SSNDs in Wilton joined an inter-faith group of 300 in support of Jung Courville, a South Korean immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for 18 years and has been married to a U.S. citizen for 14 years. At her recent annual check-in with immigration officials, she was told by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to purchase a one-way ticket out of the country by Aug. 28.
CONECT, a multi-faith organization of 28 southern Connecticut congregations, prepared the prayer vigil in support of Jung Courville, her husband and their two young sons at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Norwalk, where the Courville family regularly attend Sunday Mass.
Peg Regan, SSND, who teaches English and offers immigration assistance in Norwalk, was among the first presenters at the vigil. She spoke of the need and reasons for a reform in U.S. immigration policies. She highlighted the evidence that refugees and immigrants do not pose a threat to our safety or to our economy. She was accompanied by SSNDs from the AM Province Commitment on Immigration who took action in behalf of Jung by signing letters to Immigration authorities in Hartford and Philadelphia.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling also attended the vigil and addressed the fact that almost all of us are from immigrant families and the need for reform in the current laws.
-By Sister Ethel Howley
