To the Editors:
A legal battle currently unfolding in Texas is connected to Oberlin in various ways which speak to the College’s ongoing engagement with the struggle for human dignity. Migrants crossing the border from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, to El Paso have, for nearly 50 years, sought shelter in Annunciation House, a Catholic charity. The house opened its doors in 1978 when a number of idealistic young people, including its current director, began to help the homeless population of El Paso. They quickly discovered that no one was serving the needs of immigrants without proper documentation. Before long, the House was one of the most important shelters for undocumented migrants in Texas. In early February, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton demanded access to Annunciation House’s records within one day, ostensibly to evaluate potential legal violations. When Annunciation House asked for an extension, Paxton sued Annunciation House to revoke its registration to operate in the state, calling it a “stash house” for migrants.
Oberlin, it turns out, has a long connection with Annunciation House. When the Border Studies program, a Greater Lakes College Association study away program, opened it was first located in Ciudad Juárez/El Paso, and Oberlin students in the program regularly volunteered in Annunciation House. For many, the experience changed their lives. Some returned after graduation to work in the House; others developed professional careers in immigration-related work.
Oberlin is also connected to the current attempt by the Texas Attorney General to shut down the House and gain access to its records. On March 11, El Paso County District Judge Francisco Dominguez blocked Paxton’s subpoena, writing, “The Attorney General’s efforts to run roughshod over Annunciation House, without regard to due process or fair play, call into question [Paxton’s] true motivation … There is a real and credible concern that the attempt to prevent Annunciation House from conducting business in Texas was predetermined.” Dominguez — “Paco” to those of us who had the pleasure of teaching him — is a 1991 Oberlin graduate and currently serves as an alumni elected member of Oberlin’s Board of Trustees.
The move against Annunciation House is the first to target a faith-based migration agency, but religious leaders fear that more will come and worry about the increasingly violent rhetoric and actions against those legally seeking asylum in this country. Oberlin should be proud of its graduates who, embodying the College’s history of social justice, continue to fight for the rights of those seeking safety, dignity, and justice.
