Human Migration and Mobility

AFSC supports measures to ensure the integration of immigrants as full members of our society and addresses the root causes that push people to migrate. We advocate for humane immigration policy.

We believe that the basis of U.S. immigration policy should be the protection of human rights of all people.

Humane immigration policy must include a fair path for undocumented workers to gain permanent residence status. It also must be coupled with economic and trade policies that permit working people to earn a living wage in their home countries, foster an authentic commitment to demilitarization, and lead to the peaceful resolution of internal and international conflicts.

AFSC’s immigrant rights programs in more than 15 U.S. locations carry out a cohesive set of activities, including:

• Base-building and strengthening of organizing skills for immigrant-led groups
• Leadership training for immigrants, refugees and non-immigrant allies
• Alliance building
• Documentation of human rights abuses
• Public policy and advocacy campaigns
• Administrative advocacy, engaging public officials to affect immediate positive change
• Legal services, consultation, and referrals

We have developed seven principles to guide immigration policy change:

1. Adopt economic policies consistent with human rights and trade justice
2. Protect all workers’ labor rights
3. Create a clear, workable path to residency
4. Respect immigrants’ civil and human rights
5. Demilitarize the U.S.-Mexico border
6. Support family reunification
7. Ensure immigrants access to services

These seven principles and key recommendations are described in AFSC’s A new path toward humane immigration policy.