A group of Christian leaders have banded together to sign an open letter arguing against the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, a move President-elect Donald Trump has spoken about. Among the signatories are Bishop John P. Dolan, of the Diocese of Phoenix, and Edward J. Weisenburger, of the Diocese of Tucson.
The letter from leaders of various Christian denominations began by noting that the US immigration system is in need of updating, lest it threaten “mistreatment of undocumented persons who are our neighbors and contribute to our communities.” While they recognized that a nation has the right to secure its borders, the Christian leaders warned that secure borders should not come at the cost of “individual’s rights to a dignified life, family unity, and safety.”
Noting that there are many who arrive in America after being forced to flee due to conflict, natural disaster, and hunger, they wrote:
“Therefore, grounded by the demands of the gospel of Jesus Christ and love of our neighbors — our deeply held religious beliefs — we urge our elected officials and community leaders to stand with us to protect family unity and human dignity by refusing to participate in any deportation efforts that violate these most basic human rights."
They then voiced concern over reports, which remain unsubstantiated, that the Trump administration intends to rescind a policy which prevents Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from raiding “sensitive locations” without approval from superiors. These include houses of worship, schools, and hospitals, as well as events like funerals, weddings, and public demonstrations. Furthermore, the Christian leaders called the separation of children from their parents “exceptionally reprehensible.”
Foundation of our country
They wrote that the removal of such a policy could intimidate “undocumented persons” from going to places of worship and prevent them from their right to practice their religion. They also warned that to disrupt a religious gathering for deportation purposes is a similar offense against the free practice of religion:
“While the practice of religion is a basic human right recognized by most international organizations, we note that for those living in America it is part of the very foundation upon which our nation was built.”
The Christian leaders encouraged members of federal, state, and local agencies to choose not to participate in deportation raids based on their own consciences, with whom they “stand in solidarity.”
“Motivated by the gospel of Jesus Christ, who urges us to see the image of God in every human being, we urge federal, state and local personnel tasked with detention or deportation of undocumented persons to consider how their actions might be seen in the eyes of God.” The letter concluded, “We likewise reiterate the call to our nation’s federal legislature to create an immigration system that is fair, reasonable and recognizes the human dignity of all persons.”
