New Mexico legislators seek to repeal state abortion ban

Washington D.C., May 24, 2018 / 05:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The U.S. House of Representatives has passed prison reform legislation that would integrate faith-based programs into federal prisons to help prisoners prepare to successfully reenter society.

The First Step Act was authored by Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and has the goal of incentivizing prisoner participation in vocational and rehabilitative programs. Lawmakers approved the bipartisan legislation by a 360-59 vote on May 22.

“I’m thrilled to see such bipartisan support for the First Step Act,” said James Ackerman, president of Prison Fellowship, the largest prison ministry in the United States.

“We have a duty as a society,” continued Ackerman, “to implement a more restorative approach to criminal justice — one where people become healthier and more productive citizens when they return to society after serving time in prison then when they went into prison.”

The First Step Act calls for the implementation of individualized risk assessment interviews in federal prisons to better address each inmate’s personal needs, Prison Fellowship Vice President Craig DeRoche explained to CNA.

“For one person it, it might be addiction, for another it might be anger management and other issues to work through while they are incarcerated so that when they leave they are transformed and better suited for employability and success,” said DeRoche.

This has proven successful at the state level in places like Texas, where it has “reduced expense and it has transformed lives in restored families and healing communities,” according to DeRoche.

Prison Fellowship operates in 428 prisons throughout the country. Their staff have seen many prisoners lives transformed by their faith-based programming.

Tiheba Williams-Bain previously served time in a federal prison in Texas. She explained to CNA that the skill-building and faith-based programming that she participated in positively impacted her life.

“I took advantage of every opportunity that was accorded to me while I was in prison to help me get better,” said Williams-Bain.

“It helped me navigate through the system, as well as my own self-doubt and insecurities that I had about myself,” she continued.

 Williams-Bain added that rehabilitation requires more than programs available, saying “it comes from the mindset of the person that utilizes the programs.”

Prison Fellowship Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Craig DeRoche said that it was only through Christ that he was able to recover from 29 years of addiction.

He said that is why he believes it is significant that the First Step Act “affirmatively states that faith-based programs will be welcomed into the prisons as a solution.”

“No person is beyond Christ’s touch and healing grace and offer of redemption,” said DeRoche.

“It doesn’t matter if it is a non-violent criminal or a low-level  or a violent criminal that has done horrible things, we’ve seen that Christ can make a person new again,” he continued.

The First Step Act will likely face opposition from both sides in the Senate, but it has President Donald Trump’s support.

At the White House Prison Reform Summit on May 18, President Trump said, “At the heart of our prison reform agenda is expanding prison work and the programs so that inmates can reenter society with the skills to get a job. We also want more mental health services so released inmates can cope with the challenges of life on the outside.”

The president continued, “Get a bill to my desk.  I will sign it.”

[…]

Washington D.C., Jul 15, 2019 / 03:00 pm (CNA).- The Trump administration announced a new rule on Monday, changing the asylum application process along the U.S.-Mexco border.

The interim rule, which will be published in the Federal Register July 16, will require that anyone seeking asylum at the United States’ southern border must have first applied and been rejected for asylum in any third country they have travelled through. The rule is set to go into effect on Tuesday.

The change in policy means that a person fleeing – for example – Guatemala, who traveled through Mexico before presenting themselves at a legal port of entry into the United States, would first have to claim and be rejected for asylum in Mexico in order to be eligible to claim asylum in the United States. 

The new rule brings asylum policy along the southern border in line with current policy along the northern border with Canada. Under the Canada-United States Safe Third Country Agreement, enacted in 2004, a person must make a claim for asylum in either the United States or Canada, depending on where they arrive first. A similar policy, the Dublin Regulation, exists in the European Union. 

“Pursuant to statutory authority, the Departments are amending their respective regulations to provide that, with limited exceptions, an alien who enters or attempts to enter the United States across the southern border after failing to apply for protection in a third country outside the alien’s country of citizenship, nationality, or last lawful habitual residence through which the alien transited en route to the United States is ineligible for asylum,” reads the new rule. 

The rule will apply to people who apply for asylum or enter the United States after July 16. 

In addition to those who have already been rejected for aylum in a third country, “limited exceptions” to the new rule apply to survivors of human trafficking, and those who traveled through a country that has not signed an international treaty regarding refugee management. These people would still be eligible to apply immediately for asylum at the U.S. border.

Currently, a person may apply for asylum at the United States’ southern border, regardless of the number of other countries through which they travelled to arrive there. 

Under the new rule, the failure to seek asylum in a third country traveled through on the way to the U.S. border will also be considered under the “credible fear” screening, which is the first step in the asylum process. A person seeking asylum must prove that they have a credible fear for their lives in their country of origin, due to their race, ethnicity, or other factors. 

Although the rule “does not change the credible-fear standard for asylum claims,” the person doing the interview must consider whether or not the person seeking asylum has traveled through a third country without seeking asylum there. 

The number of asylum claims has dramatically increased over the last decade, with very few asylees being allowed to stay. In 2009, there were 35,811 people who applied for asylum in the United States, and 8,384 were granted. In 2018, that number had more than quadrupled to 162,060 claims, with 13,168 actually granted. 

The announcement follows a weekend in which immigration enforcement officers began carrying out a series of pre-announced raids aimed at removing approximately 2,000 people in cities across the country. The enforcement action is targeting individuals whose removal has ordered by the courts.

Several bishops in the United States issued statements opposing the enforcement action. Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark issued a statement ahead of the raids, which began Sunday, in which he said that they “will not provide a solution to our broken immigration system.”

“Instead,” the cardinal wrote, “they will cause more suffering to immigrant families, many of whom have been subject to detention, family separation, and violence.”

“Particularly disturbing is that these raids will be carried out as other families are attending Mass or services in churches, synagogues, or mosques,” Tobin said. “These enforcement actions should not be pursued on or around church property, as our brothers and sisters should not be afraid to worship God. It would show disrespect to all who worship and to God our Creator, who created us in His image.”

Despite no details being made available, President Trump praised the raids, claiming they were widespread and thousands were deported.

“The ICE raids were very successful — people came into our country illegally, illegally,” said Trump to reporters at the White House. “Many, many were taken out on Sunday, you just didn’t know about it.”

[…]

Denver Newsroom, May 12, 2020 / 03:45 pm (CNA).- On March 13, once the pandemic began shutting things down in South Dakota, Brianda Tapia lost her job. A few weeks later, her husband Alejandro lost his job at a pork processing plant. And then he tested positive for coronavirus.

“His symptoms were not too bad, but he had to stay in bed for some time. He recovered three weeks ago,” Tapia said.

But with no work, the family was running out of food at home, and they weren’t sure what they’d do for their two boys.

And then, through a friend, Brianda and her husband found out that a Catholic organization was giving out cash to those who need it.

Since March 23, the Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota, in partnership with the Diocese of Sioux Falls, has been providing grants to families affected by the pandemic. The foundation has given out more than $30,000 already, to at least 70 families, including 164 children. Grants average about $500 each.

Bishop Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls issued a video at the end of April, promoting solidarity with those struggling amid the pandemic. He said that while the coronavirus has negatively impacted everyone, it has particularly troubled those without work.

“It’s important that we really focus on how we can tend to each other and care for each other,” DeGrood said in the video.

“Here is a chance for us to be brothers and sisters both in a time of need and in our time of generosity. I hope you consider helping us as we consider helping each other in this journey of life.”

“The COVID relief fund is for those who want to donate towards it, who can help others, and then the foundation will be a resource to parishes, and individuals, schools, any of our groupings on this eastside where there is need to apply for funding so we can try to match the gifts with the need,” the bishop added.

Kelly Bartmann, a gift planning specialist for Catholic Community Foundation, told CNA that the relief fund has been a blessing for members of the local community. She said the organization will give away money to those in need until funds run out, and she applauded the generosity of the patrons who have donated to the fund.

“We felt like we need to be there for people, to provide that feeling that someone cares. Even if we can only give them $500, we’re hoping that that connects them a little bit with the idea that there are people out there that care and that are willing to step up and help them.”

“We’re just very happy that people have really stepped up,” she said. “We have had gifts as small as $2 from some people and as large as $10,000, so it’s impressive on both ends.”

Beneficiaries do not have to be Catholic to receive funds.

Father Kristopher Cowles, the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Sioux Falls, helped develop an approach to distributing funds. Parish priests are the first step to connecting families to grants. Pastors talk with families impacted by the virus – whether  they face unemployment, the loss of childcare, or the virus itself – and then they try to help.

“We haven’t been able to really have Masses and have a lot of connection with people. I think it gives [priests] that connection … to feel like they’re serving their purpose and just providing relationships for people and being the hands and feet of Jesus. I mean that’s what we’re here for,” Bartmann said.

Bartmann said the money has contributed to basic necessities, like rent, bills, medications, and food.

Families in Sioux falls were hit hard when a Smithfield pork plant shut down on April 19. The plant is the ninth-largest pork producer in the United States, with around 3,700 employees; it faced a spike of coronavirus infections, involving at least 640 cases of COVID-19 and 1 related death.

The Tapia family was among those impacted by the shutdown.

A parishioner of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church alerted Fr. Cowles to the family’s needs. Brianda said the money they received was a huge relief while the family waited for work to resume.

Her husband began to work again on May 12.

Tapia expressed gratitude for the foundation and its contribution to her family but also the family’s Catholic faith, which has brought them closer to God.

“The money was a God-send, it was a surprise and a blessing, because we were running out of food for us and for our two boys (9 and 8),” she said.

“Our Catholic faith has been crucial for us. Faith is always important, but especially in these trial times, in which we feel closer and united to the Lord.”

[…]