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2020 Highlights and Director of CAFEMIN, a Shelter for Immigrants Locat- Colombia Ed in Mexico City, She Joined Our Event from Mexico

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2020 Highlights and Director of CAFEMIN, a Shelter for Immigrants Locat- Colombia Ed in Mexico City, She Joined Our Event from Mexico Building Bridges - Connecting Communities So much of what we have been through this past year and the things we have accomplished were captured in the words of our guest speaker at this year's Annual Gather- ing, Sister María Magdalena Silva Rentería. The founder 2020 Highlights and Director of CAFEMIN, a shelter for immigrants locat- Colombia ed in Mexico City, she joined our event from Mexico. We McGovern-Pocan “Dear Colleague” letter to Sec. of turned the challenge of State Pompeo: As part of our participation in the na- COVID, which limited our tional Colombia Steering Committee, CRLN staff and face-to-face interactions, into members convinced 9 U.S. Representatives from Illinois the advantage of a virtual to sign onto this letter, 1/10 of the national total of 94 gathering, making it easier to Congressional signatures! The letter called on Pompeo to have our friends from abroad urge the Duque Admin- join us. Sr. María Magdalena istration to recommit to shared with us her stories of implementing the historic providing shelter and sup- 2016 peace accords; to port for immigrants, as well as her analysis of the issues protect Colombia’s endan- underlying the crisis of migration and action suggestions gered human rights de- for how we can respond in this critical moment. Her ex- fenders; to dismantle the periences were very relevant to our sanctuary efforts, our paramilitary successor net- work with migrants’ rights and our solidarity work with works; and to hold ac- communities in Central America and beyond. countable Colombian Ar- my intelligence units who If you missed our Annual Gathering, you can planned and carried out watch it on YouTube in English at surveillance on 130 jour- https://bit.ly/2020CRLNEnglish or in nalists, political leaders, judges, human rights defenders, Spanish at https://bit.ly/CRLN2020Spanish and military whistleblowers with U.S.-provided equip- ment. Cuba Chicago City Council Resolution to end the embargo against Cuba: CRLN is part of a city wide campaign to pass a resolution in the Chicago City Council in favor of normalizing relations with Cuba. Sixteen aldermen are in support of Resolution R2020-612 as of 12/9/20. Seventeen US cities have passed similar resolutions. Contact Marilyn Mckenna at [email protected] for more information to help mobilize your community to join the campaign. Cuba Webinars: Healing Our Land, Healing Ourselves Daisy Hernandez , CRLN’s summer intern from Marquette University Center for Peacemaking, put together with support from Marilyn McKenna a 3-part webinar to report on her Witness for Peace Soli- darity Collective travel experience in Cuba. All CRLN staff participat- ed in rehearsals and technical support as we all learned how to do a webinar. She received a Heidkamp scholarship to participate. We have recorded each webinar and they are available on our website along with background reading for each. Urban Economics and Agriculture https://crln.org/ urbaneconomicsandagriculture/ U.S.-Cuba Relations, Cooperatives and Community https:// crln.org/uscubarelationscooperativescommunity/ Healthcare System: Clients or Patients? https://crln.org/ healthcaresystemclientsorpatients/ Immigration & Central America Stopping the ICE Academy Honduras sign-on letter and action alert: In re- This past summer, CRLN, The St. Louis Interfaith Com- sponse to an appeal by Garifuna leader Miriam Miranda, mittee on Latin America (IFCLA), CRLN signed and Organized Communities Against an International State- Deportations (OCAD) circulated a ment of Concern and Sol- national organizational sign-on letter idarity with the Garifuna directed to local, state and federal People of Honduras after authorities. More than 80 organiza- five Garifuna men were tions signed it, and we're happy to “disappeared” from the community of Triunfo de la Cruz report that it stopped ICE from run- by men who appeared to be police. We linked our mem- ning a Citizens Academy in Chicago. ICE said they were bers to a Honduras Solidarity Network (HSN) action alert delaying it until the coming spring. We will remain vigi- and were part of a national response in which 4,800 peo- lant. ple sent 9,500 emails to Honduran officials and 370 peo- ple sent 936 emails to members of Congress. CRLN is an CRLN Sanctuary Working Group active member of HSN. Despite the many challenges the pandemic has caused, it has not stopped us from working for justice. Representa- Campaign to End the Asylum Cooperative Agree- tives to CRLN’s Organizing Committee from University ments (ACAs) with Guatemala, El Salvador, and Church, Wellington Avenue UCC, Su Casa Catholic Work- Honduras: CRLN participated in this coalition of Latin er, Viatorian House of Hospitality, Bethany House of Hos- American and U.S. solidarity organizations led by NIS- pitality, Congregation Tzedek, and the Interfaith Commu- GUA. We promoted 2 webinars to inform you about the nity for Detained Immigrants have been working consequences of turning away asy- on supporting a few individuals and finding housing for lum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico bor- them. CRLN began this work a few weeks after the presi- der and deporting them to Guate- dent declared a national emergency. The group is antici- mala, El Salvador or Honduras to pating a greater need, as the Biden administration may apply for asylum there. We collect- ease some restrictions, bringing more people north. ed signatures on a petition to mem- bers of Congress and sent you a El Pueblo Canta sample email to send to your Rep- After much planning and work over the resentative requesting an end to the course of nearly a year, CRLN, Centro policy. This campaign is ongoing. Romero and Wellington Avenue UCC, held this annual concert on October 3. Given the technical Campaign for a Robust International Response to challenges, it took a lot more planning and work than an- the Pandemic: As part of a national coalition led by Ac- ticipated. The event was successful. We raised nearly tion Corps and the Center for Economic Policy Research $12,000 and had about 800 people from across the coun- (CEPR), CRLN worked through try log in to watch. The festive event called on partici- many channels to gain U.S. sup- pants to reflect on our work for immigration justice and to port for releasing Special Draw- keep hope alive, especially in this challenging time. ing Rights (SDRs), an interna- tional currency reserve intended Welcoming City Ordinance for emergency distribution dur- In early November, the Chicago Immigration Working ing economic hard times. Release Group came together once again. The pandemic had of SDRs would cost the U.S. forced most of the groups to focus on supporting issues nothing and could save many related to health and support of immigrant groups who lives. So far, nothing has passed. would not receive direct support from the The campaign is ongoing. federal government. A new opportunity to amend the Welcoming City Ordinance Pedal for Peace: Bike in Your came about. CRLN as a part of the CIWG Barrio: Faced with pandemic is now calling on the Mayor and City gathering restrictions, this year’s Council to remove the carve-outs in a Jan- planning team gave participants a uary 2021 vote. CRLN has been part of month to ride or walk in the place this work for the past five years, but it seems that we will of their choice and raise money finally have a victory on this issue. Amendments will: re- for health, education, and com- move existing exceptions to the ordinance’s broader pro- munity organizing projects in tections against immigration warrants and detainers; fur- Colombia, Central America and ther disengage city police and other agencies from federal Illinois. Incredibly, we still raised immigration enforcement; provide further assurance for around $23,000! We gathered on line to celebrate. immigrant families to seek help from city agencies. .
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