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Immigrants Rising just released 2020 List of Scholarships and Fellowships that undocumented students can apply to—now containing 344 undergraduate and 302 graduate/post-graduate scholarships and fellowships, including 425 for non-DACA! Learn More: immigrantsrising.org/2020scholarships or visit their Facebook page.
  Our mission is to support the rights of immigrants and their families, giving priority to those who live or work on the Olympic Peninsula and immigrant detainees within Washington State, through access to legal services, standing witness, family support, community education and advocacy for local, state and national issues. ________________________________________________________________________ Upcoming Events!! 1. NO JCIRA GENERAL MEETING IN DECEMBER 2. Next JCIRA Gen. Mtg. Tuesday Jan. 21., 4:30-6pm. For meeting location, please contact jcirawa@gmail.com 3. Thursday, Dec. 12, Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration (see box below) Join in Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration! On Thursday, December 12, in honor of the Mexican patron saint, Our Lady of Guadalupe***, you are warmly invited to walk with the immigrant community or cheer them on along their procession route. See all the children marching and dancing in their finest regalia! Enjoy great Mariachi music! People will meet at 11:00 in front of La Isla and Quimper Mercantile, with the procession starting shortly after. Please join in. Otherwise, line the parade route to encourage and show your support. (Water St, left on Taylor, up the hill on Washington, Harrison to St. Mary’s Church) At the church there will be a mass and rosary with mariachis from 1:00 until 2-2:15. Or come back for the POT LUCK with more Mariachi music following the mass at 2:15. Please bring food even if you can’t stay, but do stay if you can. A wonderful celebration is guaranteed. EVERYONE IS INVITED! ****According to legend, in 1531, during the early colonial years of Mexico’s history, the Virgen Mary appeared to an indigenous boy named Juan Diego in the area outside of Tenochtitlán, which is now Mexico City. She was dark-skinned and spoke the native language of central Mexico, Nahuatl. On the site, a cathedral was built to honor this vision of Mary. The Virgin n of Guadalupe, as she is known, soon became the patron saint of all of Mexico. The day of her final visit to Juan Diego, December 12, has been an official national holiday in Mexico since 1859. In 1945 Pope Pious XXII crowned Our Lady of Guadalupe as “Empress of the Americas”. She is seen as the champion of the underdog, of the Indigenous people, and of all those who lack power in society. She continues to be greatly revered and celebrated by Mexicans. ________________________________________________________________________ In Case You Missed It (Highlights from JCIRA's monthly mtg in November)
Sponsorship -- An Opportunity for Our Community JCIRA is trying to increase our impact by seeking to house one or more asylum seekers in the East Jefferson County area. Those we are seeking to house have passed their first “credible fear interview” and now are awaiting their asylum hearings in immigration court. They are in the US legally while going through this process. Nevertheless, they are being held in detention until individuals or families can be found to house them for 3 to 12 months. (The immigration court system is slow!) We are still in the research stage, but have located many resources and people to help—everything but the housing. If you would like to know more about helping with this effort, please contact us at jcirawa@gmail.com or 360.531.2656. ________________________________________________________________________ End of Year Donation to JCIRA We thought it couldn’t get much worse for immigrants, but it has. Families at the border are still detained, and tens of thousands live on the streets in Mexico, waiting for the US asylum line that barely moves. The racism inherent in this administration’s immigration policy becomes more and more blatant. The path to citizenship becomes harder and harder. Uncertainty and fear have become a constant companion for immigrants and their families as hardline immigration policy is replaced with even worse policy, often without Congressional approval. JCIRA was formed in 2017 to provide positive support for immigrants living on the Olympic Peninsula, including those impacted by detention in Washington. We are a small organization, but the need is great. We have no paid staff, so except for basic organizational expenses, all donations go directly to support immigrants. With the help of local donors, in 2019 we:
Your donation will help JCIRA respond to new challenges. Donations of $20 (or less for limited income) include a 2020 JCIRA membership. How to give: 1. Donate online at www.jcira.org. We accept credit/debit card and Paypal 2. Donate by mail by completing and returning the form below. Name: _____________________________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________________________ ☐I’d like to donate anonymously ☐I’d like to learn about volunteering Email: __________________________ Phone: __________________________ Donation amount: ☐ $20 (basic membership) $☐ _____(limited income: what you can afford) ☐ $50 ☐ $75 ☐ $100 ☐ Other:_________ JCIRA is a federally registered 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by the lRS. Please write checks to JCIRA and mail with this form to PO Box 647, Port Townsend, WA 98368. To give through the UGN annual campaign, click here https://www.givejefferson.org and scroll through catalog to JCIRA entry. [JW1] _______________________________________________________________________________ JCIRA Needs!! Volunteer needed - Does anyone have federal tax experience and is willing to occasionally assist immigrants needing help with their taxes? Please contact Libby Palmer libbypalmer2@gmail.com ******************************************************************** Research needed - Have you been following the presidential candidates' campaigns? Have you read their platforms on immigration? JCIRA cannot and will not endorse any political candidates but it is important to share immigration information with others. Contact Libby Palmer, libbypalmer2@gmail.com if interested ________________________________________________________________________ Other News 1. Port Townsend Priest Ordered to Leave Country An excellent local article giving details of the USCIS letter to Father Peter. https://www.ptleader.com/stories/pt-priest-ordered-to-leave-country,66497 2. USCIS Proposes Drastically Increased Fees for Common Immigration Applications. COMMENT NOW - DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 16 The url links to the official governmental site for comments. Phone messages and postcards are not accepted. |
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