OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Red de Pastores y Líderes Latinos del Sur de California

(Southern California Latino Pastors and Leaders Network)

Comprehensive and Humane Immigration Reform

We greet you, President Barack Obama, at the inception of your presidency and pray that the Lord and God, sole creator of faith, justice, liberty, and love of neighbor will be with you during your time leading the United States of America.

The Red de Pastores y Líderes Latinos del Sur de California, representing 1200 churches and close to 150,000 people, asks that one of your principal objectives during the first year of your administration be to promote a comprehensive and humane immigration reform for the millions of undocumented that already live and work in this country. They are a part of our social fabric and contribute with their labor to the growth of this great nation that they admire and respect.

Aware of the commitment you made with our community during your election campaign, we make ours your proposal of working in bipartisan fashion toward objectives like immigration reform.

The whole country has witnessed how raids against the undocumented have sunk hundreds of thousands of families into fear and desolation, breaking them up and deporting the parents of American citizens. This has left these children orphaned all because of the inability of legislators and government to arrive at a viable solution. Therefore, we earnestly request that your administration suspend all raids until comprehensive immigration reform is approved.

We commit ourselves to mobilize our churches and influence our legislators to support your initiative to reform a broken immigration system. We also commit ourselves to intercede before the Creator on behalf of your administration, so that it can effectively address the multiple issues facing the US population.

May the Lord bless you with the rich blessings of the life of the Christ child. Attached find a Christmas short (in Spanish). correcaballito

I invite you to read an excellent article about those who cut the Christmas trees we have in our homes. Carrying the Crosses of Christmas invites us, once again, to consider the work that others do so that we can have the things that we enjoy during Christmas.

PDF File: Cross of Christmas

You are invited to celebrate International Human Rights Day on December 10 at Placita Olvera in Los Angeles. At 10AM there will be a program to begin Know Your Rights week, an effort to help immigrants know their rights. During the program Know Your Rights cards will be handed out to immigrants so that they can know what to do if they are stopped by an immigrant agent. The goal is to distribute these cards throughout Los Angeles through churches and other agencies. You are invited to celebrate Human Rights Day and to help immigrants know their rights!