NEW SANCTUARY MOVEMENT

New Sanctuary Movement

Unfair immigration policies and deportation practices have torn families apart in communities throughout Philadelphia. Arch Street United Methodist Church works in partnership with New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia (SanctuaryPhiladelphia.org) as part of an interfaith, multicultural immigrant rights organization working to build alliances across faith, ethnicity, and class in order to give voice to immigration injustices, and to enact policies that reflect our values of hospitality, justice and dignity. We accompany people who are facing deportation and hold workshops to provide information about rights.

In the past, NSM worked successfully to make Philadelphia a Sanctuary City. Now NSM is working to make Driver’s Licenses available to all, regardless of immigration status. We are working to stop the deportation raids. Recently the Obama Administration announced a new round of deportation raids targeting Central American refugee families. We are working to ensure all our immigrant members know what to do in case of a raid and we have organized teams to take action when we learn of a raid. NSM has an emergency hotline to call if you see an ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency) raid taking place.
In case of a raid, call NSM’s emergency hotline number: 267-333-9530
Teams of NSM Congregational members have been organized to respond to reported raids.

  • A phone tree will start to notify everyone signed up to respond. After the closest congregations are called, we will then call other congregations.
  • The team will immediately head to the site of the raid.
  • One person on the team will call others on the phone tree.
  • The team will gather on the block of the raid.
  • The team will hold a vigil – songs, prayer, and any other practice that is meaningful to the congregation.
  • The group will take photos and film the raid and NSM staff will call press. We will stay until ICE leaves.
  • After, we will talk with the family to provide guidance on next steps, talk about accompaniment and be a support for the family.
  • Each team will have a response kit – an NSM banner, signs, an agenda, NSM business cards, and a guide for press. Members should wear NSM t-shirts and make sure the signs are visible. ICE officers are sometimes dressed in street clothes so we want to make sure the family knows we are supporters and not ICE.

New Sanctuary Movement holds a General Assembly every other month to provide information about our campaigns and to make plans to implement our goals. Please contact Margaret Harris (margaretharris@me.com or 215-568-2206) for more information or if you would like to be involved in this work for immigrant justice.