July 2024 Spotlight Series: Immigration Law & Justice Michigan (IL&J-MI)

 

 “And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.”

Deuteronomy 10:19

 

Central’s spotlight mission or July is Immigration Law & Justice Michigan (formerly Justice for Our Neighbors), an organization welcomes and supports low-income immigrants by providing pro bono legal support for immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. This organization also assists victims of sex trafficking, those exposed to violent crimes, and unaccompanied refugee children. Through their office at Central Church, ILJ-MI serves people from countries all over the world and many who live throughout northern Michigan. Other state regional offices are in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Metro Detroit.

CUMC has identified ILJ-MI as an essential mission since 2015 and provides no-cost office space at the church. We are excited to be raising awareness alongside them and helping folks here at Central. This month we will celebrate ILJ’s mission and impact. 

“The need is enormous and your financial support is much needed.”

– Alline Beutler, Community Relations Manager, IL-J-MI

This coming month in July, we hope you will join Immigration Law & Justice MI on Tuesday, July 23^rd at 6:30 pm for an in-person discussion on immigration court. ILJ-MI’s Advocacy and Outreach Manager,

Tori Booker will be at the church to lead a virtual interview and conversation with Dr. Maya Barak, Associate Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and author of The Slow Violence of Immigration Court. Traverse City staff members, Alline Beutler and Marcelo Betti will also be present. For more information, contact Alline Beutler ILJ-MI Community Relations Manager (abeutler@iljmi.org) We look forward to seeing you at this interesting and engaging event! Get more details here.

In 2023, ILJ-MI increased the number of legal services by 33% across the state, with 1,382 cases and 919 clients from 85 countries. Clients coming to the US from Ukraine have been the most prevalent cases in Traverse City since the Russian invasion in 2022, with over 150 Ukrainians applying for work permits and/or the Temporary Protected Status program with support from ILJ-MI.

ILJ-MI helps immigrants understand their choices and navigate the complexities and barriers of the immigration legal system. It was started nationally by the United Methodist Committee on Relief and now supports 19 locally operated sites around the country, including ILJ-MI. The ILJ-MI office in Traverse City is one of the few providers of free or low-cost immigration legal services in Michigan and is the only one north of Grand Rapids.

Alline Beutler can be reached at (231) 357-0026.

Please consider financial support of Immigration Law & Justice Michigan and be an advocate for their work in our community through CUMC missions. You can make a donation through Central Missions here.  

Note: select “Missions” as your designation when you make a gift.

You can learn more about Immigration Law & Justice Michigan and help with financial support through CUMC missions or by donating through their website: www.iljmi.org