Loving Our Immigrant Families

“You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19

 
 

Taking Action with Love, Courage, Justice and Mercy

We live in a nation comprised of immigrants, and as followers of Christ, we have dual citizenship. We are responsible for loving the stranger and demonstrating the same loving mercy Christ provided and continues to offer us daily.

ABCNJ is committed to equipping our churches with resources to help our pastors and leaders respond with love and mercy to the needs of immigrant families in our communities. We understand that immigration, displacement and migration involves more than just the reasons and mechanics of moving to a new place; it is also about life in that new setting. Therefore, supporting, nurturing, and providing resources for our leaders and congregations to “welcome the stranger,” love God, and love people is at the heart of everything we do.

Below, we have included resources that provide guidance and support in navigating the complexities faced by immigrant families. We hope that these resources will empower church leaders to offer compassionate assistance, whether through legal aid, community support, education, pastoral care, or counseling.

  • The mission of Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors is to honor and support parents as leaders of their families and their child’s first and most influential teacher. https://ap-od.org/2019/03/24/immigration-know-your-rights/

  • Al Otro Lado - provides holistic legal and humanitarian support to refugees, deportees, and other migrants in the US and Tijuana through a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based practice. https://alotrolado.org

  • American Immigration Council strives to strengthen the United States by shaping immigration policies and practices through innovative programs, cutting-edge research, and strategic legal and advocacy efforts grounded in evidence, compassion, justice, and fairness. https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org

  • Church World Service is a faith-based organization transforming communities around the globe through just and sustainable responses to hunger, poverty, displacement and disaster.https://cwsglobal.org/mission-vision-values/

  • Como Nacidos Entre Nosotros somos individuos, organizaciones, iglesias  y comunidades del continente  Americano que actuamos inspirados  bajo el modelo de Jesús, para acoger, integrar, defender a las personas migrantes en movilidad humana y sus derechos .https://www.comonacidoentrenosotros.org

  • Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) is the refugee resettlement and migration ministry of The Episcopal Church. https://episcopalmigrationministries.org

  • Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) works with and educates immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. https://www.ilrc.org

  • National Immigration Justice Center its mission is to establish and defend the legal rights of immigrants regardless of background and transform the immigration system to one that affords equal opportunity for all. https://immigrantjustice.org/know-your-rights/mass-deportation-threats?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

  • Refugee Council USA, Advocates for the rights and protection of all forcibly displaced people. https://rcusa.org

  • The Evangelical Immigration Table exists to encourage distinctly biblical thinking about issues of immigration, providing discipleship resources focused on immigration from a biblical and missional perspective as well as advocating for public policies consistent with biblical values. https://evangelicalimmigrationtable.com

  • The Migration Policy Institute is an independent, nonpartisan think tank that seeks to improve immigration and integration policies through authoritative research and analysis, opportunities for learning and dialogue, and the development of new ideas to address complex policy questions. https://www.migrationpolicy.org/about/about-migration-policy-institute

  • The National Immigration Law Center advances and defends the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. https://www.nilc.org

  • UNHCR protects people forced to flee their homes as well as stateless persons. https://www.unhcr.org/what-we-do

  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the federal agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. We are a component of the Department of Homeland Security. https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/mission-and-core-values/what-we-do

  • USA Facts Our entire mission is to provide you with facts about the United States that are rooted in data. https://usafacts.org/about-usafacts/

  • We Are All America works to uphold and strengthen our nation’s commitment to welcome and protect those seeking freedom, safety and refuge in the United States. We organize people across religious and cultural differences to build inclusive communities where we all belong. https://weareallus.org