Advocate for relief from deportation & detention!
Pope Francis
I’m in Bolivia with a delegation to meet Pope Francis! I’m here as a representative of our immigrant youth movement and to ask that he use his power to advocate on behalf of the undocumented community.
This is a pretty big deal.
Pope Francis is the leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics all over the world -- that’s 3 times as many people who live in this country! No wonder he’s been named one of the most influential people in the world. This means what the Pope says carries a lot of weight and can make a huge difference. That’s why I’m using this opportunity to hand deliver the letter below to him, and I want to deliver your signature and story too!
Tell Pope Francis: join us in advocating for relief from deportation and detention for undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Sponsored by
To:
Pope Francis
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Supreme Pontiff Francis,
This fall during your visit to the USA, I kindly request for you to speak on behalf of millions of undocumented Catholics who have been silenced by the unjust and inhumane immigration system in the USA. Currently, at least 5 million immigrants anxiously wait for relief from deportation through an executive action taken by President Barack Obama. However, a politically motivated lawsuit brought by Republican Governors and Attorney Generals has stalled progress in our communities. I pray that you would speak out publicly during your visit to the USA against the immoral acts of hurting millions to gain political power.
I also am aware of your visit to a prison during your visit in Philadelphia. The USA incarcerates more people than any other country in the world. I am grateful to you for speaking on behalf of countless families that have been broken because of our (in)justice system that disproportionately targets the young, poor, and people of color. I kindly ask for you to also speak on behalf of the over 34,000 people who are detained in immigration detention centers every day for seeking a better life in the USA. Some of those detained include pregnant women, children, families, and LGBTQ people seeking asylum. Every day in detention is a nightmare, and detainees in the USA endure torture, lack of life saving medical care, and endless abuse in detention. For example, transgender women are 13 times more likely to be raped or sexually harassed than other populations in detention. Children live under conditions inside so called family detentions that are deplorable.
Finally, members of the immigrant rights movement in the USA would like to invite you to meet with Catholic undocumented immigrants. We would be honored to take you to see for yourself the deplorable conditions faced by our family members, neighbors, and friends inside the detention system in the USA. I am sure your itinerary must be full, but your voice can change the debate on whether immigrants deserve dignity and human rights in the USA.
Thank you for your advocacy on issues impacting the world, millions of immigrants hope to hear your voice against the oppression and unjust system that have been created to infringe on our human dignity.