At the Interfaith Center of New York, we know faith leaders are grappling with how their communities can serve vulnerable people in the safest and most appropriate ways. To that end, our Chief Counsel Eugene Nam created this Know Your Rights Training for Houses of Worship, which shares resources on safety measures congregations can take, space use, rights, harboring concerns, employment of immigrants, deportation, sanctuary laws, advocacy strategies, and more.
For a complimentary written guide which will help your community put the training into practice, please visit https://interfaithcenter.substack.com/p/legal-guide-for-congregations-serving. And for additional resources, please contact ICNY’s Director for Migrant Outreach Brennan Peacore-Brink at brennan@interfaithcenter.org.
Key Sections of the Video Include:
Safety Concerns
10:43 – Trump administration rescission of policy discouraging ICE raids at congregations and other sensitive sites
13:09 – Know your rights as a congregation
13:44 – Response to ICE visits
16:22 – Protecting congregations with space management policy and signage
23:24 – Unlawful harboring Immigrants vs exercise of constitutional rights
Service Opportunities
27:52 – Helpful services congregations can offer to vulnerable immigrants
34:50 – What to do when ICE arrests a congregant or member
45:44 – Immigration pathways for survivors of domestic abuse
Solidarity Strategies
47:42 – Legislative and policy advocacy for congregations
56:59 – Closing Reflections
