This week reports on the current immigration system border on Kafkaesque as the brokenness of the system continues to taunt our community, families and faith. However, hope perseveres through the work of unheralded heroes.

Silent Raids continue in Brewster, Washington. The Obama administration has supplemented harsher enforcement practices with job audits that seek to penalize both undocumented immigrants and the growers that hire them. This process, however, does not address the root causes of immigration, while having large “economic and human cost[s]” writes David Vasquez. Increased frustration is seen at all levels, as growers worry if there will be enough labor supply – immigrants account for one quarter of Brewster’s population – and anti-immigrant groups protest the lack of enforcement. Schools are expecting to see a decrease in the student body, along with the corresponding governmental funding, small business fear losing customers they’ve depended on, and in the meantime, food banks are having to serve more people. Reacting to the realities of the moment, one migrant woman concluded, “in Mexico the economy is worse, but at least we can eat a little there” another worker was more hopeful, “maybe by March everything will get sorted out. In the meantime, these are the most difficult times."

Government seeks impunity over the negligence of ICE. This past week, two cases were heard regarding the inhumane treatment leading to the deaths of two immigrant detainees. In the first case, where undiagnosed cancer lead to the death of Hiu Lui Ng, 34, the government claimed it did not have responsibility over the actions of a privately run detention facility. In the second case, involving the death of Francisco Castaneda, 36, due to untreated cancer, the administration has proposed a recompense of no more than $250,000. Both cases were brought forth by surviving family members: Ng’s widow and two children (all of whom are U.S. citizens) and Castaneda's teenage daughter.

Local victories for people of faith and immigrant families. Though federal action on immigration seems stalled, local faith activist are successfully pressuring Immigration and Customs Enforcement to grant “orders of supervision,” instead of deportation, on humanitarian claims. Among the most successful of these is Highland Park church, which first became involved a year ago in the case of Henry Pangemanan, whose two children are U.S. citizens. Led by Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale and Linda Lachesnez (who herself was once homeless for four years) the church has successfully obtained “low-level ‘orders of supervision’ from the federal government for more than 50 Indonesians living in New Jersey” and now seeks to assist other ethnic groups. This has inspired others in pro-immigrant faith communities to follow suit as ICE officials are becoming more open to conversation. In 2009, 380,000 deportations were executed by ICE; 244,000 of these individual cases involved people without a criminal background.

Marco Saavedra serves Campaign Intern for Christians for Comprehensive Immigration Reform. He studies Sociology at Kenyon College and is of Mexican heritage.