FAQ s : On Becoming an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation Why are we considering becoming an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation? Becoming an Immigrant Welcoming Congregation is a journey to deepen and widen our involvement in working for immigrant justice. As the negative rhetoric around immigration escalates, it is important that faith communities give voice to their values. In both Hebrew Scripture and the gospels, we encounter God who is the champion of the stranger and the foreigner and who calls us to advocate for a fair and just world for all. In the last 12 months, immigration enforcement in our area has shifted from targeting those with a criminal records to detaining those who have no record, who are employed and complying with check-in regulations, and who have family members who are US citizens. As negative stereotyping of immigrants increases, becoming an immigrant welcoming church provides a critical alternative witness rooted in biblical values that are at the heart of our commitment as a congregation to express the love and welcome of Christ. At the 31 st General Synod of the United Church of Christ in July 2017, delegates from congregations across the country voted to adopt a resolution to become an Immigrant Welcoming Denomination and to call for member churches to become active Immigrant Welcoming Congregations. This proposed covenant is our response to that call. Does this mean that we support illegal immigration as a congregation? Becoming an immigrant welcoming congregation is not a political position on immigration. It is a faith response to the dehumanization of people in our community who are in need of safety and compassion as they face changing policies in immigration enforcement. As a church, we affirm the dignity and worth of every person and we are called to treat each person as a beloved child of God. 1
There may be many reasons why a person is undocumented, and as individuals, we may have many different opinions about immigration policy, but what matters to us as people of faith are not those reasons or opinions but the desperate needs that these families are now confronting. Children have been separated from their parents because of detention or deportation. Many families are plunged into poverty because the undocumented parent is no longer permitted to work. And there is little hope of reunification. The backlog in applications is so long that the waiting periods stretch from years to decades. We read in the gospel of Matthew, Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you? And the he will answer them, 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. These words remind us that God asks us to see Christ in each person regardless of their background or economic circumstances or race or religion or immigration status, and to be Christ for them. Becoming an immigrant welcoming congregation allows us to make it clear to those who are caught in this immigration crisis that they are not alone. What is the difference between an immigrant and a refugee? Functionally there is not much distinction between immigrants and refugees given the current level of conflict around the globe, but there is a crucial legal distinction between the two. An immigrant is someone who chooses to settle in another country and applies for legal residency, which is a lengthy process. Many who come to the US as undocumented immigrants are fleeing dangerous circumstances and cannot safely remain in their country of origin for the years required to establish legal residency in the US. In some cases, past US policy played a role in creating the unsafe conditions in their country of origin. Refugees are those seeking asylum because they are unable or unwilling to return to their home country because they fear serious harm. Refugees must be able to prove that they are escaping violence or persecution in their country of 2
origin. Many undocumented immigrants are unable to meet the level of proof or the specified conditions that would qualify them for asylum status. Without proper documentation, an immigrant can be deported. Those who are classified as refugees cannot be returned to their country of origin, and fall under protections from the 1951 Refugee Convention. Regardless of causes, immigration can be traumatic, separating people from their native homes, communities, and cultures. What does it mean to be an immigrant welcoming congregation? In many ways, we already are an immigrant welcoming congregation. Our Open and Affirming covenant affirms the dignity and worth of every person and calls us to reach out to those who experience rejection. The adoption of this Immigrant Welcoming Covenant makes it clear that our welcome extends to those who are experiencing rejection because they are undocumented. Since 2007 we have been offering educational opportunities, guest preachers, library resources, legislative alerts and prayer concerns that focus on immigration. In recent months, we have partnered with faculty at Framingham State University on a border-crossing project and we have invited immigrants to share their stories with us. One of our members was a delegate to the 31 st General Synod of the UCC that adopted the resolution making the United Church of Christ an Immigrant Welcoming denomination. Many in our church community have endorsed the Natick is United statement and its commitment to make Natick a community where we value differences and everyone belongs. Over the summer, members of our congregation met with the Reverend John Allen from the Mass Conference Immigrant and Refugee Task Force and connected with Framingham Companeras, an interfaith group working in MetroWest with undocumented individuals facing detention or deportation. Several of our members have been trained to accompany undocumented persons to court and to ICE appointments in Burlington. We hosted an Accompaniment Training as well as an Active Bystander Training, and participated in immigration related workshops at the Mass Conference Super Saturday event in November. A number of choir members joined in a benefit concert in Framingham Singing in Solidarity with our Immigrant Neighbors. 3
Our Outreach team made an emergency grant to the Neighbors Fund to create a revolving loan that can assist families with legal, translation and other support. Our special Christmas offering raised another $1700 to support the fund. In addition, our Advent Giving Project collected gift cards to make the holiday season a little brighter for families who are facing unemployment and separation because one of their family members is undocumented. The engagement of so many in our congregation with these activities demonstrates our concern to reach out to those caught in the current crisis. Are we considering offering sanctuary in our building to undocumented individuals? Because of our commitment to our preschool and the Family Promise MetroWest, we are not in a position to provide physical sanctuary in our building, nor at this time is physical sanctuary an approach that many undocumented individuals are willing to risk. But there are many other actions that we can take to ensure that undocumented neighbors in MetroWest are welcomed and protected in our communities. What next steps might we take? o Finding ways to lift up personal stories of immigrants in our area. o Supporting state and local legislation to create Immigrant-Welcoming and/or Sanctuary communities. o Participating in the work of Framingham Companeras and continuing support for the Neighbors Fund to provide legal and other assistance to those with family members facing deportation and/or detention. o Participating in Citizenship Days and Know Your Rights education. o Continuing to accompany our immigrant neighbors facing deportation to hearings or other encounters with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). o Praying for immigrants. 4
o Praying for our current and future leaders to take positions of discernment, compassion and morality with respect to immigrants and the immigrant community. o Listening, sharing, learning, and praying with members of our faith community to deepen our understanding and support for immigrants in the wider community. o Offering logistical support to congregations in our area that are providing physical sanctuary. o Confirming local policies (e.g. town, police, school, hospital) regarding undocumented individuals and advocating for necessary changes. Why don t undocumented people apply to enter this country legally? Times have changed from when many of our ancestors entered this country. Today many rules specify who may enter and remain in the country legally. There is also a rigorous process for obtaining documentation to enter the United States as a resident, including applying for immigrant visas and permanent resident/green-card status. Many immigrant ancestors who arrived between 1790 and 1924 would not have been allowed in under the current policy. Generally, permission to enter and stay in the country as a documented immigrant is limited to people who are highly trained in a skill that is in short supply here and have been offered a job by a U.S. employer, are escaping political persecution, are joining close family already here or are winners of the green-card lottery. Many of those escaping from danger come to the US as refugees hoping to qualify for asylum, but it is difficult to prove persecution in order to qualify for refugee status. For those fleeing dangerous situations, there is not the luxury of waiting for a process that will take many years to complete. 5
Here is some civil rights information for faith communities working with undocumented immigrants about activities that help to support immigrant rights but steer clear of potential criminal liability: o Adopting a policy of nondiscrimination at your place of worship and of welcoming and helping persons in need, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, race, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, etc. o Adopting a policy that respects privacy by not asking members of the congregation, or members of the public who interact with the congregation, about their immigration status, and adhering to a policy of not recording any information about any individual s immigration status. o Providing shelter, food, or other services to a broad set of people, including citizens and noncitizens, regardless of immigration status. o Speaking out on behalf of immigrants rights, and expressing support for keeping families together and reforming the immigration laws to make it possible for undocumented immigrants to adjust to a lawful status. Supporting or working with local and state governmental authorities to adopt legislation and regulations that protect immigrants and refugees. o Making a public statement that all are welcome at your place of worship, regardless of immigration status, and that your faith group will lend assistance to all those in need. o Speaking out against injustice. o Referring undocumented immigrants (or all persons your congregation is serving) to legal assistance resources, including pro bono immigration legal help. Holding legal information sessions, hosting legal clinics, and making referrals for social services. o Exercising the right to refuse to consent to law enforcement officers coming into or searching non-public areas of the church, and demanding to see a lawful warrant signed by a federal judge. There may be minimal risk associated with the following activities: o Providing housing to individuals without regard to their immigration 6
status, or only to immigrants whose deportation proceedings are still underway, or who have submitted an application to immigration authorities, and whose location is, therefore, known to the authorities. o Providing rides for ordinary errands to individuals with a personal connection to the congregation (e.g., congregation members, friends, family) without regard to their immigration status. Generally, giving a ride to a friend or congregation member who happens to be an undocumented immigrant to regular everyday activities, to help him or her run errands, attend a doctor s appointment, to see an immigration attorney, or attend church, is unlikely to lead to criminal liability. On the other hand, it is illegal to transport an immigrant to a location or activity with the intent to conceal his or her presence or otherwise further his or her remaining in the United States. Why don t we take more time to review this issue? With the escalation in immigration enforcement and the repeal of protection for those who were brought to the US as children, time is running out for many families with undocumented loved ones. They need our concern and compassion and witness now. Many immigrants face raids, deportation and family separation. The world is in the midst of a long-term refugee crisis with thousands of God s people displaced or on the move, seeking safety, security, freedom and opportunity. Current U.S. immigration law is very complex, and often arbitrarily enforced. Limited legal options for people to flee poverty or war have resulted in more than eleven million people living and working in the United States who are considered undocumented or without legal status. The political stalemate over this crisis has led to polarization and name-calling and a growing climate of intolerance and suspicion and fear. We already see the tragic human cost of current immigration policy on families in our area. 7
Here are some resources to learn more about the current crisis for our undocumented neighbors and their families: Books available from our church library: The Devil s Highway by Luis Alberto Urrea Enrique s Journey: The Story of a Boy s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with his Mother by Sonia Nazario Welcoming the Stranger: Justice Truth and Compassion in the Immigration Debate by Matthew Sorrens and Jenny Hwang Yang DVD s De Nadie, directed by Tin Dirdamal Crossing Arizona, directed by Joseph Matthew Dying to Get In, directed by Brett Tolley The Gatekeeper, directed by John Carlos Frey Under the Same Moon, directed by Patricia Riggen On-Line Videos: Ted talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/duarte_geraldino_what_we_re_missing_in_the_de bate_about_immigration#t-139919 Sojourners: https://www.trinitywallstreet.org/social-justice/undocumented https://www.nytimes.com/video/opinion/100000004896041/mr-trump-meetmy-family.html Websites: The United Church of Christ has many resources that offer our distinct UCC perspective. www.ucc.org/justice/immigration/general-info/info. Borderlinks www.borderlinks.org Interfaith Immigration Coalition www.interfaithimmigration.org Humane Borders www.humaneborders.org National Immigration Law Center www.nilc.org Church World Service https://cwsglobal.org/our-work/refugees-andimmigrants/ 8