Michigan Uniting for Immigration Reform

This is a guest post from Raquel Garcia Andersen, an Immigrant Rights Organizer with Michigan United.

On Saturday, March 23, 2013, Michigan United (formerly the Alliance for Immigrants Rights & Michigan Organizing Project) hosted over 500 community members, families, and students from all across Michigan at our statewide convention. Comprehensive immigration reform strategy was a major focus of the event, and leaders from Kalamazoo, Flint, Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Hartford, Fennville, and Sturgis all committed to take action together. Keynote addresses were delivered by Congressman John Conyers and State Representative Rashida Tlaib.

Immigrant rights activists are joining together to make 2013 the year we fight for our families -- families like Victoria's. Victoria's family is being torn apart slowly. Her husband, Arturo, was detained in November for accidently turning the wrong way on a one-way street. He is waiting for a deportation reversal in California as he was deported in absencia. He cannot begin to deal with his case in Michigan until that is resolved. It has been almost five months. Victoria is doing everything she can to work and maintain her family while her husband has become a desaparecido in our own immigration system.

I am making a commitment to help Victoria. I stand with her as she and her family have stood for Detroit. The moment is now and we must act during this Easter recess to do all that we can do to get our voices heard on immigration reform. I am asking that you join me for a prayer vigil for her husband and family that she is desperatly trying to keep together.

I am asking that you look deep inside and ask yourself, "Do you value families and what are you willing to fight for?" Please do not stand on the side lines.

-Raquel Garcia Andersen, Immigrant Rights Organizer with Michigan United