Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy

CBF Advocacy priorities flow directly from the mission commitments and experiences of local congregations as well as our field personnel. CBF has been sharing the love of Christ with immigrant and refugee communities throughout our 25-year history and global migration is one of three contexts which serve as a focus of the work of Global Missions. It is this love of neighbor which leads to advocacy alongside and on behalf of immigrants and refugees. In April of 2017, CBF Advocacy established its first-ever Advocacy Action Team to educate, encourage and equip effective advocacy with immigrant and refugee communities. The members of this team cultivate a network of active advocates, provide useful up-to-date resources, and encourage direct policy advocacy at critical moments.

On March 2, 2020, CBF Advocacy announced the addition of Elket Rodriguez as Immigrant and Refugee Specialist. Elket will coordinate CBF's immigration advocacy efforts, help coordinate and educate Fellowship Southwest immigrant-relief volunteers, provide legal aid to asylum seekers and gather stories of refugees and immigration issues. Find out more by clicking here.

To learn more about immigrant relief ministry at the border, check out this one page resource that corresponds with our series about immigrant relief ministry at the border. To utilize this resource, click here.

Featured Resource

CBF Advocacy is proud to feature our Values and Principles for Immigration Reform. You can download the PDF of the Values and Principles for Immigration Reform at the bottom of this page or you can view them by clicking here.

CBF Advocacy has also recently released a new resource, Biblical Resources on Immigration. You can access the resource by clicking here.

COVID-19 Resources

COVID-19 Immigration Policy Statement

COVID-19 Immigration Policy Statement - Spanish

Advocacy Action Team Members:

Anyra Cano - Coordinator, Texas Baptist Women in Ministry; Academic Coordinator, Christian Latina Leadership Institute; Youth Minister, Iglesia Bautista Victoria en Cristo, Ft. Worth, Texas; President, Ruth Project Immigration Services
Emily Morrow Loachamin - Support; La Puerta; Waco, TX
Greg & Sue Smith - CBF field personnel, LUCHA Ministries Inc., Fredericksburg, VA
Jorge Zapata - Associate Coordinator of Missions and Hispanic Ministries; CBF Texas; Executive Director, Hearts4Kids Missions; San Antonio, TX
Marc & Kim Wyatt - CBF field personnel, Advocates for Internationals; Founders, Welcome House; Raleigh, N.C.
Marv Knox - Field Coordinator, Fellowship Southwest
Ruben Ortiz - CBF Latino Field Coordinator, Familia
Elket Rodriguez - CBF Immigrant and Refugee Specialist; Harlingen, TX
Stephen Reeves - Associate Coordinator for Partnerships & Advocacy, Decatur, Ga.

For more information please contact Elket Rodriguez at erodriguez@cbf.net.

For periodic updates from CBF Advocacy, click here.

Fellowship Southwest is also a great place for resources for immigrants and refugees. Visit their website at Fellowship Southwest.