North Texas Police Accept DAI-Negotiated Parish ID Cards
After passage of Senate Bill 4, according to Father Michael Forge of Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Farmers Branch, several undocumented parishioners told him that they felt unsafe going to church or taking their kids to school. One year later, his church, with the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, is making parish identification cards available to his parishioners.
Read moreFor Immigrants Without State ID, DAI Negotiates Dallas-Area Police Department Acceptance of Parish Identification Cards
For the first time in North Texas, immigrants without state ID will be allowed to use parish identification cards to identify themselves with Farmers Branch, Carrollton and Dallas Police Department officers. Dallas Area Interfaith leaders negotiated this ground breaking police department policy change in the aftermath of the passage of anti-immigrant State Senate Bill 4, in order to engender greater trust between police and immigrants.
Read moreDAI Credited with Blocking Payday Lending in Arlington, TX
"Catholic congregations and leaders ...were central in the push for payday lending reform in nearby Arlington. Father Daniel Kelley of St. Joseph Catholic Church was particularly influential. In addition, the Texas Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of Texas' Catholic bishops, worked directly on payday lending reform at the state and local level, and also participated in Dallas Area Interfaith and Faith Leaders for Fair Lending.
Read moreDAI Weighs In On Appointment of New Catholic Bishop in Dallas
When Pope Francis announced the new bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas, Bishop Edward Burns, DAI expressed eagerness to work with him. Said lead organizer Josephine Lopez-Paul, "His attention and care to the immigrant community will be very critical. Farrell focused on building bridges between communities, and we need that to continue."
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North Texas IAF Expands Pressure on Payday Lenders
As part of a two-pronged approach to restrict payday lenders, the North Texas IAF succeeded in persuading the Council to pass zoning restrictions which would separate payday and auto-title lenders from banks, credit unions and more traditional financial institutions, while also requiring them to seek a specific-use permit from the council. The purpose of this would be to prevent high concentrations of payday lenders in low-income (or any) neighborhoods and would apply to new businesses.
Read moreNorth Texas IAF Wins on Payday Reform in Arlington
After undergoing a congregational development process in partnership with the North Texas IAF that involved 3,000 parishioners – 600 of which participated in small group encounters led by 80 ministry leaders -- leaders of St. Joseph's Catholic Parish in Arlington, Texas were astounded by the number of stories about payday lending.
Read moreNorth Texas IAF Takes on Payday Lenders in Arlington
Fr. Daniel Kelly of St. Joseph Catholic Church and North Texas IAF -- in partnership with the Texas Catholic Conference -- hosted a press conference at his church announcing a coordinated interfaith effort to place limits on payday and title loan lending. Says Kelly, "every week another member of my parish tells me a horror story about one of these loans. They debilitate our families."
Congregational members and allies were joined by the Catholic Bishops of Texas in the public call for tougher regulations.
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