FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 8, 2018 CONTACT: jamuzie@interfaithimmigration.org OVER 300 FAITH LEADERS AND FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON CONGRESS TO CUT FUNDING FOR IMMIGRATION DETENTION, DEPORTATION, AND BORDER MILITARIZATION Congress must immediately enact a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth while upholding our family-based immigration system and protecting other immigrant populations. Washington, D.C. – 246 faith leaders from across denominations and traditions joined 68 national faith-based organizations in a letter delivered to Congress today. The letter urges Congress to cut funding for detention, deportation, and border militarization in FY18 and FY19. The letter argues that every additional dollar further entrenches an immoral system fueling mass incarceration, family separation, human rights violations, and unaccountable enforcement in our communities. “Adding billions of dollars for immigration detention, deportation agents, and border militarization does not represent a faithful way forward. Beyond the long-term damage caused by enforcing unjust immigration policies, funding for endless enforcement comes at the expense of vital community programs like education, housing, and nutritional assistance programs that promote public safety and alleviate poverty. As people of faith, we call on you to find compassion in your discernment process and think about the moral imperative to love our neighbor, welcome the sojourner, and care for the most vulnerable among us. We urge you to cut funding for detention, deportation, and border militarization in FY18 and FY19 and instead work on legislative solutions that will allow immigrants to flourish as full participants in our shared nation.” The Interfaith Immigration Coalition urges all Americans to call their Members of Congress and explain that people of faith across the nation support a compassionate immigration system based on family unity and one that provides a pathway to citizenship for immigrant youth.
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The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of nearly 50 national, faith-based organizations brought together across many theological traditions with a common call to seek just policies that lift up the God-given dignity of every individual. In partnership, we work to protect the rights, dignity, and safety of all refugees and migrants.
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