In response to Donald Trump’s sweeping changes to immigration policy, some Christian groups have announced their intention to oppose ICE. Sojourners, a progressive activist group, spoke to reporters about their plans. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) made a new ruling that will allow agents to arrest illegals at so-called ‘sensitive locations.’
“We are working through dispelling fear, we’re working through increasing confidence in their responses and in their care for their congregation, and we’re working to mobilize them for effective witness of our faith,” Sandy Ovalle, Sojourners’ senior director of campaigns and mobilizing said. She stated that the organization is working to create “a network of churches that we’ve created for this time.”
“I do think that this is an opportunity for churches to exercise their religious liberty,” she continued. “To serve those who are in vulnerable circumstances,” she added.”We see this as a mission of religious liberty, of churches exercising their right to practice the faith that has been passed down from our Lord.” She wants churches to “welcome those that are around us.”
“I think in the same way that we don’t ask for income papers when we pass out food in our pantries or our suppers, we meet the needs of those who need,” she explained. Ovalle thinks that immigration crackdowns will lead to additional crime.” Because the chances of people reporting crime decreases, it makes our communities less safe by breaking down the trust that immigrant communities have in police,” the organizer said.
In the official statement, the DHS said,” Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman issued two directives essential to ending the invasion of the US southern border and empower law enforcement to protect Americans. ” The release went into the specifics of each change: “The first directive rescinds the Biden Administration’s guidelines for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions that thwart law enforcement in or near so-called “sensitive” areas.”
“The second directive ends the broad abuse of humanitarian parole and returns the program to a case-by-case basis. ICE and CBP will phase out any parole programs that are not in accordance with the law,” the report added. It included direct quotes from the acting secretary. “This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens—including murderers and [assaulters]—who have illegally come into our country.”
She added, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest. The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.” The report continued to blast the Biden admin and their lax border policy. The report concluded, “The Biden-Harris Administration abused the humanitarian parole program to indiscriminately allow 1.5 million migrants to enter our country. This was all stopped on day one of the Trump Administration.”
“This action will return the humanitarian parole program to its original purpose of looking at migrants on a case-by-case basis,” the press release stated. The woke pastor reacted, “That’s scary, suddenly, we’re going to have kids without parents. That’s terrible.” She urged her flock to speak up, “Make sure they step up, to make sure they’re ready to respond, to make sure they’re ready to be a front line to protect the folks.”