Something you can do

from MCC:

Haiti Needs Temporary Protection Status

Issue: On January 12 Haiti was a hit by a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake. The quake hit close to the capital city of Port Au Prince, affecting up to three million people according to the Red Cross. Details of the human cost are still unclear but some estimates put the death toll in the tens of thousands.

Background: Mennonite Central Committee is responding to the disaster through emergency aid and the U.S. government, along with other aid agencies, has pledged support to the Haitian people.

President Obama in a speech on Wednesday morning said, "Let me just say that this is a time when we are reminded of the common humanity that we all share. With just a few hundred miles of ocean between us and a long history that binds us together, Haitians are neighbors of the Americas and here at home. So we have to be there for them in their hour of need."

In addition to emergency relief efforts, the U.S. government can take another important step to help the Haitian people in their "hour of need." The Obama administration can immediately grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians already in the United States. TPS would allow immigrants who are unable to safely return to their home country - because of ongoing conflict, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions - to extend their stay in the United States on a temporary basis.

In 2008, tropical storm Gustav and hurricanes Hanna and Ike caused more than $1 billion in damages in Haiti - the equivalent of 15% of the country's GDP - destroying crops, washing out roads and bridges and killing an estimated 800 people. According to USAID, approximately 35,000-40,000 people were left homeless and over 100,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Haiti has still not recovered from these storms and the earthquake just compounds the problem.

Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants already living in the United States will help in the recovery effort. There are an estimated 30,000 Haitians in the U.S. facing the threat of deportation. TPS status would allow them to apply for temporary work authorization and the money they send home would assist in Haiti's recovery.

Action: Send a letter to President Obama and urge him to immediately grant TPS for Haiti.

---

Alert prepared by Theo Sitther, Legislative Associate for International Affairs and Tammy Alexander, Legislative Associate for Domestic Affairs.

And now a word from our sponsor.

MCC occasionally sends alerts for action opportunities in the U.S., so here's an easy way for you to make a difference in the world:

Dec. 7 - National Interfaith Immigration Conference Call: This year we have seen an unprecedented number of people of faith come out in support of just and humane comprehensive immigration reform. From over 170 prayer vigils in February to hundreds of other events in April through November, people of faith have helped sound the urgent call for reform legislation that will protect immigrant families and provide a pathway to legalization for all undocumented immigrants. Join the National Faith and Immigration Conference Call on Monday, December 7 at 4 pm EST as we reflect on the great things that have happened in 2009, and as we look forward to the important challenges ahead of us in 2010 to urge our elected Members of Congress to support comprehensive immigration reform.

• National Interfaith Immigration Conference Call
• Monday, December 7, 4:00 pm EST
• Call-in number: 800-920-7487
• Access code: 76723736

Dec. 8 - Faith Call-in Day: While many of us are looking forward to being "home for the holidays," thousands of immigrant families are kept apart by our broken immigration system. On Tuesday, December 8, people of faith in will be calling their Members of Congress to urge their support of just and humane immigration reform that will help put immigrant families back together. Calls are particularly needed in the states of Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina.

You and your faith community can add your voices to the call for justice by calling your elected leaders on December 8. Urge them to keep families together this holiday season by supporting just and humane immigration reform. We can make a real impact as we head into 2010!

Recruit the members of your faith community and have them call your Representative and both Senators and say:

Hi, my name is _____________ and, as a person of faith, this holiday season I urge you to support legislation that will keep families together and fix a broken immigration system.

---

Alert prepared by Tammy Alexander, Legislative Associate for Domestic Affairs (Immigration, Environment, Health Care).

Since you might have found this anyway

A few weeks ago, we were asked to respond to a questionnaire as part of MCC's strategic planning process, New Wine, New Wineskins. Unbeknownst to us, our responses were to appear online here and here. (For some reason, Bryan's response posted twice.)

This should give you a sense of the types of questions MCC is asking itself when it looks to the future, as well as some of our thoughts in brief about our experience here.