The transition taking place at the White House has prompted an interfaith coalition that includes the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to issue a statement reaffirming its commitment to advocating for immigrants, refugees and other newcomers seeking to make a home in the United States.
Gathered online Wednesday night for their quarterly meeting, members of the Presbytery of the Pacific’s Immigration and Refugee Task Force heard from the Migration Accompaniment Ministries of Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Nearly 30 people attended the meeting to hear from PDA’s Susan Krehbiel and Omar Salinas Chacón, as well as local advocates.
“We still have more to offer,” said Stevanie, a young-adult DACA recipient and member of Marturia Presbyterian Church. As the Supreme Court deliberates on how protections under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will continue, we are reminded of the millions of people who are in the United States under temporary immigration statuses. The temporary statuses provide relief from deportation orders and provide access to work authorization but are precarious. They must be renewed every year to every two years, and individuals must put their lives on hold during each renewal process. Regardless of the amount of time someone has been a recipient of these temporary statuses and vetted for renewal, there are no pathways to permanent residency or citizenship. These protections can also be revoked with the change in presidential administrations. Life is precarious.
People from a diverse milieu of religious traditions observed World Refugee Day by gathering for an online vigil this week to advocate for the safety and well-being of refugees and to ask for forgiveness for not doing more to fight injustices against them.
A more humane immigration system will aid not only communities along the U.S.-Mexico border ministering to asylum seekers, but also organizations in the interior portions of the country increasingly called upon to help endangered and harassed people who are fleeing for their life.
The Karnes City, Texas facility where people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are detained is called Karnes County Family Residential Center.
In Berks County, Pennsylvania, ICE has the similarly named Berks Family Residential Center.
Panelists on Wednesday’s edition of the “Welcoming the Stranger” webinar series from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Migration Roundtable had a different word for the facilities where many families crossing the U.S. border are kept.
Prison.
Forced to leave their homes and their countries, migrants often set out on journeys with a vague understanding of where they are headed. Refugees and asylum seekers know that even when the physical route itself is direct, their metaphorical journey is much less certain.
