Ideas for taking action on immigrant and refugee issues
Feel free to contact any member of the Immigrant and Refugee Justice Team for more information on any of these:
Get engaged. Sign up for one or more newsletters that will keep you informed about action opportunities. Write or call your legislators about issues affecting immigrants and our communities. Participate in demonstrations to show the depth of public concern.
Participate in witness and accompaniment work. The Burlington Area Clergy 4 Justice hosts monthly interfaith vigils at the ICE offices in Burlington (called Jericho Walks) to protest current government policy and show solidarity with those detained inside. Other groups provide witness at detention centers, write letters of support, raise funds for bond and legal fees, provide family support, and more. Contact UU Mass Action to learn more.
Volunteer to help recently arrived immigrants and refugees. Three organizations doing good work are the Lexington Refugee Assistance Program (LexRAP), the International Institute of New England (IINE), and English at Large.
Support a non-profit working on behalf of immigrant justice. Two of the most active and effective ones in Massachusetts are the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) and the Massachusetts chapter of the ACLU. Join as a member. Send them a donation. Sign up for their newsletter.
Donate to organizations working with refugees around the world. The New York Times in 2017 published a helpful overview of organizations providing assistance to refugees.
If you’d like to be notified when there are action opportunities (demonstrations, vigils, reasons to write your legislators, etc.), please ask to be put on our mailing list by writing us at immigrants@hancockchurch.org.