Top Faith Leaders Urge Immigration Reform This Year
WASHINGTON, D.C., APRIL 15, 2014 — In the midst of a sustained push for immigration reform, a group of faith leaders from multiple denominations, including evangelicals and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, met with President Obama this morning to discuss the tragic human cost our current immigration system has on our nation’s families and communities.
With Congress home for the Easter recess, evangelical and faith communities nationwide are joining forces with businesses and law enforcement to hold dozens of pastors’ events in key districts. Following the recess, over 100 pastors will travel to Washington, D.C. to meet with members of the House of Representatives to urge immigration reform.
The following are quotes from participants in today’s meeting with the President:
Noel Castellanos, CEO, Christian Community Development Association, Chicago:
“Today’s meeting with the President was a significant opportunity to meet during Holy Week and share the need to end the suffering of 11 million men, women and children who are caught in our nation’s broken immigration system. We discussed the urgency for House members to take action before the August recess for the sake of immigrant families and our nation. Let us continue to pray and impress this need on our legislators to act now.”
Dr. JoAnne Lyon, General Superintendent, The Wesleyan Church:
“It is with a sense of urgency that we encourage the House to pass immigration reform in the next few months. Not only are families continuing to be disrupted but this is also about maintaining the rule of law in the United States which is a fundamental foundation of our society.”
Dr. Russell Moore, President, Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission:
“I disagree with the President on some serious issues of human life, marriage, and religious liberty, but this is one issue where the country isn’t divided up into red and blue. I don’t know anyone who thinks the status quo immigration policy is working. Our border isn’t secure, we don’t know who is and who isn’t in the country, and we have families torn apart by an incoherent and capricious system. I encouraged the President to work with Republicans to get beyond partisan bickering and fix this broken system.”
Dr. Suzii Paynter, Executive Coordinator, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Atlanta:
It’s time to retool our laws for immigration. We can meet as a country at the intersection of moral conscience and common sense and pass reform. Congress has the tools to act and, as people of conviction, people of faith are in agreement that common sense measures can be taken. There is a place to honor the God-given dignity of persons, honor the rule of law, ensure fairness to taxpayers, and seek a path towards recognition for immigrants.”
