From HOT Arizona

I am Ayse, undergraduate IWJ intern in Arizona. My area of focus is immigration and the public policy. I am working with Trina Zelle and Sarah Schwarz on the New Sanctuary Movement.
My second day in Arizona, I was introduced to the Imam in Tempe, AZ and people involved in the immigration policies from the Muslim community. Later in the week, me and Sarah attended the New Sanctuary Movement follow up meeting in a church with mainly religious leaders and people of conscience in a Lutheran Church. Trina Zelle led the discussion on finding potential families, identifying the religious leaders, what to do next and how to approach senators in the state. After the bill was killed, we have attended a press conference in the State Capital.

Apart from the New Sanctuary Movement, we work along with UFCW and somos America on their Bashas campaign. Their research indicated that 58% of the baby formula in Bashas was expired and we participated in the action against Bashas as well as meetings before the action.

Currently, Sarah and I are beginning our initial outreach to faith communities. We have identified the religious leaders in order to develop materials on their religious response to immigration and their perspectives.