Media Releases made by JFON Houston
Media Releases, Opinion Editorials and Statements by Release Date
July 28, 2020
Statement by Manne Favor, Executive Director
Regarding Department of Homeland Security Memo stating new DACA applications will be rejected and DACA renewals will be for one year instead of two, as it has been.
"We are disappointed at the lack of empathy and consideration that the Department of Homeland Security is showing to those eligible for relief under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Just a month ago the Supreme Court blocked the program from being ended. And now our government is picking and choosing who they will allow to participate – ignoring the rule of law.
This situation underscores the importance of our Congress to pass a clean, straightforward bill that codifies DACA so that there is no
more room for interference from government agencies. We call on lawmakers on both sides of the isle to use their power to alleviate the uncertainty, anxiety and fear that so many hard-working young people in our society, who have never called another country their home, are forced to live under. It is time. It is right and it is expedient."
June 18, 2020
Statement by Manne Favor, Executive Director, JFON Houston
Regarding Supreme Court Ruling Stopping the Trump Administration from
Ending Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Today we celebrate the majority ruling of the United States Supreme Court upholding the immigration program commonly referred to as DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. This program protects those who entered the country as children. It allows them to legally work, attend school and be productive members of our society.
While this ruling keeps Dreamers safe for the time being, the ruling should not be viewed as the end game. This ruling does not stop the Trump administration or any other administration from ending the program in the future. The ruling simply states that they way in which the administration ended the program violated the Administrative Procedure Act.
We must call on Congress to pass meaningful legislation that provides permanent relief for Dreamers, provides a pathway to citizenship and ends the uncertainty forever.
Click here to continue reading
June 4, 2020
Statement by Manne Favor, Executive Director JFON Houston
Regarding regarding the Murder of George Floyd
I CAN’T BREATHE!
Those three words have become resounding chants in cities across the country, today. But sadly, it is not the first time we are having to hear protesters chant those words. This time the cynosure of the protests is George Floyd, an unarmed African American man killed by police.
Lying under the knees of three Minneapolis police officers, I can’t breathe were his cry for air, while one of the officers pressed his knee on his neck, snuffing life out his body.
I can’t breathe has become a desperate cry for help from many in our country, asphyxiated by the cruelty of injustice, racism and police brutality.
Our hearts are broken as we watch injustice live on and in some instances expand its reach and influence in this country. Regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or nationality, everyone standing on United States soil should feel safe and know they will be respected and their constitutional rights upheld.
June 18, 2019
Opinion Editorial by Manne Favor, Executive Director, JFON Houston
The Generosity of Strangers Provides Hope
In a world where violence forces thousands of families to flee for their lives each day, Refugee Awareness Month is the time to show that we, the global public, stand with refugees. During June we take a moment to honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who have been forced to flee their homeland because of threat of persecution, war and violence.
Worldwide, the majority of refugees are woman and children. My team and I work with dozens of brave, strong and determined refugees each month. No matter how many stories we hear, the life events that bring our clients to the United States never get easier to hear. We hear horror stories of mothers fleeing in the night to protect children from execution for their father’s political beliefs. We work with refugees who spent months walking in search of a safe place to stop after war took over their village. And, we work with others who can’t return home because of a natural disaster.
The stories that lead most refugees to the United States are different but there are always common threads: Leaving with nothing but what you can carry, knowing you will never see friends and family again, having no idea what your future holds and how the generosity of strangers forever changed their lives.
No one wants to be a refugee yet every four seconds someone is forced from their home. There are over 65 million refugees in the world today. Sadly, most refugees wait an average of 17 years before they are resettled. Can you imagine being a parent knowing your child will never experience a normal childhood? Most refugees live on the streets, in parks or, if they are lucky, in a refugee camp.
October 24, 2019
News Release
JFON Houston Part of $2 Million Grant to Help Asylum Seekers
Houston – Justice For Our Neighbors Houston (JFON Houston) announced today they have been chosen to partner with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and Church World Service to be part of a $2 million project aimed at helping asylum-seekers in Houston, Florida and New York.
The UMCOR funded project will provide coordinated assistance to asylum-seekers in the three service areas – providing access to a broader range of support to safely live in the U.S. and secure relief from deportation.