Everyday Justice magazine - Sisters of Mercy %

March 2025

Articles from Mercy:

Hope for Panama in truth (Angelina Mitre, RSM)
Deportation stigma in Jamaica (Maria Teresa Muhuhu, RSM; Institute Justice Team)
Critical Considerations: Who benefits from tax cuts? Who pays? (Karen Donahue, RSM)
April is SWANA Heritage Month (Ryan W Roberts, OLF; Institute Justice Team)
NETWORK webinar on U.S. federal policy (Rose Marie Tresp, RSM; Institute Justice Team)

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Hope for Panama in truth

Angelina Mitre, RSM

To all my Sisters and Mercy Associates living outside of Panama,

In recent days, there has been increasing talk about the Panama Canal. However, much of the information being shared is inaccurate and expressed in a way that disrespects my country. I know that the majority of the people in the United States do not share these views. However, when I lived in the U.S. for my studies, I noticed that news about other countries’ realities was scarce.

As a Panamanian and a Sister of Mercy, I find it disrespectful how certain events are being misrepresented, disregarding history and portraying Panama as an ignorant nation that can be overpowered by a stronger country.

The relationship between Panama and the United States has not been built on equality and justice. Here is a brief historical overview of some key events:

1821: Panama gained independence from Spain and joined Colombia, inspired by Simón Bolívar’s vision of a great united nation.
1881: France began the construction of the Canal while Panama was still part of Colombia. However, the project failed due to various factors, including diseases such as yellow fever, malaria, and cholera, which caused the deaths of many workers.
1903: Panama separated from Colombia after years of neglect by the Colombian government.
1904: The United States took over the Canal project, taking advantage of Panamanian discontent and negotiating with the newly independent nation under unequal conditions.
1914: The U.S. completed the Canal in just ten years.
Treaty with the U.S.: A treaty was signed, granting the United States control over a portion of Panamanian territory in perpetuity for the operation of the Canal.
Canal Zone: For decades, the Canal Zone was under U.S. jurisdiction, restricting Panamanians’ free access.
1964: Panamanian students carry their country’s flag to the Canal to be placed besides theU.S. flag, sparking a movement that cost human lives but ignited change.
1977: The Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed, outlining the gradual transfer of the Canal back to Panama and the withdrawal of U.S. military bases.
1999: On December 31, Panama assumed full control of the Canal, fulfilling the agreements signed in 1977.
2016: The Panama Canal expansion was completed, allowing the passage of larger ships.

Given these facts, we must ask: Do you believe that the Canal was “gift-wrapped” and handed back to us, as the U.S. president claimed? No, it was the result of years of struggle by the Panamanian people.

Regarding recent political statements:

During his visit to Panama, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that China controls the Panama Canal. This is false. While China does operate two ports at the entrances of the Canal, the Canal is 100% managed by the Panamanian government through the Panama Canal Authority.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino announced that Panama will no longer continue its participation in China’s “Belt and Road Initiative,” an agreement signed in 2017. China has increased its presence in Latin America and has won bids for major projects in Panama, raising concerns.
Mulino also proposed establishing a military base in Darién to house migrants who are not accepted back into their home countries. We strongly oppose this measure, as it would become a detention center for vulnerable populations.

The Panamanian people fear that, despite their opposition, external pressure will lead to unwanted concessions. Amid our internal crisis, there is also growing concern about the possibility of another U.S. military intervention, like the one in 1989, the scars of which still linger in our nation.

We do not want to be a colony of the United States, China, or any other country. We seek to be a sovereign, neutral, and peaceful nation committed to social justice.

In this Jubilee Year of 2025, Pope Francis has called us to be “Pilgrims of Hope.” Hope is a call to unity and trust in a better future, built on faith and love for one another. Let us not allow darkness to extinguish our hope.

Deportation stigma in Jamaica

Maria Teresa Muhuhu, RSM; Institute Justice Team

In Jamaica, deportation is a complex and emotionally charged issue that carries significant social and cultural consequences. Individuals deported to Jamaica, often from countries like the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom, face more than the immediate challenges of reintegration. They also grapple with a heavy stigma that can isolate them from their communities and families. Deportation stigma in Jamaica is deeply intertwined with societal perceptions of success, morality, and migration. For many Jamaicans, migration represents an opportunity to escape economic hardship, achieve upward mobility, and provide for their families. A return to Jamaica via deportation is often seen as a failure to fulfill these expectations. Deportees are frequently labeled as “bad people,” “criminals,” or “disgraces,” reflecting a broader assumption that they were removed for engaging in illegal or immoral activities, even when their deportation is the result of nonviolent offenses like visa overstays or minor infractions.

For example, I experienced the same in October of 2018. I was heading to the United States with a valid F1 visa to study nursing. I was late on arrival and did not know that there was a rule that once a student had not reported to the designated school 60 days after the start day of the school year, the SEVIS is cancelled. SEVIS is a document that renders an F1 visa valid. In my case, it had expired and hence my visa was cancelled, and I was deported back to Jamaica. I experienced stigma in a very strong way from the United States: my passport and papers were taken away, I was detained at the airport overnight under security, and the following evening I was escorted by officers to the plane. Upon arrival in Jamaica, I was accompanied by security all over as if I were a criminal until I was released after interrogation. Once again when I applied for a visa at the American embassy, I was asked with disdain why I was deported, and the entire crowd at the embassy looked at me as if I had killed someone. From there on, I have always been denied visas even from other countries because of that. This is to show how stigma can deeply affect individuals. I am a law-abiding citizen, and I am a God-fearing woman, but still that did not prevent me from experiencing the same.

This stigma is further fueled by media portrayals and political rhetoric, which often frame deportees as threats to national security and contributors to crime. Reports of some deportees being involved in criminal activities reinforce negative stereotypes, overshadowing the fact that many returnees are law-abiding individuals. Additionally, the association between deportation and certain socio-economic classes exacerbates the stigma, as deportees are often viewed as coming from marginalized communities with fewer opportunities.

The stigma attached to deportation has far-reaching consequences for both deportees and Jamaican society. On an individual level, deportees often face rejection from their families and communities. Many are labeled as “foreign rejects,” a term that underscores their perceived failure to thrive abroad. This rejection can lead to feelings of shame, isolation, and depression.

Economically, deportees face significant barriers to employment and housing. The stigma surrounding their status often leads to discrimination, with potential employers or landlords wary of associating with someone labeled a deportee. This exclusion can push deportees toward poverty and, in some cases, illegal activities as a means of survival, further perpetuating the negative stereotypes associated with deportation. On a societal level, the stigma creates division and reinforces inequality. It contributes to the marginalization of deportees and exacerbates Jamaica’s broader socio-economic challenges. Family members of deportees may also experience secondary stigma, facing judgment from their communities for being associated with someone perceived as a failure or a criminal.

Deportation stigma in Jamaica is a multifaceted issue with profound implications for individuals, families, and society. Rooted in cultural expectations and reinforced by stereotypes, it isolates deportees and hinders their ability to reintegrate. However, by challenging negative perceptions, investing in reintegration programs, and fostering inclusive dialogue, Jamaica can work toward a society where deportees are not defined by their deportation but by their potential to contribute to their communities. Reducing deportation stigma is not only a moral imperative but also a step toward a more equitable and compassionate society.

Critical Considerations

Who benefits from tax cuts? Who pays?

Karen Donahue, RSM

On February 25, 2025, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution calling for $4.5 trillion in tax cuts through 2034 and called on congressional committees to come up with $2 trillion in program cuts to offset the cost of these tax cuts, which include the extension of Donald Trump’s 2017 tax cut package. In a recent article (House Republican Budget’s $4.5 Trillion Tax Cut Doubles Down on Costly Failures of 2017 Tax Law) published by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, authors Chuck Marr and Samantha Jacoby explain how this new tax cut proposal only exacerbates the failings of the 2017 Trump tax cuts and further burdens working American families, who are already struggling financially.

As Marr and Jacoby show, the 2017 tax cuts overwhelmingly benefited the wealthiest Americans, with thirty percent of the benefits going to the top one percent (those making more than $743,000 per year). The next four percent of taxpayers (those with incomes between $320,855 and $743,000) received nineteen percent of the benefits. Thus, almost half of the tax cut benefits (49%) went to the top five percent.

Similarly, promises of increased prosperity for all Americans never materialized. While Trump’s economic advisors claimed that the corporate tax cut would increase household incomes by $4,000, a study by economists from the Joint Committee on Taxation and the Federal Reserve Board indicated that the bottom ninety percent of workers (those with incomes below about $114,000 in 2016) saw no increase in their earnings due to the tax cuts.

However, the most shameful aspect of the House budget resolution is the threat it poses to Medicaid, Medicare, and now even Social Security, programs upon which millions of Americans depend. These programs are the only ones in the federal budget large enough to provide the level of offsets that the administration and Republicans in Congress are seeking in order to pay for tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefit the wealthiest individuals and corporations. On February 28, the Social Security Administration announced that it was laying off 7,000 workers and reducing the number of its regional offices from ten to four.

April is SWANA Heritage Month

Ryan W Roberts, OLF; Institute Justice Team

Allow me to address your first question: What is SWANA? “Southwest Asia and North Africa” is a term with growing adoption to reference what is generally understood by the term “Middle East”. Each year, more universities, city governments, public libraries, health organizations, primary & secondary schools, and international governance and scientific organizations are recognizing the commonalities across this geographic region and commemorating the heritage month. So why develop a new term? What does SWANA say that Middle East doesn’t (and vice versa)?

SWANA is a descriptive term that can be understood independent of where you are on the globe. Continental masses (e.g., Africa and Asia) are universally recognized, and compass directions (i.e., north, east, west, south) are scientific absolutes; as a result, Southwest Asia and North Africa are recognizable on every map. SWANA is widely considered to be a reasonably well-defined, apolitical, and non-religious term that avoids a Eurocentric perspective. Though boundaries vary slightly, it usually includes the entire Arabian peninsula and African nations spanning from Morocco to Egypt, often also including nations with coastlines on the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea.

In contrast, “Middle East” is a term coined by British and United States colonial powers relative to their own centers of power (along with its deprecated companions “Near East” and “Far East”), and its definition has migrated and expanded over time. Just as the term “Orient” was used to other-ize large numbers of ethnic groups and cultures and to label them as foreign to European power groups, so its descendant “Middle East” has sunk deep into the English-language psyche to whitewash the idea of “lesser region where Muslims and Arabs live”. Consequently, the creation of Israel in this region via the Nakba in 1948 (i.e., the ethnic cleansing of 750,000 Palestinians from their homes into concentration camps in Gaza and the West Bank) – with European-descent Ashkenazi Jewish people historically occupying the upper class there – has aligned U.S. and Israeli interests and further othered the darker-skinned, continuously Indigenous people of the region.

So what should we know about SWANA heritage? Having been continuously inhabited since the beginning of recorded history, this region is home to thousands of years of cultural, religious, agricultural, and scientific development. Due to its unique geography, the SWANA region has also been a crossroads of land and maritime travel, birthing, encountering, enduring, and mutually influencing communities and empires in every period. One month isn’t nearly enough time to explore the 5,000+ year heritage of a region 4,000+ miles long, but we can certainly recognize the deep contributions the peoples of SWANA have made to our species’ history and the ways we are enriched by better knowing people from SWANA in our daily lives.

NETWORK webinar on U.S. federal policy

Rose Marie Tresp, RSM; Institute Justice Team

This resource from NETWORK covers in one succinct webinar many of the executive actions and pending legislation which will affect the most vulnerable persons in the United States. These issues include budget reconciliation, tax policy, detentions and deportations, SNAP, Medicaid, and healthcare. This overview uses slides to illustrate the information presented by the speakers. The outcome of the decisions on these issues in the coming year could increase poverty and inequality, destroy safety net programs, impair access to housing, education, and health care, and gut clean energy programs.