations to detainees.  This outreach program is funded by grants from the UMCOR Immigration and Refugees Ministries and the Michigan State Bar Foundation (Administration of Justice Grant).   JFON Attorney Liz Balck makes monthly visits to the [...]

Chaos - 75 miles from the Border

Carl Shusterman writes: “On arriving at my office on Monday, December 28, 2009, I was informed that one of my clients and her family were being detained by CBP Officers at an inland checkpoint. I immediately called her on her cell phone, and spent the rest of the day in an effort to explain to [...]

No Samaritans Allowed: U.S. Prohibits Helping Migrants

By: Miguel De La Torre
Posted: Monday, October 12, 2009 5:55 am 
Section: Columns on Culture and Media
Why is it that the United Statesprohibits me from being faithful in following my Lord and Savior‘s admonishment to imitate the example of the Good Samaritan?(Luke 10:29-37)

During my time in the desert, while walking the migrant trails with food and water [...]

Keeping the Dream Alive:

Resource Guide for Undocumented Students
NCLR designed this student-friendly resource handbook to help undocumented students better prepare for postsecondary education options and, in particular, a college degree. The guide presents information on state-level initiatives which offer in-state tuition to undocumented students as well as information on the “Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.” [...]

JFON Fundrasing Events Raise $5,000

Events in Holland and Grand Rapids last week raised over $5,000 to support the legal services clinic.  Sixty-five people filled Herrick District Library in Holland and nearly fifty people attended an evening event in the Parlor of First United Methodist Church in Grand Rapids to hear Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre speak about current [...]

Death in Desert

EDITORIAL
It’s time the U.S. take steps to keep thousands of migrants from dying attempting to cross into this country.
LA Times - October 29, 2009
Operation Gatekeeper started in October 1994, focusing federal border security efforts on the five-mile stretch from the Pacific Ocean to San Ysidro. Within three years, the budget of the old Immigration and [...]