As New York State prepares its budget for 2017, members of Cabrini Immigrant Services have been reaching out to representatives to tell them the necessity of supporting services for immigrants. Last week we met with State Senator Daniel Squadron to talk about the New York State Dream Act, funding for legal services and classes for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), and the need for better translation and interpretation services at hospitals and schools. We hope that he and other elected officials hear us as we continue to advocate for our immigrant community
Cabrini Immigrant Services Honors Brigid Sullivan
Cabrini Immigrant Services hosted its 2016 annual benefit on Monday, March 14. We celebrated at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, where guests went on tours to learn about the lives of immigrants in our neighborhood over the last 120 years, including families that Mother Cabrini and the first Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart might have served. We enjoyed food from our neighborhood that represented the diverse groups that make up the Lower East Side and our community of clients.
Our honoree this year is Brigid Sullivan. Last year Brigid retired from the New York Police Department as a graded detective, but for many years she worked at the police station across the street from Columbus Community in Gramercy Park. She met the MSCs there, and soon started volunteering with Cabrini Immigrant Services. Not only has Brigid supported this mission financially, but she has also given generously of her time–driving Sister Yolanda to New Jersey and Pennsylvania to buy toys for our clients’ children, buying and preparing the food for our Christmas party, and so much more! We’re incredibly appreciative of all that Brigid has done and continues to do for us, and we were thrilled to thank her at our benefit.
Thank you to everyone who came to the benefit, and to all of you who keep us in your prayers!
Justice for Immigrants Rallies against deportation
On Tuesday, February 23, members of the Justice for Immigrants campaign at Cabrini Immigrant Services participated in an action asking President Obama to stop the raids of Central American refugees. Right after Christmas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began a spree of arresting and deporting refugees from Central America who came to the United States fleeing violence. Of all the people who have been deported since 2014, we know at least 83 have been killed in their home countries.
The February action asked President Obama and the Department of Homeland Security to treat these people like the refugees they are. At the action, several people, including our member Dennisse, spoke about the challenges facing undocumented immigrants and their fear about being sent back to violence. After they spoke, we participated in a “die-in”, despite the rain, to recognize and mourn the 83 people who have been killed.
You can read about the action here: http://nydn.us/1OyqZYR
Urgent need for items for victims of trafficking
Dear Cabrini Friends,
We just received an emergency call from a Victim Assistance Specialist with Homeland Security. She is working with 4 young men from Honduras who are the victims of child sex tourism.
She said, “Because of their cooperation and victimization, they are eligible to move to the US, which they will be doing immediately following sentencing of the perpetrator. I am trying to get things in place for their arrival next week (for trial) and want to ease the transition and have been having a very tough time. I’m hoping you can help… Some of the things I am looking for are:
- Warm clothing to include hats, gloves, pants, shirts, boots, etc. (the boys only have very minimal clothes suitable for a warm weather climate like Honduras).
- The boys are in their early/mid 20’s and they are all on the smaller side. All wear a size Small for shirts/jackets and here are the rest of the sizes:
Victim 1—Pants- 30×32, Shoe size 8
Victim 2 – Pants- 32×30, Shoe size 7 ½ or 8
Victim 3 – Pants- 30×30 or 30×32, shoe size 9
Victim 4 – Pants- 28 or 29×30, shoe size 7 ½
- Furniture
- Miscellaneous items such as dishes, sheets, towels, mattresses, food,
- toiletries, etc.
- Gift cards to stores such as Walmart, Target, food stores: Giant, Acme
Please let me know if you can help in any way.
Many blessings,
Karol Brewer
Cabrini Action & Advocacy Coalition cabriniformation@aol.co
A Voice for Immigrant Rights
Last Friday, a member of our Justice for Immigrants campaign spoke at her first press conference! Monica is undocumented, but she has two children who are US citizens. On Friday, she spoke during a press conference hosted by the New York Immigration Coalition. Her daughter Liliana kept her company while she spoke.
Monica was very nervous, but we’re so proud of her for speaking in front of the crowd and on the news! She urged the Supreme Court to hear the case about Obama’s 2014 executive actions of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). These actions were announced in November 2014 and would allow parents and more young adults to gain lawful status in the country, but the actions have been tied up in the courts for months. We’re very excited that after months of activism, the Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that they will hear the case for DACA and DAPA! This announcement gives hope to our community members who have been living in fear that they will be separated from their families. We expect that the Supreme Court will give its ruling in the early summer. Please keep this case and all of our clients’ families in your prayers! ~ submitted by CMC missioner Madison Koenig
You can read about the press conference (in Spanish) here: http://bit.ly/1P4PiEK
Or in English here: http://bit.ly/1ODEJ5T
And watch a clip from the news (in Spanish) here: http://bit.ly/1WfgUXk
This is National Migration Week
This is National Migration Week
January 3 – 9, 2016
A Stranger, and You Welcomed Me
In the Gospel of Matthew (25:35) Jesus tells his disciples, “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” The call to welcome the stranger plays an important role in the lives of faithful Christians and has a particularly central place for those of us who work in the migration field. The migrant, who moves from one country to another is truly a stranger in the midst. Often unfamiliar with the local tongue of the new country, not to mention its customs, the migrant needs the support of local communities so that she can better adjust to her new surroundings. National Migration Week 2016 picks up on the theme of welcome and, in doing so, calls on each of us to welcome the stranger among us.
Cabrini Immigrant Services, NYC Rallying to Work and Study in the US
On Friday, November 20, CIS-NYC participated in a rally at City Hall to mark the one-year anniversary of President Obama’s announcement of DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans) and expanded DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). These family-oriented programs would keep families together in the United States and offer undocumented immigrants a chance to legally work and study. Rosa Gaona, one of our clients, spoke at the rally about the fears her children have that she will be deported.
You can read articles about the rally in English here: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/obama-administration-asks-supreme-court-review-proposal-article-1.2442107 and here: http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/rallies-pressure-scotus-take-major-immigration-case
And in Spanish here: http://www.eldiariony.com/2015/11/20/latinos-claman-por-dapa-desde-nyc/?utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=Addthisbuttons&utm_medium=Social#.Vk-qhYbnluE.twitter
Cabrini Health, Australia Details Outreach to Asylum Seekers and Refugees
At the recent Provincial Assembly of the Missionary Sisters one session focused on the way in which Cabrinian ministries are addressing the pressing issues of immigration, migration, refugees, asylum seekers and human trafficking.
This week, we continue our series of in-depth looks at individual Cabrinian ministries and we explore how they are responding to the needs of those who are experiencing upheaval in their lives due to war, poverty, violence or captivity.
Cabrini Health, Australia
Support for asylum seekers and refugees is one of the three priorities of Cabrini’s social outreach program.
Baptcare/Cabrini Houses of Hope Pilot Program
Baptcare has been providing transitional housing to asylum seekers and refugees through their Sanctuary program since 2008. Sanctuary has capacity for 76 asylum seekers across two facilities in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. As well as tenancy support, residents have access to caseworkers and pastoral services aimed at improving their well-being, independence and social participation. This pilot program will end in July 2016.
Jesuit Social Services/Cabrini Asylum Seeker Solidarity Project
This is a joint initiative between Jesuit Social Services and Cabrini, which was initiated in December 2013 with the goal of changing the hearts and minds of the Catholic community towards asylum seekers and refugees. This has ultimately resulted in the formation of the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA), a steering group comprising representatives from Catholic peak bodies, universities and other relevant organizations that have liaison with the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Cabrini Health provided a grant to fund the establishment and sustainability of CAPSA and a project officer to facilitate the development of joint statements, regular communications and messaging.
Mental Health Screening Tool for Asylum Seekers
This has been a three-year project to develop and evaluate a tool to screen for and triage mental illness in asylum seekers. The project goals were that the tool is short, sensitive to the asylum seekers’ mental health issues, and able to be administered by a non-professional staff member at the first interaction with asylum seekers. The tool is in the final stage of validation. Cabrini has fully funded the project.
CatholicCare Asylum Seeker Support Program
CatholicCare’s Asylum Seeker Support Program supports vulnerable individuals and families released from onshore detention centers into community detention and other individuals and families who are living in the community on bridging visas and who have virtually no support. Cabrini Health provided a grant for this program which partners with parishes.
Cabrini-on-Hudson serving immigrants in the Hudson Valley, NY
At the recent Provincial Assembly of the Missionary Sisters one session focused on the way in which Cabrinian ministries are addressing the pressing issues of immigration, migration, refugees, asylum seekers and human trafficking.
This week, we continue our series of in-depth looks at individual Cabrinian ministries and o explore how they are responding to the needs of those who are experiencing upheaval in their lives due to war, poverty, violence or captivity.
Cabrini-on Hudson Community
This week we learn more about the Cabrini-on-Hudson Community, which is a house of formation and discernment in West Park, NY. It is located in an area where from the 1970s, the Hispanic population has been steadily increasing. The Hispanic people live among previously existing immigrant groups from Europe. Like other groups, these immigrants, Hispanic or Latino, have emigrated from their countries searching for work and a better life for themselves and their families. Many of them are undocumented. Their main occupations are farm workers (apple and corn pickers), restaurant workers, construction workers, housekeepers, etc. Those with better education, documentation, and bilingual skills work in department stores and other industries that provide better chances for benefits and higher salaries.
Since the MSC formation community opened in West Park in August 2013, the MSCs have had the opportunity to journey and accompany some of the Hispanic groups from various parishes in Ulster and Dutchess Counties. Some of the ways the MSCs have served the immigrant community are as pastoral ministers in Brothers Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY; providing catechesis for adults and children and providing catechist-training in Kingston, NY.
The MSCs have also made pastoral home visits to families in distress; helping undocumented families with paperwork for immigration; and facilitating the Spiritual Exercises in daily life with Hispanic women.
Responding to the call for The Year of Consecrated Life, earlier this year, the Missionary Sisters held an “Open House” to share the Cabrinian charism and way of religious life with people from area parishes. There was a great response from the Hispanic Community. The MSCs also provided living space for unaccompanied minors from Central America and Mexico for a period of time.
The MSCs entered into the traditions of the Hispanic immigrant communities such as All Souls Day, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which entails going from house to house for 50 days evangelizing using the story of the apparitions of Mary. The MSCs will look for more ways to help their immigrant brothers and sisters in their struggles and hopes.
Cabrini Immigrant Services, New York City empowering others
Cabrini Immigrant Services, NYC
The mission of CIS-NYC is to empower immigrants, their families and their communities through education, access to essential services, civic 
participation and community building. They strive to work together with the immigrant community to create a more inclusive society by fostering justice, dignity and respect.
The multi-cultural and multi-lingual CIS-NYC staff members and volunteers provide a wide range of essential services, which include the following:
General Immigration, Legal and Social Services
CIS provides a broad range of culturally and linguistically appropriate services to immigrant, refugees, asylees, and their families through both supportive services and concrete assistance. Family-based immigration services include on-on-one legal consultation (free) and application assistance on issues such as family based petitions, adjustment of status, citizenship and naturalization.
The Food Pantry
The food pantry, which is open every Tuesday, has a client list of approximately 700 families, who are culturally and socio-economically diverse, are low income, and many of whom are immigrants. Some clients are disabled, some are veterans and some are homeless.
English, Citizenship, Literacy and Computer Classes
ESOL classes are taught by volunteers who are recruited through a number of volunteer programs and ESL certification courses throughout New York City. The classes are designed to meet the needs of learners at specific levels. CIS-NYC also offers individual tutoring to prepare for the citizenship test, as well as computer and literacy classes. Courses are offered in both English and Spanish and are offered free of charge (donations accepted).
The College Readiness and Angel Fund
This entity works with immigrant clients who express a desire to attend college but encounter issues such as lack of documentation, lack of funds, or a simple lack of knowledge about the college application process. The Angel Fund is a scholarship program offered by CIS-NYC to assist a small group of undocumented students with school-related costs including tuition, books, etc.
Justice for Immigrants – (JFI)
JFI is a community-led popular education and civic engagement initiative at CIS-NYC that exists to empower, educate and involve immigrant families as active agents of change regardless of their immigration status.
A Place to Learn
CIS-NYC relies heavily on the work of many quality volunteers, interns and missioners. As a ministry of the Missionary Sisters, CIS-NYC partners with the MSCs’ lay missioner program, Cabrini Mission Corps, as well as various MSW programs in the city providing a place for hands-on learning for aspiring social workers and community organizers.