REACH Healthcare Foundation cares about every person who calls this region home, whether born here or a newcomer by choice or necessity. For two decades, REACH has included the health care needs of our region’s immigrants and refugees in our philanthropic investments and supports. Our leadership has steadfastly rejected the notion that citizenship should be a precursor to access health care, whether it be a preventative vaccine or lifesaving care in an emergency room. Newcomers are members of our community, and most of us—or our ancestors just a few generations before us—were new to America once, too.
People come to America to pursue their dreams of a better life for themselves, their children, and their families. They are our neighbors, family members, coworkers and friends. Our belief at REACH is that newcomers to our region are entrepreneurial and hard-working. They are eager to share their stories, culture and skills, while also facing the daunting task of learning about a new culture, language and way of life. It is this difference in backgrounds that makes Kansas City a richly diverse and thriving region. One that our foundation is proud to call home.
REACH denounces any attempt to target members of our community based on race, ethnicity, accent or any other method that is unlawful, overly broad, and/or lacks judicial due process, a key tenet of American democracy. We are deeply concerned about the lack of transparency and accountability and repeated instances of inhumane treatment associated with current federal immigration enforcement efforts across the nation. We call on Congress to intervene by taking responsibility for passing effective and human-centered immigration policies and creating reasonable pathways to citizenship. Our elected officials must vigorously protect the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution before more deaths and injuries occur. As a healthcare foundation, we are particularly troubled knowing that the level of fear and anxiety being experienced by thousands of children and adults targeted for deportation will have far-reaching mental health and trauma implications for generations to come.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless in the face of uncertainty. Like many others, the team at REACH is having conversations about what we can meaningfully do to meet this moment in a constructive way. At our core, we believe the collective power of local, focused responses to our country’s most pressing problems is the most effective path forward.
We encourage everyone who wants to take action to consider any of the following. These suggestions were assembled by REACH team members and our community partners.
- Contact your members of Congress. Immigration policy is a federal policy, and due process is central to the United States Constitution. Insist that they require transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement, along with appropriate training. To find or double-check who represents you in Congress, go to www.govspeak.us. If you already know who they are, call the Congress Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask them to connect you to your representative.
- Contact your local units of government. Find out what your city council’s or county commission’s position is regarding cooperating with federal immigration enforcement and how they plan to prioritize and protect public safety and the needs of their residents.
- Educate yourself and help connect immigrant and refugee community members to “Know Your Rights” information and to develop a Family Preparedness Plan should they be detained or deported.
- Connect immigrant and refugee families with charitable organizations that can link them to essential health and human services. United Way 211 is an information and referral resource with caring Community Resource Specialists trained to refer to more than 7,000 services.
- Inform yourself and others about the complex U.S. immigration system and why it is fundamentally broken. This flow chart shows the complex process that non-citizens face to obtain citizenship in this country. It can take years and cost thousands of dollars. Advocate for a reasonable and achievable path to citizenship.
- Watch this recent report on immigration by local station KCTV5. This story provides multiple perspectives on U.S. immigration policy. Share it with others or use it to start a conversation at your place of worship, book club or service organization.
- If you feel safe, share your or your family’s immigration story with those promoting a narrative of who “belongs” in the United States and who does not. Unless you are Native American, you have family members, likely not many generations back, who arrived here in the hopes of forging a better life. Share how you have benefited from your ancestors’ courage and sacrifice and how you now contribute to society.
- Learn more about Welcoming America’s Draw the Line campaign advocating for fairness, freedom, the rule of law, and respect for human dignity.
- When engaging in advocacy opportunities like protests, sit-ins, etc., always have a personal safety plan. Focus on the cause and humanity and demonstrate empathy. When engaging with others either in person or on social media, pay attention to the language you use, and try to manage your emotions to the extent you can. Your perspective will be less likely to be dismissed, and you will be more likely to be seen as an informed and effective advocate.
- Don’t be afraid to take a break for the sake of your own mental health. If you need additional support, call 988 to connect to resources that can help.
Everyone can do something, whether focusing their efforts on local supports for families and individuals being directly impacted, challenging anti-immigrant rhetoric, or calling upon elected officials to uphold democratic principles and processes. If you have other suggestions you would like to share with our team, please contact us at info@reachhealth.org.
