BAYONNE — People of faith and immigrant rights advocates from across the state of New Jersey will gather at Liberty State Park in front of the foot bridge to Ellis Island on the Christian feast day of Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 11 a.m. for a press conference and interfaith prayer service before walking to Elizabeth Detention Center to draw attention to what they say are the moral failings of the U.S.’s immigration and detention policies and to call for comprehensive, just, humane immigration reform.
They will be joined by affected family members who have a loved one who is currently in immigration detention or who has recently been deported.
The day of action, “Ellis Island is Closed,” highlights the differences between our nation’s history of welcoming immigrants, symbolized by Ellis Island, and today’s harsh realities for immigrants to the U.S. Participants will make a 10-mile pilgrimage to the Elizabeth Detention Center through Jersey City and Newark, stopping along the way at Assumption/All Saints Church, Islamic Center of Jersey City, Temple Beth-El and Grace Community Lutheran Church.
Each “pilgrim” will carry the name of someone who has died in detention, to restore humanity to those whose dignity was denied by our broken system.