Skip links

Immigration Strategy Group: January 2025 Update

“Let me make one final plea, Mr. President. Millions have put their trust in you and, as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now. There are gay, lesbian and transgender children in Democratic, Republican, and Independent families, some who fear for their lives. The people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings; who labor in poultry farms and meat packing plants; who wash the dishes after we eat in restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals. They…may not be citizens or have the proper documentation. But the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors. They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues, gurudwaras and temples. I ask you to have mercy, Mr. President, on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away. And that you help those who are fleeing war zones and persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome here. Our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to the stranger, for we were all once strangers in this land. May God grant us the strength and courage to honor the dignity of every human being, to speak the truth to one another in love and walk humbly with each other and our God for the good of all people. Good of all people in this nation and the world. Amen”   – Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde

by Rev. Dr. Denyse Barnes, Director of Justice and Compassion Essential Ministry Team

Our call as followers of Jesus has always been to love others, to take care of the stranger in our midst and the alien in our land.  Following the inauguration of a new President and administration this week, a number of executive orders aimed at removing undocumented migrants have been signed and are being put into action.  You can read more about these here.

The immigration strategy group leadership team met this week and will be meeting with the full group next week to further discuss, inform, and strategize.  This is a volatile, fast-moving, and quickly evolving situation, and we will be updating ways in which you can help and respond.  We have a network of churches from our border to LA who work together in keeping people safe, transporting them where they need to go, and sharing resources and information.

One of the things our group is so good at is understanding the intersectionality of all those who are in this situation currently and paying particular attention to those who are afraid for more than one reason because of who they are.  We are also working with CLUE, LA Voice, and the UMC RRT teams to gather information and know ways in which we are able to best respond.

Sanctuary churches are no longer a tool we can employ due to the executive order giving ICE permission to enter schools, religious buildings, and other places traditionally considered ones of sanctuary.  If, however, you are interested in taking part in this work in other ways, some of them are listed below.  Please reach out to Rev. Denyse dbarnes@calpacumc.org if you would like to add your church or missions group to the list of those taking part in this work.

Here are some things you can do right now:

  • Watch the video from the training session we had with Alba Jaramillo from the Immigration Law and Justice Network.
  • Print out and make available these Know your right cards in whatever languages are relevant to your context. Link to know your rights cards.
  • Host a “Know Your Rights” training session at your church or mission area.
  • Host a “Safety Packet” session at your church or mission area.
  • Research and make note of the RRT phone numbers in your area here.
  • Switch to a safe and encrypted messaging app such as Signal.
  • Watch our page for updates.

Additional Reading:

X