About Us

The Chicago Metropolitan Sanctuary Alliance formed out of compassion for and commitment to refugees fleeing the violence of Latin America, works to make Latin America a sanctuary for its own people.

You can learn more about CMSA's specific work on our "What We Do" page.

Click here to read more about the History of the Sanctuary Movement.

CMSA is organized around four main principles: awareness, advocacy, assistance, and accompaniment.

AWARENESS: distributing information

• We send out monthly updates and present frequent “Beans ‘N Rice” informational meetings.
• We co-sponsor conferences and educational events and maintain a speakers’ bureau that is available to local groups.
• We provide resources and opportunities for theological reflection on the call for a faith-based response to injustice.

ADVOCACY: monitoring and responding to government action

• Our Emergency Response Network protests human rights abuse in Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico.
• We frequently organize delegations as well as phone call and letter writing campaigns to our elected officials.

ASSISTANCE: providing material support

• Our annual Bike-A-Thon and other projects raise funds each year for grassroots projects in Latin America.

ACCOMPANIMENT: walking with those who work with justice

• We provide opportunities for people to travel to Latin America, on a delegation or as international observers.
• We work in partnership with other groups and individuals who share our commitment to peace with justice.

Today, CMSA is made up of four main projects, the New Sanctuary Project, the Colombia Sanctuary Project, the Emergency Response Network, and the Chacula community partnership.  We also organize the annual Bike-A-Thon fundraiser.