Immigration Call to Action
By Pastor Lorellen Nausner | Photos by Jesse N. Love
Check out GBCS: Immigrant Welcoming Communities – http://bit.ly/gbcs-immigrant
As God’s people, as United Methodists, we have a long tradition of compassion, respecting human rights, working to heal the root causes of migration and providing safe havens to families and individuals. We need to take action once again.
Across the US, ICE agents are making raids, pounding on doors at night. Officers deceiving terrified parents to gain entry. Taking away children and mothers to detention prisons run for profit. Deporting asylum-seeking families back to the dangerous, life-threatening situations they fled. It’s happening. Now. In America.
In the 1980’s, many of us worked to provide sanctuary for brothers and sisters fleeing the violence of Central America. We called for an end to deportation, temporary protected status and immigration reform.
Our actions supporting immigrants are deeply anchored in our faith. We recall the closing of the Christmas story with Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to Egypt, seeking refuge from the murderous violence in Israel. They didn’t wait for permission to cross borders. As faithful parents, they followed God’s guidance to find safety for their family.
And, the call to extend radical hospitality to strangers is even older. The ancient obligation noted in Old Testament Scripture exhorts us to care for the sojourner among us.
How can we respond today?
