"We are appalled by the increasing militarization of the border areas and the reports of rising migrant deaths, detentions of immigrants without due process, and violence against people attempting to cross the Mexican desert into the United States, "said Rev. Phil Lawson, a United Methodist minister and co-founder of BAJI. "As African Americans, we understand the racism and scapegoating directed towards immigrants that are prevalent in U.S. society today."
The tour is led by Rev. Lawson, who a also a co-founder and co-chair of the California Interfaith Coalition for Immigrant Rights and Rev. Kelvin Sauls, an immigrant from South African who is a BAJI co-founder and the Director of Congregational Development for the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church. The delegates include a cross section of the African Americans from six states and ten cities, including ministers and representatives of faith-based organizations, labor representatives, academics, political leaders, and community activists.
The delegation will meet with human rights activists, representatives of faith communities, labor organizations, county officials and elected leaders, and representatives of Native American tribes in Arizona. The group will also travel to Mexico to meet with human rights activists, representatives of faith communities, and migrants preparing to cross the border or who have been recently deported.
Immediately after the tour, the delegation will hold a media briefing in Tucson to present its initial findings and recommendations. When the delegates return home, they will share their findings with their communities. The sponsoring organizations will also issue a full report in June that will be presented to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Migrants.
"We favor a just immigration policy that values human life, protects rights and gives immigrants a reasonable path to U.S. citizenship," said Gerald Lenoir, BAJI Coordinator. "It is in the interest of African Americans and immigrants of color to join together to fight for the social and economic justice for all people. This is our goal."
BAJI is an organization comprised of African Americans and Black immigrants founded in April 2006 to support progressive immigration reform and to engage African Americans in a dialogue about the underlying issues of race, racism and economic inequity that frame U.S. immigration policy.
BAJI and Coalicíon de Derechos Humanos are members of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, a national organization composed of local coalitions and immigrant, refugee, community, religious, civil rights and labor organizations and activists.
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