“Living in Limbo” is the title of a recent article in the Winter edition of the UU World. It describes the vulnerable state of immigrant families, particularly those who are sheltering in UU churches.* They have sought sanctuary while they await a decision on whether they can continue to live in the United States or will be deported.
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines limbo as an uncertain situation that you cannot control and in which there is no progress or improvement. Unitarian Universalists for Social Justice (UUSJ) here in Washington, DC aims for progress and improvement for our immigrant neighbors while we wait for the court’s verdict.
Besides those who are undocumented, those in limbo are Dreamers, individuals who are part of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and those living with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). More than one million people are impacted by these two federal programs, which the current administration wants to terminate.
UUSJ’s volunteer-driven Advocacy Corps is preparing for visits to Senate offices in early 2020, with the UU Service Committee, to advocate for legislation such as Senate bill 879. This law would provide longer-term solutions for more than 300,000 immigrants with TPS status. In addition, UUSJ participated in a November rally at the Supreme Court as it deliberated the legality of DACA. Meanwhile, families and loved ones live in limbo while they await the outcome.
Unitarian Universalist Association President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray writes about the UUA’s new initiative, ‘UU the Vote’ which is focused on the 2020 election. “I challenge us over the next year not only to be the people who show up, but also to be the people who get others to show up.” The voters of our nation must wait in limbo until election day to learn what the future will look like for marginalized people, for our vulnerable climate, and for the shape of our democracy. UUSJ can lead the way by supporting the ‘UU the Vote’ effort. Its Advocacy Corps volunteers are people who show up!
UUSJ’s mission is to mobilize and amplify the voices of Unitarian Universalists as we seek to change the world through acts of love and justice.) They make monthly visits to your elected representatives in the US Congress on one of these 2019 priorities:
- Environmental and climate justice
- Economic justice
- Immigration Justice
- Defending Our Democracy
You can trust UUSJ to represent your values in Washington with respect, moral courage and clarity. Whether your main concern is immigration, or democracy or another of these priorities, we ask that you consider a year-end gift to help underwrite the costs associated with our Write Here! Write Now! letter-writing campaign. This is just one way you can support UUSJ’s work on Capitol Hill.
A holiday gift will see that UUSJ’s justice work will continue and grow. A contribution will help us match a challenge grant from the UU Funding Program that will release an additional $2,000 toward our advocacy work.
As you can imagine, the personal stakes are enormous for all the DACA and TPS families waiting in limbo. And, as a nation, the political stakes cannot be any higher as we approach Tuesday, November 3, 2020. UU values of interdependence, democracy, and the inherent worth and dignity of all people are the opposite of fear, bigotry, and inequity that seem to dominate the airwaves today.
The polarization that exists in our country and in Congress today makes working toward climate justice, immigration reform, and economic justice far more difficult. And the historic impeachment effort that is now making its way to the Senate for trial makes clear how precarious our democracy’s system of checks and balances is at the moment.
UUs need to be present as much as possible advocating for a better way and a better day. UUSJ is YOUR organization that Lifts UU Voices for Social Justice in the corridors of power. Collectively, with your help, we will have impact.
Thank you for making space in your inbox for UUSJ and for helping us demonstrate UU values in the Nation’s Capital!
In gratitude,
Charlotte, Fred and Lavona
* Please consider making a donation to UUSJ to support our work into 2020 *
Charlotte Jones-Carroll
Immigration Justice
Task Group Convener
Board Secretary
Fred Van Deusen
Defending Our Democracy
Task Group Convener
Lavona Grow
Advocacy Oversight Chair
Board Member
UUSJ is a 501(c)3 organization comprised of 16 area UU congregations. They and individual members fund our work, along with some grant support. You can write a check, use the donate button at www.uusj.org or direct a disbursement from a fund of your choice. We also welcome inquiries about donating stock, marketable securities, or IRA qualified charitable distributions (QCD). Please email Pablo at info@uusj.org or call at 202-600-9132 for details
* ”Living in Limbo”, by Arthur Hirsch. UU World: The Magazine of the Unitarian Universalist Association. Winter 2019. Pages 6-8.