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JRS/USA Staff Recommendations for Further Reading:

Immigrants in Prison
Anna Alicia Chavez, a Migration Specialist at the Loyola University of New Orleans’ Jesuit Social Research Institute, writes about the moral and legal challenges of U.S. detention. More than 32,000 immigrants and refugees are held in detention facilities across the country. She writes that is a heart-wrenching experience to look into the eyes of these detainees. Their eyes speak volumes of their wretched state of being while locked up behind barbed wire fences. They are fearful, humiliated, confused, and desperate. While they do understand that they are unwanted in the U.S., they do not comprehend why they need to be locked up – for months and in some cases for years – like common criminals. The majority of immigrants detained today are victims of a severely broken immigration system.

Rights of the Stateless
Equal Rights Trust has published a new report on statelessness, "Unravelling Anomaly: Detention, Discrimination and the Protection Needs of Stateless Persons." The report has a particular emphasis on the issue of detention. The report discovers that presently international human rights law is not sufficiently utilised to protect and fulfil the human rights of stateless persons. This is partly due to the existence of the parallel “statelessness mechanism” in international law which affords more restricted and modest protection to the stateless. The resultant lacuna in protection which is manifestly clear in detention related issues must be effectively addressed, and this report proposes recommendations in this regard.

Driven from Home
This thought-provoking new book edited by David Hollenbach, S.J. brings together contributors from several disciplines, including international affairs, law, ethics, economics, and theology, to advocate for better responses to protect the global community’s most vulnerable citizens. This collection approaches the problem through the lens of ethics, questioning the definition of a refugee as stated in the 1951 Refugee Convention. Internally displaced persons are not protected by this convention, nor are persons displaced due to economic or environmental causes. Is a person who is forced to choose between leaving his or her country and starving due to economic deprivation not a forced migrant? Do those people who are driven from their homes due to the growth of deserts or rising sea levels not also deserve protection? Proposing a creative and effective human rights framework to guide political and policy responses to forced migration, Driven from Home blends practical experience working with forced migrants with probing analysis of the causes and possible responses to their plight.

Strategic Actions to Rebuild Haiti
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA urges the international community to include Haitian voices in the planning for the rebuilding of Haiti – local voices will ensure it is built back better. To further that goal, the Jesuit community in Haiti has organized the Committee for Reflection and Action (Cellule de Refexion et d’Action – CRAN) composed of Jesuits and members of Haitian civil society who work together on an ongoing basis to accompany the Haitian people, their leaders, and the international community in their efforts to rebuild Haiti. CRAN has issued a document, Main Strategic Actions and Operations to Achieve in the Process of the Reconstruction of Haiti.

Migration and Global Justice
Gillian Brock develops a viable cosmopolitan model of global justice that takes seriously the equal moral worth of persons, yet leaves scope for defensible forms of nationalism and for other legitimate identifications and affiliations people have. Brock addresses two prominent kinds of skeptic about global justice: those who doubt its feasibility and those who believe that cosmopolitanism interferes illegitimately with the defensible scope of nationalism by undermining goods of national importance, such as authentic democracy or national self-determination. An extract is available here.

From Kakuma to Canada
Displaced from her Sudanese home at the age of four, Liz Atong grew up in Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya about 60 miles from the Sudanese border. After completing primary school, she earned a scholarship from Jesuit Refugee Service, which has ongoing ties to Kakuma. The scholarship allowed her to study at a Kenyan high school outside of the camp. The eﬀorts of Vancouver Island University fourth year Anthropology student Kalila Wilkinson led Atong to receive the opportunity to study in Canada as VIU’s ﬁrst sponsored student refugee. Click the headline for the story, or for a full copy of VIU's magazine click here.

Rule of Law in Haiti After the Earthquake
The United States Institute of Peace hosted an event on February 12, 2010 entitled “Haiti: Rule of Law After the Earthquake” at which René Magloire, the special adviser to the president of Haiti on legal affairs and in charge of legal reform (and two-time minister of Justice) spoke. This Peace Brief by Vivienne O’Connor, a senior rule of law adviser, summarizes and builds upon this event.

Urban refugees in Nairobi
The traditional image of life in tented, sprawling camps no longer tells the full refugee story. As the world urbanizes, refugees too are increasingly moving to built up areas – including large towns and cities. Refugees move to the city in the hope of finding a sense of community, safety and economic independence. However, in reality, what many actually find is harassment, physical assault and poverty. Yet there has been scant research into their situation and funding and resources available to assist urban refugees are limited. The Humanitarian Policy Group at the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), the International Rescue Committee and the Refugee Consortium of Kenya have written a working paper to better understand the policy framework for refugees in Kenya and current assistance available to them. Read a JRS report on urban refugees here.

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PRAYING WITH REFUGEES
For refugees the experience of leaving home is sometimes surpassed by the experience of returning. For many refugees returning home can be traumatic. Nowhere is this experience more profoundly felt than in Afghanistan, where JRS began to work in 2005 by supporting refugees returning from Iran in a township outside Herat. The area is stony barren desert. When the returnees arrived, there were no facilities and nobody wanted to live there. An electrical transformer financed by JRS started to transform life in the township, and JRS became responsible for the returning refugees' education and health services.
Posted: Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:45:00 EDT

SOUTHERN SUDAN: PREPARING FOR THE VOTE
In preparation for the referendum on southern independence scheduled for January 2011, JRS recently trained 12 community peace facilitators and three government and church representatives in Nimule, Pageri and Mugali sub-counties, Southern Sudan.
Posted: Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:44:00 EDT

SOUTHERN SUDAN: TRAINING BENEFITS TEACHERS, STUDENTS
Workshops were conducted for teachers who have not received any college-based training after completing their secondary education. The training content covered teaching and learning methods, lesson development, lesson presentation skills and how to assess the performance of students and teachers. It was facilitated by five qualified primary teachers, two of whom are JRS staff members. The overall aim of such workshops is to help the Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) enhance quality education.
Posted: Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:15:00 EDT

WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY
The United Nations has designated August 19 as World Humanitarian Day to honor all humanitarian aid workers, United Nations and associated people who have lost their lives in the cause of duty, and those who have worked in the promotion of the humanitarian cause. Humanitarian aid workers strive to ensure that all those who have experienced a traumatic event and need life-saving assistance receive it, regardless of where they are in the world, and regardless of their religious or social group or nationality. These workers should be respected and helped, not targeted.
Posted: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:47:00 EDT

THE REFUGEE VOICE: EDUCATION IN SUDAN
In January, Southern Sudan will hold a referendum to choose independence from or unity with the north. The conduct, result, and aftermath of the vote will determine the direction of Southern Sudan's future and the prospects for sustained peace in the region. During this uncertain period, JRS continues to accompany the people of Southern Sudan with programs that make schools the heart of new and restored communities, as focal points for hope for a better future and centers for peace building activities.
Posted: Sun, 15 Aug 2010 01:58:00 EDT

ACCOMPANIMENT: A NEW WAY OF BEING PRESENT
Fr. Joe Hampson, S.J., project director for Jesuit Refugee Service in Mae Hoong Son, Thailand, writes that accompaniment is quite topical, and it is one of the central ideas of JRS: it is both a dimension of all the work undertaken, as well as a specific sectoral activity. The mission of JRS is to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. "In the accompaniment of JRS we strive to stand alongside the poor in the spirit of Jesus, with humility," he says.
Posted: Fri, 13 Aug 2010 22:24:00 EDT

SPOTLIGHT ON SECURE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM
Washington, D.C. may become the first jurisdiction to reject the "Secure Communities" program, a federal government program in which local law enforcement would share booking information with the Department of Homeland Security. The Secure Communities program forwards the information of arrested individuals to DHS regardless of if they are found innocent of a crime or if their arrest is later deemed unlawful. A bill introduced with unanimous support of the city council would prohibit the sharing of arrest and booking information. The immigration status of those convicted of crimes will remain accessible to federal agencies.
Posted: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:45:00 EDT

CLUSTER BOMB BAN TREATY TAKES EFFECT
The Convention on Cluster Munitions takes effect this Sunday when it becomes binding international law in countries around the world. In dozens of countries, campaigners from the Cluster Munition Coalition will join UN agencies, governments and international organisations in events celebrating the swift entry into force of the most significant disarmament and humanitarian treaty in over a decade.
Posted: Fri, 30 Jul 2010 21:05:00 EDT

ARIZONA: PARTS OF ANTI-IMMIGRANT LAW BLOCKED
Judge Susan Bolton of the U.S. District Court for Arizona today issued an injunction preventing some of the most egregious sections of Arizona’s anti-immigrant law – SB 1070 – from going into effect tomorrow. The order covers the sections criminalizing immigrants for failing to carry documents with them at all times and requiring police to ask anyone for papers proving citizenship or legal status during traffic stops or housing inspections if they had a "reasonable suspicion" the person was undocumented.
Posted: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:55:00 EDT

SOUTH AFRICA: XENOPHOBIC THREATS RISE
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA and other concerned organizations wrote to the Assistant Secretary of State at the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration to voice concern regarding the potential for another widespread outbreak of xenophobic violence in South Africa and to urge immediate action to stop such violence from taking place.
Posted: Sat, 14 Jul 2010 01:49:00 EDT

HAITI: LITTLE PROGRESS AFTER SIX MONTHS
Six months after the earthquake devastated Haiti on January 12, the situation in the country remains worrying. Despite the preparative and preventive efforts of UN agencies, international organisations, the Haitian authorities and other local actors to cope with the humanitarian crisis and other natural disasters, the hurricane season now represents a significant danger to vulnerable populations, the 1.7 million displaced and other homeless persons.
Posted: Sat, 10 Jul 2010 11:36:00 EDT

BURUNDI GOAT PROGRAM YIELDS MULTIPLE BENEFITS
JRS projects in the forgotten backcountry of Burundi aim at responding to the all-important larger issue of ensuring lasting food security for returning refugees. Father Tony Calleja, S.J., the Regional Director of JRS Great Lakes, has had long experience with Burundian refugees, having spent years working with them in Tanzanian camps. He poignantly described the plight of these returnees: "When they come back, it is a joyful occasion. But they come back with nothing. They have nothing."
Posted: Tue, 29 Jun 2010 22:41:00 EDT

SOUTHERN SUDAN AT A CROSSROADS
The Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army concluded twenty-one years of bloodshed when they finalized the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on December 31, 2004. The agreement created a semi-autonomous administration in Southern Sudan, and hope that the two sides could settle their remaining differences before the planned referendum. The failure to resolve key sources of tension – such as the control of oil resources, the delineation of borders, and preparations for the referendum – have generated grave concerns that a vote for independence may lead to renewed warfare, plunge the south back into chaos, and destroy its recent progress.
Posted: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:10:00 EDT

FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE IN URBAN SETTINGS
Jesuit Refugee Service/USA has been engaged in the planning of a three hour workshop on urban refugees that will take place at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees – Non-Governmental Organization Consultations in Geneva next week. The session will examine good practices and successful programs that use a rights-based approach to protect and assist asylum-seekers and refugees in urban settings. The goal of the session will be to identify models for enhance and innovative partnership between UNHCR and the NGO community in meeting refugee needs in urban areas.
Posted: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:15:00 EDT

TAKE ACTION: VIGIL FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM
SB 1070, the anti-immigration bill that recently became law in Arizona has galvanized the faith community to stand with our immigrant brothers and sisters and stand against those who seek to divide our communities and distract from the real solution to our broken immigration system: comprehensive immigration reform. The Isaiah 58 National Solidarity Vigil and Fast for Arizona continues with constant prayer and public witness through July 28, the date on which implementation of SB1070 will begin.
Posted: Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:58:00 EDT

COMMEMORATING WORLD REFUGEE DAY
On Sunday people from different nationalities, religious backgrounds and political beliefs across the world will unite to pay tribute to more than 43 million people worldwide who have been uprooted from their homes and forced to flee in search for safety. Understanding what it means to be a refugee and to experience an often arduous journey helps us realize the importance of commemorating this day and of giving them hope for the future.
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:22:00 EDT

WORLD REFUGEE DAY: MANY DISPLACED UNABLE TO RETURN HOME
The United Nations is marking World Refugee Day by urging governments and individuals not to forget the millions of men, women and children who have been uprooted by conflict or persecution and are unable to return to their homes. In a video, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and award-winning actress Angelina Jolie says "Those who flee from conflict and persecution no longer have their homes, and it will be years before they can even return. In fact, many may never go home again."
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:22:00 EDT

CLINTON COMMEMORATES WORLD REFUGEE DAY
To mark World Refugee Day on June 20, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton headlined a ceremony at the Department's Washington offices Friday. Secretary Clinton said she hoped "we can use this day to honor the courage and resilience of the millions of refugees around the world who push forward each and every day with the hope that tomorrow might bring a return home or the hope of a better life."
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 23:22:00 EDT

WORLD REFUGEE DAY
On June 20, World Refugee Day, Jesuit Refugee Service urges governments and civil society organizations worldwide to welcome refugees and other forcibly displaced persons in urban areas. JRS believes that adopting a positive and supportive approach to the presence of refugees in urban areas not only promotes their well–being but empowers them to use their energy and talents to benefit their host communities.
Posted: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:32:00 EDT

43 MILLION PEOPLE DISPLACED IN 2009
There were 43.3 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2009, the highest number of people uprooted by conflict and persecution since the mid-1990s, according to UNHCR's annual 2009 Global Trends report. At the same time, the number of refugees voluntarily returning to their home countries has fallen to its lowest level in twenty years.
Posted: Wed, 16 Jun 2010 22:30:00 EDT

MIGRANT DETENTION HARMS ALL
After 18 months of research in 23 European countries, the evidence is clear: migrant detention causes harm to physical and mental health, even among those considered as the least vulnerable. The findings of this extensive study, Becoming Vulnerable in Detention, coordinated by JRS – Europe, coincide with the conclusions of research studies undertaken in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Posted: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:28:00 EDT

COLOMBIA BISHOP CONDEMNS THREATS
The Bishop of Barrancabermeja said the threats directed against JRS and other NGOs are "a great mistake on the part of those who, with the power of their weapons, seek to intimidate individuals, institutions and communities and impose their views as the only valid ones, disregarding the dignity of the human person, human rights and, therefore, the right to diversity."
Posted: Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:26:00 EDT

SOUTHERN SUDAN: SCHOOL PROGRAM A SUCCESS
Considerable achievements have been made since Southern Sudan first launched the “Go to School” campaign in 2006, an education-for-all initiative aimed at boosting primary school enrolment, especially among girls.
Posted: Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:32:00 EDT

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Spotlight on Secure Communities Program
Washington, D.C. may become the first jurisdiction to reject the "Secure Communities" program, a federal government program in which local law enforcement would share booking information with the Department of Homeland Security. The Secure Communities program forwards the information of arrested individuals to DHS regardless of if they are found innocent of a crime or if their arrest is later deemed unlawful. A bill introduced with unanimous support of the city council would prohibit the sharing of arrest and booking information. The immigration status of those convicted of crimes will remain accessible to federal agencies.

Spotlight on Southern Sudan
The Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement/Army concluded twenty-one years of bloodshed when they finalized the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement on December 31, 2004. The agreement created a semi-autonomous administration in Southern Sudan, and hope that the two sides could settle their remaining differences before the planned referendum. The failure to resolve key sources of tension – such as the control of oil resources, the delineation of borders, and preparations for the referendum – have generated grave concerns that a vote for independence may lead to renewed warfare, plunge the south back into chaos, and destroy its recent progress.

Spotlight on Colombian Refugees in Panama
Refugees who have fled from the on–going conflict in Colombia to the neighboring country of Panama find themselves lost in a legal limbo. Granted Temporary Humanitarian Protection, they are not permitted the legal and social benefits afforded to refugees under the 1951 Refugee Convention, which is supposed to define who is a refugee, their rights and the legal obligations of states.

Fifty years ago, when borders were more fluid, people moved between the Darién province of Panama and the Chocó department of Colombia freely. Mainly populated by people of African and indigenous descent, the two regions share strong cultural ties, and families span both sides of the border. However, all that changed when the armed conflict in Colombia began to ravage Chocó in the late 1990s.

Spotlight on Iraq
The situation of Iraqi refugees remains a crisis, one that calls for redoubled efforts to achieve a durable solution to their situation. Two million Iraqi refugees and three million internally displaced Iraqis add up to a vast displacement that will take years to resolve. It is important that within Iraq, immediate efforts focus on assisting the increasing number of internally displaced Iraqis to return to their homes. Reintegration programs established now can equally well benefit those returning from overseas, as their basic needs will be similar.

Spotlight on South Africa and Zimbabwean Refugees
As the government of Zimbabwe fails, hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans have fled to neighboring countries, with the majority coming to South Africa. Fleeing the chaos of their native land, more than 11,000 refugees have passed through the Jesuit Refugee Service Limpopo project in South Africa since April. The JRS staff of eight help the refugees to find food, clothing and housing, and accompany them during a period of immense transition in their lives.

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