What Can We Do About ICE?

Like many of you, I have watched the recent news in Minneapolis and all over the world, leading me to feel despondent, cynical, and helpless.

But I also know that giving into those feelings is how the powers of evil win, so I wanted to do something, even if it feels small and insignificant.

But here is a thing I also know: when we work together to do small and insignificant things, our power and help snowballs into something bigger.

The more I see our government let us down, the more I see the importance of mutual aid – simply helping those who are affected by ICE directly, caring for our neighbors.

If you want to help people in Minneapolis
Give directly to those who have been affected by ICE to help pay for rent, utilities and food. There are two different neighborhoods in Minneapolis that have been particularly affected: Powderhorn and Columbia Heights

If you want to help people in Dallas
ICE is not just in Minneapolis. It’s in Dallas too, just not in as large numbers. But our neighbors are still being ripped from their families and taken away. Valerie Palmer has been learning and training with an organization in Dallas called Vecinos Unidos that has many different ways we can support our immigrant neighbors including donating our time or our money.

Our very own Owenwood is also helping out in the ways they can through food and diaper distribution and more. Donating or volunteering with them would also be a direct way to help our immigrant neighbors.

If you want to help stop ICE
This one may not seem like much, but if everyone in our church calls their representative on the same day -- that can have an impact. If you can, I’d like you to make 3 calls on Monday, Feb. 2nd. If you can do it everyday -- even better.

• Senator Ted Cruz
• Senator John Cornyn
• Your House Representative

There is a great website called 5Calls, that after you sign-up, will give you the contact info and even a script to say about a particular issue.

I don’t know if you are like me, but I hate talking on the phone to people I don’t know. Often it is an answering service, but sometimes you will get a staffer. Just be polite and quickly state what you are asking for. They will add your call to a database they keep for marking how many constituents are for or against something that the senator needs to vote on. It is also important to still call representatives you agree with to let them know they are on the right track. Be sure to include your name, address and your zip code.

Pray
This also may not seem like much, but I do believe prayer can sustain us for the long fight ahead.

If you have any questions or want to get more involved with JAG, please email us at jag@wrumc.org 

Thanks for reading,
Megan Howard, a co-leader of JAG