Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

Prayer Vigil For Our Migrant Neighbors
Thursday October 9th at 6:00 PM at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church - Missoula

Over 1.5 million migrants have lived in the United States for decades through the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) program that offers legal status for people from countries that have faced environmental and political instability. The reality is that there is nothing temporary about the lives TPS holders have built here in the United States. They have worked and started businesses here. They have raised families and most of their children are US citizens. They are important parts of our local communities.

Over the past two months hundreds of thousands of our migrant neighbors with TPS have lost their legal status. Turning TPS holders into "illegal immigrants" and forcing them to leave the country will upend not just their lives. It will also force many U.S. citizen children into a shattering, impossible dilemma. They will have to lose their parents to deportation or leave their homes forever in the only country they have ever known.

Recently, an 11-year-old U.S. citizen, whose mother was a TPS holder from Honduras, wrote a letter to her elected officials. In it, she said, "Ever since my mother came home and told me that the TPS was canceled, I was devastated. I know it wasn't fair as an American citizen that I had to choose between living with my mom in a foreign country or staying here without my parent."

On Thursday, October 9th at 6pm, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church invites Missoulians to join us to pray for our migrant neighbors and to bear witness to the pain and trauma being experienced by TPS families who have lost their legal status. Gather on the sidewalk for a time of reflection and prayer. There will also be an opportunity for Missoulians to take action in solidarity with TPS holders across the United States to protect families with TPS, including resources to contact our federal elected officials. This event is in response to a call from the National TPS Alliance for a week of action on October 6th through 10th to protect TPS families.

 - Jesse Jaeger, Social Concerns Committee