Washington, D.C. – Just days before the Christmas holiday,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced their plans to begin
raids on Central American families, many of whom fled to the United States
after facing extreme violence, persecution and poverty. Faith leaders from
across the United States immediately responded in a statement on Christmas Day,
offering sanctuary to those looking to fight their deportation orders and seek
shelter from the raids. Shortly after the new year, ICE raids began in several
states, netting 121 individuals and prompting immigrants’ rights groups to
increase national know-your-rights campaigns.
Today, faith and immigrants’ rights leaders joined together
to call on President Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh
Johnson to immediately put a halt to the raids. They reiterated the faith
community’s offer of sanctuary and shared stories of communities and individuals
impacted by the raids.
“Our country is at its best when we are most welcoming.
Women and children fleeing unspeakable terror should find the tools they need
to live with dignity in the United States,” said Marielena Hincapié, Executive
Director of the National Immigration Law Center. “Instead of promoting safety,
the Obama administration has punished those who have put their faith in a
system that has instead been prioritizing expediting deportations. This goes
against our values and heritage as a nation.”
“We people of faith have learned that the laws that govern
immigration in the U.S. are not only unjust, but they discourage us from living
out our faith imperative to love and help our neighbor with particular concern
to those who suffer most,” said Bishop Minerva G. Carcaño, United Methodist
Bishop for the Los Angeles Area. “We stand together on this day to oppose ICE
raids on Central American families, to offer sanctuary to these families, and
to renew our commitment to working for immigration reform in this country.”
Adding to the faith community’s call for an end to the
raids, Rev. Alison Harrington, Pastor at Southside Presbyterian Church in
Tucson, Arizona said, “The U.S. government is once again violating their own
asylum laws and international human rights standards. Human lives are on the
line and our faith traditions are very clear that our salvation is dependent on
what we do in this moment. In this moment as people are running away from
horrific violence, the gift that we as religious leaders and as congregations
have to offer is the gift of sanctuary. The movement won’t stop until there is
not one more family living in fear of deportation.”
“The sanctuary
movement offers a moral framework and prophetic voice to build inclusive and
welcoming communities in the midst of harsh, unjust and immoral immigration
enforcement actions that are terrorizing the community,” said the Rev. Noel
Andersen, National Grassroots Coordinator at Church World Service. “We are now
calling on the White House and DHS to stop the structural sins of raids and
deportations. Instead, the administration should focus their resources on
providing much needed legal assistance for these asylum seekers and
humanitarian aid to address root causes of migration.”
TAKE ACTION:
Contact the White House and Homeland Security
and demand an end to the raids.
#Not1More
- Call the White House at 1-866-961-4293. You can also call the White House Comment Line directly at 1-888-907-2053. Here's a sample script:
2. If you can’t get through on the phone email is the next best thing. http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact.
3. If you “tweet”, send the President a message: @POTUS #STOPDeportations of Central American children and families. They are fleeing violence & have a right to seek asylum #Not1More
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