Texas IAF Calls on White House to Halt Speedy Deportations
Asserting that anyone under 18 years must have an attorney and should never be subjected to expedited processing, hundreds of bishops and clergy from every major religious denomination in Texas denounced proposed changes to the Trafficking Victims Act of 2008 and called on the White House for a better approach to the humanitarian crisis at the border.
In El Paso, San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas, religious leaders preached about the crisis at the border, organized relief efforts and held press conferences reminding the White House and Congress of the Judeo-Christian admonishment for nations to "show kindness and mercy to one another, not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner or the poor (Zechariah 7:9-10)."
Read moreTMO & Bishops Call for Protection of Unaccompanied Children from Central America
At a press conference organized by The Metropolitan Organization of Houston (TMO), religious leaders from Lutheran, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, COGIC and Baptist denominations called on the President and Congress to "welcome" unaccompanied children from Central America and guarantee protections afforded to them in the Trafficking Victims Act of 2008.
Nineteen local clergy signed the letter, including former Catholic Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza, Episcopal Bishops C. Andrew Doyle and Jeff Fisher, Lutheran Bishop Michael Rinehart, General Presbyter Mike Cole of the Presbytery of the New Covenant and Bishop Rufus Kyles Jr. of the Church of God in Christ.
Read moreTMO Leverages Additional $500K for Capital IDEA-Houston From Local Sources
Less than one month after Capital IDEA-Houston won a $500 thousand Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) grant to train hundreds more community college students for living wage careers, leaders of The Metropolitan Organization of Houston leveraged an additional $500 thousand in local money after testifying at City Hall.
The money will come from two source of funding: $250 thousand from Community Development Block Grants and another $250 thousand from a City of Houston budget line-item, marking the first time Capital IDEA-Houston has been included in the City budget.
Read moreTX Rep. Zerwas (R): “No Better Use of $500K Than Capital IDEA”
Leaders celebrated word that the labor market intermediary established by The Metropolitan Organization of Houston, Capital IDEA-Houston, won a Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) grant, giving it half a million dollars to train hundreds more community college students for living wage careers in Houston. TMO, with their sister organizations in the Texas IAF, helped establish the Texas Innovative Adult Career Education (ACE) grant to support projects that prepare low-income workers to attain degrees and certificates in high demand occupations including nursing and information technology. Texas State Representative John Zerwas (R-Richmond) highly praised Capital IDEA-Houston, declaring he "could not find a better use of $500K than to invest in Capital IDEA-Houston." Texas State Representative Sylvester Turner (D-Houston) chimed in adding "we should continue to invest $5 Million in these projects." The award will support about 250 students attending Houston Community College and Lone Star College.
Archbishop Fiorenza Lauds Church's Work with TMO for Schools
Regarding "Board president spares 3 schools from closure" (Page B1, March 6), the decision of the Houston Independent School Board to keep Port Houston Elementary open was critically important to the surrounding community.
The closure of the school would not only force its children to attend a far distant school, but it also would have eliminated an institution which gives vitality, stability, a sense of confidence and well-being to the community.
Read moreCatholic Church Works with TMO to Stop Closure of Neighborhood Schools in Houston
When the Houston Independent School District Superintendent proposed the closure of five schools to cut costs, concerned parents noted that in at least one case students from a higher performing school would be re-directed to a struggling one. Port Houston Elementary School parents, who happened to worship at Resurrection Catholic Church, quickly organized a challenge to the closures in partnership with TMO, which their church had just joined.
Concerned TMO leaders met with HISD board members, in addition to meeting with parents and educators, to figure out how to preserve these schools. On Thursday, March 13th, over 100 leaders and parents descended upon the HISD board meeting and recognized board president Juliet Stipeche for removing Port Houston Elementary, Nathaniel Henderson Elementary and Fleming Middle School from the closure list.
Read moreTMO Clergy & Houston Bishops Denounce SAFE Act
Methodist Bishop Janice Riggle and Catholic Cardinal Daniel Dinardo spoke at a TMO press conference supporting comprehensive immigration reform and condemning the "Safe Act" bill. With clergy and representation from every major religious denomination in Houston, leaders called on those who oppose the SAFE Act to communicate their perspective with the Congressional representatives. Bishop Michael Rinehart of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America noted that the SAFE Act contradicts the immigration principles local religious leaders first put forth in 2008. Rev. John Ogletree of First Metropolitan Church and Rabbi David Lyon of Congregation Beth Israel also called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
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