The Sanctuary and Immigrant Justice Team (SIJT) has gone through two trainings and is ready to accompany people to places they feel vulnerable due to their being immigrants or having an appearance of being an immigrant. These might be places with law enforcement presence like the courthouse or with government officials like the Motor Vehicle and Driver’s License offices. Or it might be any place where they fear they might be treated with disrespect. Let us know if you know of someone who could benefit from such accompaniment.

If you are looking for ways to support those at risk during this cruel xenophobic time, be looking out for an SIJT fundraiser. Financial assistance will be a big need as immigrant families face innumerable obstacles.

The SIJ Team is hoping to forge closer ties with other community organizations in Columbia. Como Comunidad and City of Refuge are two organizations that already have systems in place that our team, and UUCC as a whole, could plug into.

The Guatemalan family that UUCC is sponsoring in their asylum process is going through another transition time, and several people have been providing rides to the family again. We would like to thank Roger and Kathy Nettleton, Kim Ryan, Sharon Lee, Rebecca Bax, Dave Gibbons and Patty Daus for giving those rides! If you would like to be a driver and join in this way of assisting this one immigrant family, please contact Dave Gibbons at 573-864-2161 or by email.

And many thanks to Ene Chippendale for her tremendous support of the family in the last few months and to Roger Nettleton for his tremendous support of the family all the time.

Finally, you have probably heard about the local case of Owen Ramsingh who was detained in Chicago on his way back into the U.S. after having visited family abroad. Not only did ICE detain him in Chicago, they transported him to an ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas. This cruel and unjust treatment of moving detainees around the country makes it very difficult and challenging for their families and their attorneys. Owen is a permanent U.S. resident and Green Card holder and should be back in Columbia with his family and friends. You can learn more about him here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/9gb4kr-support-for-owen.

Please contact us if you would like to get involved, if you would like more information, or if you have any questions.

Sanctuary and Immigrant Justice Team Co-Chairs:
Allie Gassmann – email
Dave Gibbons – email