BVM Advocates with Others for ‘Dignity of All Immigrants’

Rose Mary Meyer, BVM (Sebastian) shares her advocacy work with others from many cultures and religious backgrounds as part of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). “I feel enriched when they share their courageous stories. I learn from them and am moved to action by their hope for a more humane life for themselves and their children,” says Rose Mary.

She is the executive director of Project Irene (Illinois Religious Engaging in Non-violent Endeavors), an ICIRR member organization that is a collective voice seeking justice for women and children through systemic change in Illinois.

In late September, ICIRR met with the Illinois Congressional Delegation regarding the future of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients and the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

The DREAM Act is an American legislative proposal for a multi-phase process for qualifying alien minors in the United States that would first grant conditional residency and, upon meeting further qualifications, permanent residency.

“The role of government is to protect all people. We urge the Illinois Delegation to take seriously the moral imperative of their jobs, and to do everything in their power to protect immigrants in Illinois and across the United States,” says Rose Mary.

ICIRR leaders and allies gathered for a press conference Sept. 21 to report on the meetings they have had, and to deploy delegations to the offices of representatives who have yet to respond to meeting requests. Currently they have met with or have scheduled meetings with 15 out of the 20 Illinois congress people and senators to ask them to defend DACA and support a clean Dream Act.

Rose Mary, who led the group at the press conference in prayer, adds, “Bishop Seitz of El Paso, Texas, wrote in a profound pastoral letter earlier this year, ‘Every human being bears within him or her the image of God, which confers upon us a dignity higher than any passport or immigration status.’ Dignity is what we are talking about here today. The dignity of all immigrants who should not have to fight for their basic humanity. The faith community is with you every step of the way.”

Post date 9.27.2017