JCARI-LA is a regional collaborative network of Jewish voices advocating for policies and practices that treat all migrants, with a strong emphasis on refugees and asylum seekers as they flee persecution, with dignity and respect.

 

We take action for these individuals through advocacy with national and local lawmakers, educating and mobilizing our communities, and organizing to scale up local direct service opportunities as follows:

 

Advocacy for legislative and regulatory changes at the federal, state, and local levels that will meet and raise refugee quotas, increase funding for resettlement and integration programs, reduce obstacles to the legal process, and protect individuals and families awaiting deportation — including those in detention in ICE facilities in California and those aspiring to get to California, but now detained in Mexico due to MPP. We will partner with HIAS for advocacy direction on the specific issues of refugees and asylum seekers, while following the lead of member and partner organizations on other migrant policy matters.

 

Education of our communities about: our Jewish responsibility to honor the rights of refugees and immigrants, including both their basic human rights and their legal right to seek asylum; the tangible benefits of welcoming them, such as their economic and cultural contributions to our state; and the negative effects of current policy and practices, all with the ultimate goal of dispelling myths and creating more grassroots advocacy and action. Direct service for asylum seekers, refugees, and other migrants in Greater L.A. through partner organizations, including HIAS on a national scale and local NGOs in our community, on everything from pro bono legal support to addressing basic needs of migrants in the region.

 

Learn more about JCARI-LA’s Governance Structure here and JCARI-LA Membership Frequently Asked Questions here.

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