The schedule for the exhibit may be accessed at:

EXHIBIT

1. False- two thirds of immigrants are in the United States lawfully.  In the United States, almost half of all undocumented immigrants entered the United States legally on visas that allowed them to reside in the country temporarily either as a tourist, student, or temporary worker.  They became undocumented only when their visas expired and they did not leave the country. 

In Canada, an estimated 8% of immigrants enter illegally while another 8% have expired visas.  Others remain in the country after efforts to become legal have failed. 

2.  False-In Canada a majority are from South Asia and China while in the United States the majority are from South Asia and South America.

3.  False–According to the 14th Amendment a child of a diplomat is excluded. 

4.  True–Someone born outside the United States may be a United States citizen if the parents are both U.S. citizens.

5.  About 75% of legal immigrants come to the United States to join close family members.  Employment and escaping persecution in their home  country  are two other main reasons why people come to the United States.

6.The reasons immigrants to Canada give  for why they go to Canada include: family unity, employment, and to escape persecution.  Other reasons given include free education and health care.

7.  In Canada an immigrant can apply for citizenship after residing in Canada for 1095 days or 3 years in any four year period.

8.  A Lawful Permanent Resident may apply for citizenship in the United States, called “Naturalization,” after residing in the United States for 5 years.  This period may be shortened to 3 years if the person is married to a United States citizen, or if the permanent residency status was granted due to asylym.

9.  It is estimated that  by 2031, one-half of all people  living in Canada will be foreign born.

10.  The estimated number of undocumented immigrants in Canada is between 35,000 and 120,000 while the number in the United States is estimated to be about 12 million.

11. True–Unfortunately, being a citizen of the United States does not protect you from being incarcerated as an “illegal immigrant.”  For example: 

Hector Veloz is a U.S. citizen and son of a decorated Vietnam veteran.  In 2007, immigration officials locked him up in a prison as an “illegal immigrant” for 13 months.  A judge determined that he was a citizen after being incarcerated for 9 months, however he was detained another 5 months before a judge ordered his case dropped.

Guillermo Olivares Romero is a U.S. citizen and was held in a detention center for 2 weeks.  He was released when an attorney from the American Civil Liberties Union was able to  gather and present his birth certificate, school records, and vaccination records to immigration authorities. 

Pedro Guzman is a U.S. citizen who was deported to Mexico.  He is suing federal and local authorities and his lawyers allege he was singled out “solely on the basis of his perceived race.”

Rennison Casitllo is a U.S. citizen and an Army veteran held in prison for 7 months.  He has also filed a lawsuit claiming that the immigration officials never checked his army service record nor his social security number to verify that he was a citizen.

12.   True– Most immigrants to both the United States and Canada seek citizenship.  In the United States they face huge backlogs that can delay the process for years.  Moreover, the cost to apply for citizenship may be a deterent to low income immigrants.

13.  False–Research has shown that immigrants tend to commit fewer crimes than native born Canadians or Americans.  The population of undocumented immigrants in the United States has doubled to 12 million since 1994 while the violent crime rate has declined 34 percent in that same time period. 

14.  True–Undocumented immigrants pay taxes in the United States.  Between 50-75% of undocumented immigrants pay federal,state, and local taxes.  They also contribute to Medicare and Social Security and pay property and sales tax. 

In Canada, adult immigrants must file income tax papers even if they are unemployed. 

15.  False–Immigrants help create jobs and employment opportunities for others.  A 2005 study in the United States found that first generation immigrants employed 450,000 workers and generated $52 billion in sales.  When American citizens were asked in a 2006 study by the Pew Hispanic Center whether someone in their family had lost a job to an immigrant worker, 81 percent said “no.” 

In Canada, immigrants account for an increased proportion of the labor force growth as a result of low rates of increase in the Canadian born population.

Sources:  Pew Hispanic Center–www.pewhispanic.org, Justice for Immigrants–www.justiceforimmigrants.org, Statistics Canada –www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/81-0040x/2005005/9112-eng.htm,– www.canadaimmigrants.com, NY Times. April 5, 2005,  USA Today April 10, 2008.

Nearly one in four children in the United States lives in a household that struggles to put food on the table. The number of our hungry American neighbors continues to grow.

 Doesn’t Jesus want us to turn that number around?

Take 3 minutes to urge your Member of Congress to
Protect Key Tax Credits for Low-Income Families

Please call and urge your representative or senator to protect and strengthen vital tax credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which will make a big difference for low-income workers and families.  For more information go to:  bread for the world.span>

1.  Call 1-800-826-3688 (Congressional Switchboard) and ask the operator to be connected to your representative or senator’s office.

2.  You may say the following:  “Please be sure the tax legislation being prepared by the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee includes the low-income tax provisions for the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit that were in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.”

Again, it only takes a few minutes to assure that our Felician Franciscan values are included in this legislation that will benefit needy children, women and men.

The vigil began on June 6 and continues throughout the country with constant prayer and public witness through July 28, the date the implementation of Arizona legislation SB1070 will begin. This is also a time to call or email your governor to oppose any legislation resembling the Arizona bill. Vigils will be held in the coming weeks in the following states:

(July 11-17): Minnesota, Illinois, North & South Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan
(July 18-24): Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Virginia, Alabama, Georgia, Florida
(July 25-31): Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alaska

for more information go to: paxchristiusa.org or interfaithimmigration

Sister Mary Elvine Dymnicka and Sister Mary Angela Machowski stand and pray for just and humane reform to our current immigration policies.

Sister Mary Angela Machowski, Sister Mary Elvine Dymnicka, and Sister Maryann Agnes Mueller participated in the “Let My People Go” National Solidarity Vigil for immigration reform this afternoon at the Court House in Hackensack, NJ.   The event was part of a rolling vigil which began June 6 and is being held in various states through July 28, the date Arizona will implement SB1070. 

This vigil was one of nine events held thoughout the state of New Jersey today.  The Felician Sisters were part of a significant group of religious leaders at the vigil.

Bangladesh’s garment workers, over 2 million of whom are young women,   have not had a wage increase in the last four years, since 2006, when the minimum wage was set at 1,662 Taka ($23.91) a month.  The factory owners are proposing a new minimum wage of just 14 cents an hour. Go to the following website to sign a letter to Mike Duke, a CEO of Wal-Mart asking for an increase in wages to the 43 cents an hour which is being requested by the garment workers.   

This will take less than one minute but will mean a lot to the women who make our clothes!

Go to the following link to sign the letter:  Wal-Mart