There is general agreement that monitoring the flow of people and goods across the U.S.-Mexico border is a necessary government function. This is especially true when it comes to efforts to restrict the flow of illicit drugs and human trafficking. However, there are disagreements among both policymakers and the public about how best to accomplish…
After years of work by advocates, including many constituents of Mennonite Central Committee, criminal justice reform legislation was signed into law by President Trump on December 21. The law is called the First Step Act and it is just that—a first step. Additional reforms are still needed to address mass incarceration in the U.S., which…
Under a recent agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, asylum seekers who do not sufficiently demonstrate that they fear persecution in Mexico will now be required to wait there until their cases can be processed in the U.S. Thousands of people are already waiting at ports of entry on the Mexico side of the border without shelter…
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is at a critical historical moment. That was the conclusion during a recent workshop held by Church of Christ in Congo (known by its French acronym, ECC), which focused on creating teams to prevent electoral violence. Long-expected parliamentary elections, a chance for the first peaceful transfer of power since…
After years of attempts to reform our broken criminal justice system, change is within sight. The First Step Act, a bill that includes important sentencing and prison reforms, has strong bipartisan support in the Senate and has now been endorsed by the president. But if Congress does not pass this legislation by the end of…
As the dry season set in, Modibo Ado* migrated from his home in Bauchi State, Nigeria, leading his herds of cows and sheep to neighboring Plateau State. There the grass is still green, and water is available for his livestock. In Plateau State, farmers like Emmanuel Davou* tend their crops and wait to harvest them…
Help us pass criminal justice reforms! President Donald Trump recently voiced his support for a bipartisan criminal justice bill, a revised First Step Act that would provide sentencing and prison reforms. The First Step Act would curb mandatory minimums for many low-level drug crimes, providing judges with more discretion over individual cases. The bill also aims to eliminate the…
MCC Washington Memo 