Policy Priorities & Sign-Ons

We believe all of our neighbors have sacred dignity and worth, and that as people of faith and good will, we are called to act when our shared values are threatened. We envision a world in which partners reach across economic, political and social borders to build a sustainable future for the planet and its people. All human beings deserve a safe and welcoming space to live. We demand humane policies that value family unity and human dignity throughout the Americas. We support legislation that keeps dignity first and demonstrates an understanding of the root causes and intricacies of the global phenomenons that have shaped our current reality.

To learn more about IFCLA’s policy priorities, click here to view our Policy Platform.

  • We acknowledge and accept co-responsibility for the current state of af airs in Latin American countries. The United States historically and consistently practices intervention in Latin American countries. Intervention, or the act of a foreign power wielding influence over the policies and and interests of another country, has taken many forms, including covert operations, military intervention, arms sales, political endorsement, and financial support to governments and corporations. U.S. financial intervention, military training, and corporate exploitation have led to the international overthrow of elected governments, reinforced repression, and fueled civil wars. While these interventions have led to some positive outcomes, they have also contributed to conditions of instability, poverty and inequality.

  • We advocate for the dignity of migrants, the right to stay home and the fundamental right to migrate. The current outdated immigration system and the harmful political rhetoric surrounding immigrants has presented us with serious challenges in living out our common values. Building a physical barrier will do nothing to address the root causes of extreme violence, poverty and instability driving people from their homes in the first place. U.S. foreign policy and military intervention in Latin American countries laid the foundation for migration trends and directly resulted in the phenomenon of undocumented migration. We support laws and policies that keep dignity first, demonstrate an understanding of the root causes of migration, and seek to end the criminalization of communities of color.

  • We promote the demilitarization of Latin American countries and the U.S.-Mexico border. We oppose militarization taking place along the U.S. border and in Latin American countries. We support the people of Latin America as they fight against repression and the destruction of their land, territories, and rights. We must harness our collective power to confront the oppression of rampant militarization. We acknowledge that the rapidly increasing militarization of border security, immigration policy, and within agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has contributed to a lower quality of life for many individuals, notably indigenous people,communities of color, and other marginalized populations.

  • We seek the liberation of marginalized individuals and communities. We envision a world in which our civic institutions govern with justice and mercy and reject the criminalization of people of color. We believe that aggressive policing practices contribute to the deterioration of physical and mental health, especially among communities of color and marginalized populations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the overall cost of fatal and non-fatal injuries by law enforcement in 2010 was $1.8 billion and 76,440 non-fatal injuries occurred due to legal intervention as of 2016. At least 1,091 individuals were killed by law enforcement officers in the U.S. as of 2016 (End Police Violence). We know that detention and deportation have deleterious emotional, physical and behavioral consequences on children and adolescents.

  • We promote fair trade, labor and food practices at home and abroad. The ability to work is a fundamental, human right. No one should be prevented from access to jobs, fair wages or justice when confronted with unfair treatment. Every human being should have the freedom to earn a decent living, support themselves and their families, and afford basic necessities. Achieving social peace remains unattainable when the right to work is thwarted or routinely denied. We oppose trade and labor policies that reduce food safety, result in lower pay and lost jobs, destroy small businesses, harm workers, threaten the environment and force people to leave their homeland. We oppose international trade agreements that prioritize corporate power and threaten the dignity of our brothers and sisters in Latin America. Every opportunity to take advantage of marginalized people are capitalized upon for profit. Our bodies, labor, and land have always been used for capitalistic gain in whatever manner the dominant system has seen fit. Large, multinational corporations have created global trade, labor and food policies at the expense of the rights and health of workers and the environment. We stand with workers in their fight for a living wage, safe working environment and denounce practices that create economic and social marginalization. The resources acquired from the fruits of human labor must always be used with the principles of justice, equity and respect of human rights.

IFCLA is a signatory to a number of petitions and letters that support legislation and further policy objectives that align with our own and with those of organizations with like-minded purposes. Through the publication of this list, we intend to cultivate transparency and accountability to the communities we engage.

2022

  • CAPA for Arlington - Organizational Sign-On - #ICEoutofArlington (Signed 01/06/2022)

  • Continuing Care for Unaccompanied Children in Florida (Signed 01/06/2022)

  • Tell the Biden Administration to Stop Expansion of Private Prison Industry, Immigrant Detention in GA! (Signed 02/04/2022)

  • ICE ISAP Congressional Letter: Electronic monitoring program (Signed 02/08/2022)

  • Organizational Sign-on Letter in Joint Opposition to Missouri Initiative Petition Repeal (Signed 02/14/2022)

  • Free Them All from ICE Custody - 2022/Liberar a todes de la custódia de ICE -2022 (Signed 02/15/2022)

  • Org Sign-On: Urge Biden Administration to Grant TPS for Cameroon Immediately (Signed 02/16/2022)

  • Letter: Union Pacific stop collaborating in Operation Lonestar (Signed 02/23/2022)

  • Sign on Letter - OMB Revisions of Race and Ethnicity Data Standards (Signed 02/23/2022)

  • Sign On Letter Immigration Priorities FY22 Appropriations (Signed 02/24/2022)

  • Title 42 Anniversary Letter / Carta para el aniversario de Título 42 (Signed 03/07/2022)

  • IFCLA Statement on Hispanic Leaders Group Advocacy Day (03/07/2022)

  • IFCLA Statement on TPS for Cameroon (03/14/2022)

  • Missouri Organizational Endorsement for the Afghan Adjustment Act (Signed 03/22/2022)

  • Defund Hate FY23 Cuts NGO Letter (Signed 04/01/2022)

  • Charge Ground of Inadmissibility (Signed 04/20/2022)

  • Faith Leaders: Faith Sign on Letter Opposing the Public Health and Border Security Act of 2022, a Harmful Anti-Asylum Bill (Signed 04/21/2022)

  • DHS Docket No. USCIS-2021-0013, Comments in Response to Proposed Rulemaking, Public (Signed 04/21/2022)

  • Lift the Bar Act (Signed 05/16/2022)

  • Coalition Letter to Amazon Web Services (Signed on 05/18/2022)

  • No New Child Detention Centers / No a nuevos centros de detención infantil (Signed on 06/16/2022)

  • Congressional Letter on Digital Border Wall (Signed on 6/23/2022)

2021

  • Letter to President-Elect Biden on U.S. Policy Towards Central America (Signed 01/06/2021)

  • NGO Sign on FTA: Free Them All Organizational Letter/Liberen a Todxs Carta Organizacional (Signed 1/14/2021)

  • Permanent Protections for Essential Workers & Families (Signed 1/15/2021)

  • Sign-on letter: DOJ immigration enforcement (Signed 1/29/2021)

  • The People’s Plan (Signed 2/18/2021)

  • Organizational Sign-On Letter Condemning IBD Invest's Financing of the Jilamito Hydroelectric Project (Signed 3/16/2021)

  • First 10 to Communities Not Cages Letter (Signed 3/23/21)

  • Organizational Sign-On Letter Condemning IBD Invest's Financing of the Jilamito Hydroelectric Project (Signed 3/25/2021)

  • Child Detention Organizational Letter/Detención de Niñxs Carta Organizacional (Signed 4/12/2021)

  • Sign-on letter to Biden Administration to redesignate TPS for Haiti (Signed 4/12/2021)

  • Org. Endorsement of Dear Colleague for Sec. Mayorkas Interim Enforcement Guidelines Letter (Signed 4/19/2021)

  • Pathway to citizenship for essential workers (Signed 5/19/2021)

  • Statement by Human Rights organizations advocating for the integration of the sunla in the process of investigation and search for the Garífuna victims of forced disappearance from triunfo de la Cruz (Signed 5/19/2021)

  • Urgent - sign on letter to Congress re: Central America funding (Signed 6/3/2021)

  • "desarrollo económico" que promueve proyectos extractivistas y privatizadores de recursos naturales (Signed 6/7/2021)

  • IFCLA Statement on Justice for Berta Cáceres (Signed 06/18/2021)

  • Organizational Sign-on Statement on David Castillo Trial for Murder of Berta Cáceres (Signed 6/21/2021)

  • DHS & ICE must change course on enforcement (Signed 6/22/2021)

  • As elections approach in Nicaragua, we call on the United States to stop interfering (Signed 6/29/2021)

  • Opposition to Emergency Intake Sites (Signed 7/9/2021)

  • Faith Letter Sign On: Urge Biden to Support Afghans in Danger (Signed 8/20/2021)

  • Denounce Texas' Anti-Immigrant Operation Lone Star (Signed 8/30/2021)

  • Interfaith Sign-On Letter - Immediately Stop Deportations to Haiti (Signed 9/21/2021)

  • Stop Expansion of ICE Detention and Get ICE out of Indiana! (Signed 9/29/2021)

  • Biden admin must halt ICE expansion (Signed 10/5/2021)

  • Sign On Letter RE Implementing Guidance for 9/30 Memo (Signed 11/3/2021)

  • Illinois NGO letter - release not transfer - ICE contract terminations (Signed 12/6/2021)

  • Catholic Organizations: MPP & Title42 Sign-On Letter (Signed 12/7/2021)

  • End-of-Year Faith Leaders to President Biden Keep Your Promise: Stop Inhumane Immigration Detention Expansion (Signed 12/9/2021)

  • Operation Lone Star NGO sign-on draft (in support of Title VI complaint) (Signed 12/13/2021)

2020

2019

2018

2017

  • Letter Supporting DACA (Signed 1/4/2017)

  • Abandon Plans to Expand Detention (Signed 5/3/2017)

  • Extend TPS for Haitians (Signed 5/14/2017)

  • Opposing Cissna Nomination for USCIS Director (Signed 7/5/2017)

  • Letter Opposing ICE Reprogramming Request (Signed 7/18/2017)

  • Faith Letter — Fiscal Year 2018 DHS Budget (Signed 7/18/2017)

  • Comunicado asesinato Tomás (Signed 9/2/2017)

  • ILRF — Union Leader Murder (Signed 9/18/2017)

  • Supporting a more inclusive Dream Act (Signed 9/23/2017)

  • Carta de Sociedad Civil al Presidente de Guatemala (Signed 9/27/2017)

  • TPS El Salvador Solidarity (Signed 12/12/2017)

2016

  • ACLU — Detention Reform (Signed 12/16/2016)

Last Updated: 07/26/2022