Letter to Secretary Napolotano, Continued

New York State November 22, 2011 Interfaith Network for Secretary Janet Napolitano Immigration Reform U.S. Department of Homeland Security Co-Chairs: Washington, D.C. 20528 Josefa Castro Catholic Charities, Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens Cc: Cecilia Munoz, Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Rev. Michael Ellick Judson Memorial Church Dear Secretary Napolitano: Director: Dr. Diane Steinman We are faith leaders from across the United States, representing a broad Steering Committee: range of America’s faith traditions. We write in a spirit of gratitude and collaboration as the Obama Administration and the Department of P. Adem Carroll Homeland Security develop guidelines for the new policy announced this Muslim Traditionalist-Progressive Alliance past August that supports increased prosecutorial discretion in the Jacki Esposito deportation of immigrants. New York Immigration Coalition

Rabbi Michael Feinberg We are deeply thankful that certain immigrants who have family and other Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition ties within the United States and its communities will be recognized for the Ellen Greeley productive, non-threatening people they are, and may benefit from an Interfaith Center of New York exercise of discretion. This is an important step along the road to just and Rev. Mark Hallinan, S.J. humane immigration reform, and is an example of the commitment to justice St. Mary of the Assumption and and fairness that immigration communities had been led to anticipate from Our Lady of Carmel President Obama and members of his administration. Minister Patricia Malcolm Churches United to Save and Heal We write now to urge that immigrants with prior convictions not be Betsy Palmieri categorically excluded from consideration for an exercise of discretion. The Hudson Valley Community Coalition We are all sensitive to and concerned about the safety needs of our Annie Rawlings, M. Div. communities, and therefore do not seek to forestall all deportations of Interfaith Center of New York immigrants with prior convictions. However, we are also deeply aware of Dr. Sarah Sayeed the many people in our communities, both immigrants and citizens, who Interfaith Center of New York have been convicted of crimes and have gone on to contribute to their Michael Schmidt communities and live fruitful, productive lives. Many immigrants in this AJC, New York category are long-time lawful permanent residents and have citizen spouses and children. Some have become leaders in their communities. We believe Rev. Gary Wiley Trinity Grace Church that those who have strong family and community ties, and who are productive members of society, should be eligible for an exercise of *In partnership with discretion that will allow them to remain in the United States.

The New York Immigration Coalition To exclude immigrants with prior convictions from the possibility of The Hudson Valley Community Coalition benefiting from prosecutorial discretion goes against all that we in the faith community understand about redemption, forgiveness, human growth, and reconciliation. In addition, it exposes those who have “paid” for their convictions through an experience of incarceration to a kind of double jeopardy of punishment. Such a practice runs contrary not only to widely- shared principles of faith, but also to American principles of justice and human rights.

We make our recommendation mindful of the need among us for hope and safety, as well as the protection of family and community ties wherever it is possible to protect them, and ultimately, for an immigration system that is realistic, just and1 humane. We make our recommendation mindful of the need among us for hope and safety, as well as the protection of family and community ties wherever it is possible to protect them, and, ultimately, for an immigration system that is realistic, just and humane.

Very truly yours,

Josefa Castro, Catholic Charities of Brooklyn and Queens Rev. Michael Ellick, Judson Memorial Church Co-chairs Dr. Diane Steinman Director The New York State Interfaith Network for Immigration Reform

On behalf of the following organizations and individuals:

American Jewish Committee American Jewish Committee, Cincinnati, OH American Jewish Committee, Cleveland, OH American Jewish Committee, New Jersey American Jewish Committee, New York Angel G. Diaz, NY, NY Anita C. Hill, Saint Paul, MN Ann Kane, Windsor, CN Annabelle K. Garrett, New York, NY Annie Rawlings, M. Div, New York, NY Apostles Church NYC, New York, NY Asha Berry, Chicago,IL Assiata Bamba, New York, NY Assunta M. Riley, Nashua, NH Benedictine Sisters of Baltimore, Lutherville, MD Betsy DeWitt, New York, NY Betsy Palmieri, Executive Director, Hudson Valley Community Coalition, NY Betty McElhill, Tucson, AZ Beyt Tikkun Synagogue/Network of Spiritual Progressives, Berkeley, CA Bishop Orlando Findlayter, Chairman, Churches United to Save and Heal (CUSH), New York, NY Bruce Ellis Benson, Wheaton, IL Gregory Yaroslow, San Bernardino, CA Catherine Fitzgibbon, CSJ, Brentwood, NY Catholic Charities Community Services, New York, NY Cindy Schlosser, Tucson, AZ Claire Whitney, Chicago, IL Coalicion de Lideres Latinos-CLILA, Dalton, GA

2 Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY Council for Social Justice, Islamic Circle of North America, Jamaica, NY Craig Wong, San Francisco, CA Denise Granger, SSJ, Springfield, MA Detention Dialogues, a project of Santa Clara University's Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education, Santa Clara, CA Disciples Justice Action Network, Annapolis, MD Dr. Catherine Martin, NJ Dr. Erin Lothes Biviano, Morristown, NJ Dr. Margaret Roman, Morristown, NJ Eileen Keating, Morristown NJ Eileen McGrory, Bronx, NY Elisabeth Ellor, New York, NY Elizabeth Volz, Durango, CO Eric Guy, Brooklyn, NY Exodus Transitional Community, New York, NY Father Brian Jordan, OFM, New York, NY Fellowship of Reconciliation, Nyack, NY Fr. John Olenick, C.Ss.R., Philadelphia, PA Franciscan Action Network, Washington, DC Gaella ElanRah, Bayfield, CO Gideon Aronoff, President & CEO, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), New York, NY H. S. Power & Light Ministries – Latino Faith Initiative, Denver, CO Hansdeep Singh, New York, NY Hesham El-Meligy, Staten Island, NY House of Restoration Church of Staten Island, NY, Staten Island, NY Imam Shamsi Ali, Jamaica, NY Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, Denver, CO Isa Kocher, Debruce NY Ishmael Wallace, New York, NY Islamic Circle of North America--National Office, Jamaica, NY Israel "Izzy" Vega, West Covina, CA Jack Lohr, Mount Kisco, NY Jane Bourhill, Morristown, NJ Jane Leatherman Van Praag, Williamson County, TX Janice Cebula, OSF, Clinton, IA Jean Amore, CSJ, Brentwood, NY Jennifer Narciso, Clifton, NJ Jewish Community Action, St. Paul, MN Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines, Waukee, IA Jewish Labor Committee Western Region, Los Angeles, CA Jewish Reconstructionist Federation, Cleveland, OH John J. Mawhinney, MBA. PhD, Merion Station, PA Joshua W.C. Cutler, Washington Township, NJ

3 Joyce Frohn, Oshkosh, WI Judith Berling, Berkeley, CA Karen Leahy, New York NY Kerry M. Handal CSJ, Brentwood, NY Kevin Kummer, Iowa City, IA Laraine Mai, New Paltz, NY Leadership Team of the Franciscan Sisters of Peace, Haverstraw, NY Linda Franz-Ankrom, RN, BSN, Stillwater, NJ Linda Scherzinger, New York, NY Little Sisters of the Assumption, New York, NY Mariela Urena, Morrristown NJ Martin Tandler, New York, NY Mary Ellen Foley, Manchester, NH May Cronin, RSM, Nashua, NH Methodist Federation for Social Action, Washington, DC Moira A. Phelan-Dziomba, Mendham, NJ Muslim Consultative Network, New York, NY Muslim Progessive-Traditionalist Alliance, New York, NY Nancy Olthoff, Iowa City, IA Nancy Roberson, Muscatine, IA National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Staten Island, NY Network of Spiritual Progressives, Berkeley, CA New Sanctuary Coalition of NYC, NY New Sanctuary Movement, Milwaukee, WI New York Province of the Society of Jesus, New York, NY New York Yearly Meeting, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), New York, NY Newland Smith, Evanston, IL North Texas Conference of United Methodist Women, Dallas, TX Onleilove Alston, New York, NY Park Avenue Christian Church, New York, NY Pastor Agnes Campbell Saffoury, Sloatsburg, NY Pastor Gilana Kouptsova, Olive Tree Ministries, Boston, MA Professor Alan A. Aja, Ph.D., Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY Rabbi Alan Iser, Wynnewood, PA Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Philadelphia, PA Rabbi Brian Walt, West Tisbury, MA. Rabbi Carl Choper, Harrisburg, PA Rabbi Douglas E. Krantz, Armonk, NY Rabbi Dr Katherine Hans Von Rotes Schild Zilte, San Francisco, CA Rabbi Ellen Lippmann, Brooklyn, NY Rabbi Eric M. Solomon, Raleigh, NC Rabbi Jordie Gerson, New Haven, CT Rabbi Lawrence, Teaneck, NJ Rabbi Michael Lerner, Chair, the Network of Spiritual Progressives Rabbi Michael E. Feinberg, New York, NY Rabbi Rebecca Alpert, Philadelphia, PA

4 Ramatu Ahmed, Bronx, NY Ratan Barua, Woodhaven, NY Ratna Karmakar, Piscataway, NJ Rev Craig Roshaven, Fort Worth, TX Rev. Alan P. Sherouse, New York, NY Rev. Angel P. Suárez-Valera, Louisville, KY Rev. Ann M. Kansfield, Brooklyn, NY Rev. Bonnie Faith-Smith, Cambridge, MA Rev. Brad Learmonth, New York, NY Rev. Bruce Southworth, New York, NY Rev. Charles H. Straut, Jr., DMin, New York, NY Rev. Chloe Breyer, New York, NY Rev. Christian Iosso, Ph.D., Louisville, KY Rev. Deanna Stickley-Miner, Columbus, OH Rev. Dr. John A. Nelson, Niantic, CT Rev. Dr. Linda Olson Peebles, Arlington, VA Rev. Dr. Michael Tino, Mount Kisco, NY Rev. Dr. Philip S. Gittings, Buffalo, NY Rev. Ephraim Garcia, Staten Island, NY Rev. Jean Alexander, Auburndale, MA Rev. John Carl Bowers, Wurtsboro, NY Rev. John T. Pawlikowski, OSM, Ph.D, Chicago, IL Rev. Joyce Antila Phipps, Esq., Middletown, NJ Rev. Kenneth J. Thomas, New York, NY Rev. María Isabel Santiviago, New York, NY Rev. Mark Hallinan, S.J., Staten Island, N.Y. Rev. Nancy Solomonson, Decorah, IA Rev. Neil J. O'Connell, O.F.M., New York, NY Rev. Paul M. Shultz, City, IA Rev. Robert B. Coleman, The Riverside Church, New York, NY Rev. Ronald Whitlatch, New York, NY Rev. Terrence McCarthy, Hanover, PA Rev. William G. Britton, Lynbrook, NY Reverend Elizabeth Alexander, New York, NY Reverend Karen Tse, Geneva, Switzerland Rhoda Linton, Newfield, NY Robert Mendelson, Leipsic, Delaware Robert Teixeira, L.C.S.W., New York, NY Roberta Mulcahy, SSJ, Springfield, MA Rosemarie Pace, New York, NY Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara, New York, NY Roxanne Smith, Maple Grove, MN Saadia Ahmad, Providence, RI Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence, Stony Point, NY Sister Carol Boschert. O'Fallon, MO Sister Gabriel Mary Donahue, Ph.D, Morristown, NJ

5 Sister Kathryn King, FSP, New York, NY Sister M. Johanna Rickl, CHM, Davenport, IA Sister Marilyn Jean Hagedorn, Des Moines, IA Sister Rosalie Carven, CSJ, Brentwood, NY Sister Sandra Rodemyer, Urbandale, IA Sister Santussika, Los Altos Hills, CA Sisters of Charity Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dubuque, IA Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community, Belmont, NC Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Louis, MO Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, Washington, DC Sr. Frances E. Barber, Bland, VA St. Mary’s Parish, New York, NY Steve Gude, Des Moines, IA Steven Yong Lee, Brooklyn, NY Susan Karlson, Staten Island, NY Teri Corso, Morristown, NJ Terry Irish, Minneapolis, MN The Collaborative Center for Justice, Hartford, CT The Interfaith Center of New York, New York, NY The Most Rev Filipe C Teixeira, Brockton, MA The Rev. Dr. Katherine Kurs, New York, NY The Rev. Eric C. Shafer, New York, NY The Rev. Franklyn J. Bergen, Tucson, AZ The Rev. Kurt Neilson, Portland, OR The Rev. Richard Witt, Poughkeepsie, NY The Reverend David B Bell, White Swan, WA The Reverend Jan Jorgensen, Willsboro, NY Thea Martinez, New York, NY Tim Mathern, MSW, MPA, Fargo ND Tom Rothschild, Brooklyn, NY Trinity Grace Church, New York, NY Ugo Nacciarone, New York, NY Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, Washington, DC United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi, Carmel, NY WIN - the Welcoming Immigrants Network, Dallas/Fort Worth, TX Women in Islam, Inc