Immigration Reform News 2017: Church Fights Trump's Anti-Immigration Policy
Faith leaders from around the country launched a new Matthew 25 pledge. The group identifies itself as "a Christian movement formed in response to threats of American policies that will do harm to vulnerable people, particularly immigrants, Muslims, and people of color."
The covenant which reads "I pledge to protect and defend vulnerable people in the name of Jesus," has attracted 104 key endorsers and gathered 453 signatures thus far. It takes on Matthew 25 which concludes with verse 25 that states: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."
Forerunners claim that their movement – "a broad collection of national faith-based groups, grassroots activists, heads of denominations and more" – was formed in response to rising fears among targeted, vulnerable populations including immigrants fearing deportation and people of color facing racial policing.
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St. Louis American Foundation cites some incidents that affected Christian immigrants like a woman who sought sanctuary in a Unitarian Church in Colorado; the arrest by immigration agents of eight men outside a hypothermia shelter run by Rising Hope United Methodist Church; and the detention of Daniel Ramirez Medina in violation of his DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) privilege.
The pledge may just be a simple sentence, but the responsibilities that go with it are huge. These are to:
1. Support undocumented immigrants threatened with mass deportation;
2. Stand with African-Americans and other people of color threatened by racial policing; and
3. Defend the lives and religious liberty of Muslims, threatened with "banning," monitoring and even registration.
Those who are interested to sign the pledge are urged to go this site where they will have access to resources on issues that concern immigration, policing, and solidarity with Muslims. The toolkits provide detailed information on the rights of immigrants and instructions on how to defend them.
