WASHINGTON, DC – People of faith from seventeen states are calling on their Senators to pass a budget resolution with a path to citizenship for DACA recipients, TPS holders, farmworkers, and other essential workers, and to oppose any harmful anti-immigrant amendments that come up during “vote-o-rama.” From Arizona to West Virginia, and Florida to Washington state, faith leaders are demanding action on this long-overdue immigration policy that would stabilize the lives of immigrants who are home in the United States.
In May, over 900 individuals and 195 faith-based organizations sent a letter to Congress calling for a path to citizenship by any means necessary. Signatories representing 45 states plus the District Columbia joined the statement, which was also submitted for the record at the Senate Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Safety hearing on “The Essential Role of Immigrant Workers in America.” Additionally, this month, over 200 organizations – including multiple partner organizations of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition – joined a letter urging Senate Democrats to reject any anti-immigrant amendments in the upcoming “vote-o-rama” on the budget reconciliation package.
Rev. Julie Wilson, Director of Open Arms Community in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said: “My faith clearly calls me to welcome the ‘foreigner among us’ and treat them with dignity. For far too long our country has failed to do so. Our immigration system has become complicated and burdensome, and as a result some of the people who have lived here for a long time and contributed to our communities have suffered. They will continue to suffer until we allow a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented neighbors who are already here and actively part of our society. It’s the right thing to do. It’s the just thing to do. It’s what God calls us to do.”
“As one who works daily with immigrants, I see the struggle they go through and the fear of deportation with which they live,” stated Sister Patricia Pora, Sisters of Mercy in Portland, Maine. “I urge Congress to pass a pathway to citizenship for TPS-holders, Dreamers, and agricultural workers…. As a nation, we need to recognize the dignity of all its residents.”
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, DACA recipients, TPS and DED holders, and undocumented farmworkers have toiled and risked their lives to provide essential care and services at the frontlines of the pandemic while continuing to face endless threats of deportation and separation from their families,” stated Rev. Mark Stephenson, Interim Director, Office of Social Justice for the Christian Reformed Church in North America in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “These immigrant sisters and brothers are a blessing to this country and their inherent dignity demands stability and relief to pursue their God-given dreams and futures. As a faith leader, I urge our legislators to do justice and create a pathway to citizenship for these heroes.”
“The Senate and the Biden administration must seize this opportunity and move things forward on immigration,” said Elissa Diaz, Policy and Advocacy Manager at Church World Service and Co-Chair of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC). “A path to citizenship through budget reconciliation has broad support across the country, including among people of faith. It would transform the lives of so many children and families, including those who are members of our congregations, places of worship, and communities. The House has acted and we are halfway there. Now, the Senate and the Biden administration must come through and pass a path to citizenship this year.”
For more from the states, see the following press releases: Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
The Interfaith Immigration Coalition is made up of over 55 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.
Follow us on Twitter @interfaithimm
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