Faith leaders ranging from evangelical to Jewish came together Wednesday to launch a nationwide mobilization of people of faith to call for immigration reform that does not tear families apart. Already the “Together, Not Torn: Families Can’t Wait for Immigration Reform” campaign has collected over 100,000 pro-reform postcards that will be delivered to members of Congress next week. Organizers anticipate they will collect more than a million postcards within the next month.

"People of faith are calling for immigration reform because every day they witness the human consequences of the broken immigration system – families separated, workers exploited and communities in fear,” said Jen Smyers, associate for immigration and refugee policy at Church World Service. “We pray that Congress will have the moral courage to enact humane immigration reform immediately, because our families and communities can no longer wait.”

Faith leaders shared real stories of immigrant families hurt by the current system.

Galen Carey, director of government affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals, talked about a woman he recently met in Phoenix, Ariz. Maria’s son was killed by a drunk driver but she felt that she could not press charges because of her legal status in the United States.

“Evangelicals have long pressed for immigration reform. But as immigrants have joined our churches in increasing numbers, our pastors are hearing stories like Maria’s every day,” Carey said. “This is why we are stepping up our efforts to hold President Obama and Members of Congress accountable for their promises to pass meaningful immigration reform this year.”

The NAE adopted an immigration resolution last fall that calls for just and humane reform. It is the most comprehensive resolution on immigration the group has ever adopted. Since the resolution, the NAE has joined mainline and Catholic Christians on the frontline of religious advocacy for immigration reform.

Father Jon Pedigo of St. Julie Billiart Parish in San Jose, Calif., meanwhile, shared about how the broken immigration system has impacted his community.

Pedigo said two weeks ago local police conducted a traffic check near his parish. Dozens of undocumented parents did not pick up their children from school, “leaving the children standing in the rain waiting for their parents.”

Moreover, local businesses reported a 70 percent loss of store traffic.

“Every day thousands of Silicon Valley families live in fear and in some cases panic that their families will be separated,” Pedigo said. “The Catholic Church and all her institutions will step up efforts to educate across the political and economic divide of blue and red to call for reform.”