ABOUT US

The New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City is the NYC branch of the national New Sanctuary Movement. We began in May, 2007, and are currently led by six families facing deportation, who stand in partnership with over 20 faith communities and supporting organizations.

Our "sanctuary families" have come from Haiti, China, Jamaica, Senegal, Ecuador, Mexico and other places; we are as varied as the population in NYC.

We act because of our faith, looking to the teachings of our religious traditions that inspire hospitality to the strangers among us. We are appalled at the current level of hostility against immigrants, and angered by the human dilemmas created by the United States' flawed immigration laws and the hostile ways they are being enforced.

Our member faith communities have each signed the Sanctuary Pledge, committing to educate ourselves about immigration issues and act to change our country's immigration system. We stand behind families that face being torn apart by deportation.

Through such personal interactions, we are attempting to find ways to change the national discussion about undocumented immigrants from hostile to caring, and ultimately help organize support for the movement to put human rights and family unity at the center of the United States immigration system.