Immigration forum set for Monday night – The Salem News

BEVERLY The Beverly Multifaith Coalition and ECCO are co-sponsoring a forum Monday evening about the country's immigration policy and deportation.

"An Overview of Immigration Policy and Deportation in the USA: How did we get here?" will feature Rob McAndrews, an immigration attorney and social work professor at Salem State University, and Alexandra Pineros-Shields, executive director of the Essex County Community Organization.

It's set for 7 p.m. Monday, May 15, at the First Baptist Church on Cabot Street.

"We want to be part of a debate that's taking place nationwide related to immigration, related to refugees and related to deportation," said the Rev. Kent Harrop of the Baptist Church.

What sparked the forum is the idea that deportations of undocumented immigrants may heighten in a few months, according to immigration attorneys Harrop spoke with.

"We need to understand where we've been historically and where we are," Harrop said.

After the presentations, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions.

This forum is one of three to be hosted by the church.

The second will focus on the sanctuary congregation movement, Harrop said. This includes looking at the Underground Railroad that hid slaves before the abolition of slavery, as well as protection of Central American people escaping war during the 1980s.

"We will be educated on an emerging new sanctuary congregation movement," Harrop said. A growing number of faith communities are part of a sanctuary movement that pledges to help immigrants facing unjust deportation.

A third forum, to be scheduled sometime this summer, will focus on those who want to get involved in advocacy for refugees, immigrants and those who face a deportation risk.

Arianna MacNeill can be reached at 978-338-2527 or at amacneill@salemnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @SN_AMacNeill.

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Immigration forum set for Monday night - The Salem News