Vigils for migrants

Every Thursday evening for almost nine years, people have gathered at Tucson's El Tiradito shrine for an interfaith prayer vigil. There they reflect on the human cost of border and immigration policies that have resulted in the death of more than 5,000 men, women and children. (Just on the Arizona-Sonora portion of the 2,000-mile US-Mexico border, there have been 1,654 known migrant deaths since the year 2000.)

On Feb. 19, the Tucson vigil was one of 167 taking place across the nation during the Congressional recess - to pray for the protection of migrant families (constantly being separated through deportations) and for President Obama and Congress to enact humane immigration reform. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition informs us that over 7,000 people took part in 133 cities in 31 states.

The photo above was taken at the Feb. 19 vigil here in Tucson.