Media Releases and Statements
May 12, 2021
JFON Houston Announces Name Change
Justice For Our Neighbors Houston is now Justice For All Immigrants.
“As we expand to other areas of Texas to meet the immigration legal services need, we needed a name that wasn’t geographically limiting,” said JFON Houston Executive Director Manne Favor. "Justice For All Immigrants pays homage to our history while summarizing our vision perfectly.
Justice For All Immigrants will continue to be part of the national Justice For Our Neighbors network. “Our mission remains the same,” Favor said. “The only change is we will be working in more cities across Texas.”
The name change takes effect June 1, 2021.
June 4, 2020
Statement by Manne Favor, Executive Director JFON Houston
Regarding regarding the Murder of George Floyd
I CAN’T BREATHE!
Those three words have become resounding chants in cities across the country, today. But sadly, it is not the first time we are having to hear protesters chant those words. This time the cynosure of the protests is George Floyd, an unarmed African American man killed by police.
Lying under the knees of three Minneapolis police officers, I can’t breathe were his cry for air, while one of the officers pressed his knee on his neck, snuffing life out his body.
I can’t breathe has become a desperate cry for help from many in our country, asphyxiated by the cruelty of injustice, racism and police brutality.
Our hearts are broken as we watch injustice live on and in some instances expand its reach and influence in this country. Regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or nationality, everyone standing on United States soil should feel safe and know they will be respected and their constitutional rights upheld.
June 18, 2019
Opinion Editorial by Manne Favor, Executive Director, JFON Houston
The Generosity of Strangers Provides Hope
In a world where violence forces thousands of families to flee for their lives each day, Refugee Awareness Month is the time to show that we, the global public, stand with refugees. During June we take a moment to honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who have been forced to flee their homeland because of threat of persecution, war and violence.
Worldwide, the majority of refugees are woman and children. My team and I work with dozens of brave, strong and determined refugees each month. No matter how many stories we hear, the life events that bring our clients to the United States never get easier to hear. We hear horror stories of mothers fleeing in the night to protect children from execution for their father’s political beliefs. We work with refugees who spent months walking in search of a safe place to stop after war took over their village. And, we work with others who can’t return home because of a natural disaster.
The stories that lead most refugees to the United States are different but there are always common threads: Leaving with nothing but what you can carry, knowing you will never see friends and family again, having no idea what your future holds and how the generosity of strangers forever changed their lives.
No one wants to be a refugee yet every four seconds someone is forced from their home. There are over 65 million refugees in the world today. Sadly, most refugees wait an average of 17 years before they are resettled. Can you imagine being a parent knowing your child will never experience a normal childhood? Most refugees live on the streets, in parks or, if they are lucky, in a refugee camp.
The Generosity of Strangers Provides Hope
Houston – Justice For Our Neighbors Houston (JFON Houston) announced today they have been chosen to partner with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and Church World Service to be part of a $2 million project aimed at helping asylum-seekers in Houston, Florida and New York.
The UMCOR funded project will provide coordinated assistance to asylum-seekers in the three service areas – providing access to a broader range of support to safely live in the U.S. and secure relief from deportation.