The Montana Immigrant Justice Alliance (“MIJA”) is a statewide organization focused on immigrant justice issues. The acronym for the organization, mija, is an affectionate abbreviation of “mi hija” which means “my daughter” in Spanish. We chose this name because we believe that family unity is an important and fundamental human right — and one that many migrants are denied.
Over the last decade, the State of Montana has experienced growth in the numbers of migrants arriving here in search of work and a better life for their families. With the influx of migrants, we have witnessed a host of new challenges and injustices. Migrants are commonly confronted with financial, food and housing insecurity, racial prejudice, language barriers, cultural and political barriers, overt hostility to their presence, and inability to access services.
Over the years, many groups and individuals have been doing impressive work on behalf of immigrants in Montana. The goal of this organization is to expand our power and influence by combining our efforts.
Our mission is:
- To provide resources and services to empower migrants in our communities, and encourage broader civic participation and engagement.
- To combat the mistreatment of immigrants from xenophobia, discrimination, harassment, or racial profiling.
- To inform the public about the many diverse people living in Montana, to promote policies that welcome and support the growth of immigrant communities in our state, and to combat policies that marginalize migrant communities.
- To support and encourage immigrants to obtain legal immigration status and, if they choose, citizenship.
- To provide assistance to undocumented immigrants who, due to social, political, and economic conditions beyond their control, are often driven to the United States without legal status.
- To promote the dignity of all Montanans and the understanding that no human being is illegal.
- To acknowledge the economic, social, and intellectual contributions that immigrants have made to enrich our community.
- To debunk harmful myths about immigrants, and educate the public about the history of immigration in our state and how it has impacted our culture and way of life.
To fulfill these goals, we need your help. Please contact us to join our organization, and please consider a tax-deductable donation.
Please click here to read more about our specific program areas.
Please follow these links for more information about our staff and board members:
- Shahid Haque-Hausrath, Executive Director
- Bethany Letiecq, Board of Directors
- Wilmot Collins, Board of Directors
- Patricia Decker, Board of Directors
- Alan Hansen, Board of Directors
- Jesús Salazar, Board of Directors
- Therese Tucker, Board of Directors