Imagine not knowing when you will see a family member next just because the government has the final say in a case that is nothing less than exceedingly complex.
Imagine being able to speak hardly any English, yet yearning for one final plea to be reunited with a loved one while living in a primarily English-speaking community.
For many immigrants living in the state the proposition is not a “what-if”, it’s a harsh reality of life that the United Methodist Church is trying to make a little more manageable.
On January 23 the organization Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) hosted its first monthly legal intake clinic for people dealing with immigration issues in Southeastern Michigan, as 35 volunteers came together to help provide services at Dearborn: First United Methodist Church.
Since then JFON Southeastern Michigan has hosted two more intake clinics in Dearborn and another one is set for April 17.
It might be exactly the kind of “social justice” TV megastar Glen Beck fears is brainwashing churchgoers, but the United Methodist Church believes it’s precisely the kind of work God has called his disciples to.
JFON operates two clinics in West Michigan, at sites in Grand Rapids and Holland where they have been serving since 2004, and through the funding of local churches and support from the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries and UMCOR its operations continue to expand.
Treading through deep water
It is a national ministry dedicated to providing free, high-quality immigration legal services.
JFON-SEMI is one of 28 regional clinics around the country that operate with the support of denominational staff members and it is a ministry close to the hearts of many — particularly Southeastern Michigan Regional Director Paul Perez, who also serves as a Deacon at Newburg UMC in Livonia.
Perez said he has spoken with a number of attorneys in Metro Detroit who agree the need for legal counseling for immigrants is enormous, especially since the Immigration Reform and Immigration Act of 1996 and the Patriot Act following 9/11.
It’s more than just creating a supply for the demand to Perez though — it’s personal.
Perez is the beneficiary of a successful immigrant story in his own heritage, so he takes the dire needs of some immigrants right to heart.
