ELCA NEWS SERVICE

August 1, 2008

ELCA Synod Bishop, New Jersey Senator Visits Immigration Detention Center
08-130-MRC

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- At the invitation of U.S. Sen. Robert
Menendez, D-N.J., the Rev. E. Roy Riley, bishop, Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) New Jersey Synod, Hamilton
Square, the Rev. Bruce H. Davidson, director, Lutheran Office of
Governmental Ministries, ELCA New Jersey Synod, and staff of the
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS), Baltimore,
visited an immigration detention center July 28 in Elizabeth,
N.J.
     Riley said his visit at the detention center, a privately
run facility, is his second there. "It is difficult to gain
admittance into the center," he said. On May 21 Menendez had
invited Riley to participate in a news conference in Washington,
D.C., where Menendez discussed legislation for improving health
care provided at U.S. immigration detention centers.
     During the July visit, "we were able to meet privately with
three asylum-seekers from Liberia, Tibet and Guinea," Riley said.
The group discussed the detainees' health care situation.
"Although the situation is better, there is still a lot to be
desired," he said.
     Riley said he and others are developing some suggestions to
address the situation. One possible suggestion is to grant
"medical personnel better access to the living areas (at
detention centers) rather than relying on guards to relay the
health issues of detainees," he said. But this suggestion also
brings up other issues, such as the need for translation since
there are many languages spoken among detainees. Most medical
personnel may need to be accompanied by a translator, Riley said.
     An important message to convey to U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement and other officials is the need to keep them
"aware that we are watching" and express "our ongoing witness to
our care and concern for people who are being detained," said
Riley.
     "Most of these folks who are asylum-seekers should not be
incarcerated, particularly those who pose no threat to our
society," said Riley. "There are other options than placing
people in jail. It is a pretty sad situation for all folks being
held."
     "As I looked at the faces of the detainees I thought of my
own family, who came to this country as immigrants," said Kelly
Macias, coordinator for LIRS' "Be Not Afraid" project. Macias
participated in the detention center visit.
     "As I saw more faces, I began to see the faces of the people
I love -- my husband, my in-laws (and) friends. (There were)
immigrants who fled civil wars and famine and persecution, who
made the difficult decision to leave behind family and homes, and
who had faith that the United States was a place that offered
hope and new life," said Macias. "Our immigration detention
system punishes asylum seekers and torture survivors and has a
devastating effect on families. It is not only inhumane, it is
essentially anti-American," she said.
     According to a 2007 report from LIRS, the federal government
now spends more than $1.2 billion a year to detain immigrants at
a price of more than $100 per day per person.
- - -
     Bishop Riley's comments at the May 21 press conference are
at http://tinyurl.com/6bupe4 on the Web.


For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog