Our Expanded Call: Clergy Needed at Dallas ICE Field Office

CLEAR is expanding its witness and ministry at the Dallas ICE Field Office.

We are currently training and deploying clergy to be present at the Field Office throughout the week.

Many more migrants are being detained at the Field Office, and there is a need for pastoral support for them and their families.

This includes: helping families deal with the trauma they are experiencing in that moment, praying with them, accompanying them to the office, helping them recover personal items, or even understand what is happening in that moment.

This new clergy role is something like a chaplaincy role, where we maintain a non-anxious presence, and seek to be helpful in what is need in the moment.

Our goal is to cover 6 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday.

If you are a DFW clergy willing to join us, CONTACT US HERE.
We most need persons willing to take a specific time block, each week.

We ask anyone who wants to participate to take our training ahead of time, and no one should show up, unannounced.

We work alongside community organizers who are also helping migrants fill out an important disclosure form. This form can be used to track a migrant, once in custody, providing helpful information to their loved ones, faith communities and legal counsel.

There is a need for more Spanish-fluent volunteers to help in this part of the effort too!
WE NEED YOU!

We are grateful for Vecinos Unidos, Dallas For Change, and other local groups for their own compassionate care for migrants and families, and honored to accompany and work with them in this effort.

Our Monday Prayer Vigil (8 am to 10 am) will also continue for now.

We invite our dedicated band of faithful witnesses to continue gathering on the FREEWAY side of the building, only.

For full information about the Monday Vigil, CLICK HERE for the previously published FAQ.

“SNAP TO IT”

Clear supporter, Joey Darwin, is organizing a centralized information site for individuals and groups responding to the impending cut off in SNAP funding.

JOIN THE GROUP HERE.

Monday CLEAR Vigil FAQ (update #2)

What:
Clergy-led prayer vigil outside the Dallas ICE Field Office.

We begin and end with prayer. We interact with migrants who come for appointments, and pray that ICE act with justice and compassion, and that they not morally harm their own souls.

Regular volunteers often bring signs with faith-based, or justice-based messages. These are optional for anyone who wants them.

When:
Mondays from 8 am to 10 am

Who:
We arrange to have local clergy as lead-participants, but we welcome “any and all persons of good will.”

VIGIL vs PROTEST

Please understand our faith-based intent, in this description, written by CLEAR Supporter, Rev. Phil Dieke:

”As we gather weekly at the ICE Headquarters in Dallas we do so in a posture of vigil. We keep awake and alert even when others are "sleeping." This is a sign of support and solidarity, as well as a practice of discipline as we focus our attention on the injustice happening in our community and our country. We focus our attention on the humanity of each individual affected by the inhumane and illegal actions of our government. We refuse to ignore what is taking place. We stand awake. We stand alert. We stand and we pray.”

Parking:

We strongly urge you not to park anywhere your car is likely to be towed, and it is possible that towing cars could be a tactic for distracting our group.

We have arranged for parking at a building owned by Domingo Garcia:

1111 W. Mockingbird Lane

In transparency, this is a five minute walk (.3 mi) from ICE. It’s several blocks up the service road to Ice from there, but Domingo is arranging for our cars to be safely allowed at his building.

Many others are parking in the commercial lots to the North of ICE HQ of the highway service road. Some of those business are either temporarily closed, or do not open until after 10 am.

What is Appropriate:

1. Stay on the front public sidewalk.
2. Please DO pray prayers or offer statements from your own faith tradition. There will be times of silence.
3. You will encounter migrants wishing to have prayer, and we should be prepared to pray with them.
4. If ICE agents wish prayer, we will pray for them as well.
5. We do not intend to call the media each week, but it is likely the media will show up from time to time.
6. Livestream if you wish.
7. Our goal is consistency of witness over time.
8. You own signs are welcome, but we’d ask for signs with a faith-based message, or a specific civic message with a faith-component.

We hope to have at least one Spanish speaker each week. If you know of additional Spanish speaking clergy/layfolks who might be interested, please let us know.

Questions?
Reach out with our CONTACT FORM.

CLEAR Statement on Dallas ICE Field Office Shooting

Read our statement about that horrific event HERE.