MOP Speaks Out for Immigration Reform at Calvin College

Members of Michigan Organizing Project from Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids spoke out on immigration reform at a gathering of about 70 interested students at Calvin College on March 4.

Diane Zandstra, chair of the Calvin Spanish department and Dan Miller from the history department gave biblical and historical contexts for the problems with the current immigration system, and members of MOP told stories of their own and others’ immigration. Sergio told of his long separation from his mother, who came from Mexico to the U.S. to work and support Sergio’s continued education. Sergio eventually came to the U.S. to join his mother, finished school, and fell in love with an American woman. After six years together, they are still unable to marry because of his immigration status. Carmen told of the arrest and forced deportation of the mother of a young child, and of taking money and papers to jailed immigrants who face long imprisonment without trial and with no access to visitors or other support. MOP founder and director John Musick remembered his call to work for civil rights for African-Americans in the early 1960s and compared it to the call to fight for rights for immigrants today. Pat explained how MOP works for justice and discussed MOP’s four principles of immigration reform. Larry talked about the progress MOP has made and about hope for comprehensive immigration reform by 2010. Organizer Jordan Bruxvoort encouraged students to get involved in any way they can, and the climax of the evening was a performance by Emerson, a hip-hop artist whose moving lyrics describe the plight of immigrants to this country.