United States

Social Concerns
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers chase Carlos Chavez (not pictured), a Mexican-born member of North Hills United Methodist Church Hispanic Mission in Los Angeles, on Jan. 29 on church property. Chavez was deported shortly thereafter. The ICE raid disrupted a food ministry and mothers and children working in the church garden. Photo courtesy of North Hills Hispanic Mission United Methodist Church.

Decision on ‘sensitive location’ policy coming

As a Los Angeles United Methodist church reels from a recent raid by ICE that led to the quick deportation of one of its members, a U.S. appeals court heard arguments that the federal memo that allowed the raid should be struck down.
Human Rights
Immigration Law and Justice Network has released an update on the impact of President Trump’s immigration policies, including an overview of what rights people have in interacting with immigration enforcement. However, the United Methodist ministry acknowledges asserting those rights, including the Fourth Amendment’s protections, now carries a greater risk. Parchment image by Safwan Thottoli, courtesy of Unsplash; map image by OpenClipart-Vectors, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

Know your rights when they’re under threat

United Methodist legal experts have released updated guidance for interacting with federal immigration enforcement, but they also note that asserting constitutional rights now carries more risks.
Immigration
In response to the recent U. S. Supreme Court decision related to birthright citizenship, the United Methodist Council of Bishops, general agencies and partner organizations hosted a webinar July 17. While birthright citizenship is safe for now, church leaders noted the dangers posed by current immigration policies. As of June, 71% of people arrested by ICE have no criminal record. Parchment image by Safwan Thottoli, courtesy of Unsplash; map image by OpenClipart-Vectors, courtesy of Pixabay; graphic by Laurens Glass, UM News.

What churches need to know about immigration

In an update on birthright-citizenship cases, United Methodist leaders also explored the dangers that U.S. immigration raids and travel bans pose to basic human rights.
Social Concerns
An instructor and student share a teaching microscope at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, in 2017. File photo by Mike DuBose, UM News.

USAID freeze strikes Africa University

United Methodist-related Africa University is among the institutions struggling as employees with jobs funded by the United States Agency for International Development stop getting paychecks.

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