PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ.. Faith Letter Opposing the SAFE Act The following letter is not a statement of the Interfaith Immigration Coalition (IIC) and only speaks for the listed organizations and individuals. Download PDF: Faith Letter Opposing the SAFE Act August 21, 2013 Dear Speaker Boehner, We, the undersigned faith organizations and leaders write to express our concern about provisions in the Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement, or SAFE Act (H.R. 2278). As people of faith, we are called by our sacred texts to assist newcomers who seek safety, a new life, reunification with their families, and spiritual comfort. We are troubled that the SAFE Act would create new crimes for being present in the United States without lawful immigration status or aiding a migrant or refugee who lacks immigration status, expand the use of mandatory and indefinite immigration detention, encourage state and local law enforcement officials’ participation in immigration enforcement, and decrease protections and immigration relief for certain migrant groups. We write today in specific objection to provisions in the SAFE Act that would criminalize religious leaders and houses of worship that provide humanitarian assistance to all persons regardless of immigration status as these provisions run directly counter to our beliefs in generosity, hospitality and welcome. The faith community is deeply troubled that Section 314 of the SAFE Act would make it a crime to transport undocumented immigrants and “encourage or induce a person to reside in the Unites States” if that person lacks immigration status. The penalties for engaging in any of these activities are steep, ranging from 3 to 20 years in prison. People of faith commonly accept into their congregations and communities all newcomers and those in need without checking immigration paperwork. Providing transportation in particular would criminalize ordinary acts of kindness and would even criminalize members of mixed-status families traveling together. Mayor Paul Bridges of Uvalda, Georgia had this to say about similar prohibitions in Georgia’s HB 87: If I fail to use my turn signal or speed while taking fellow parishioners to church, and I incur a traffic violation with an undocumented person in the van, then I could end up with a criminal penalty –even a felony with a second offense. If I don’t check the papers of friends who stay with my family, I might be charged with harboring an undocumented person.[1] Not only would passage of the SAFE Act create greater anxiety among migrant communities, it could lead members in places of worship to refuse to engage in acts of kindness and hospitality for fear of being prosecuted, fined or imprisoned. Such a law that prohibits compassion and acts of humanitarian assistance surely violate sacred principles of helping neighbors and showing love to all of God’s children. Unfortunately, provisions in the SAFE Act are not new. These unkind and harsh provisions are reminiscent of the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, known as the “Sensenbrenner Bill,” or H.R. 4437 (introduced in the 109th Congress), which similarly would have criminalized the work of churches, attorneys, social service agencies, and refugee organizations acting in good faith to care for those in need. Much like the SAFE Act, under this bill where an undocumented person with no other means of support appealed to their house of worship for assistance, those religious institutions who fed, clothed, housed or otherwise assisted the individual, would have committed a crime. After the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4437 in 2005, the faith community joined hands with millions of Americans to protest what we felt was a violation of civil liberties and our values of welcoming newcomers to our shores. We express the same dismay today that a similar proposal has advanced in the House. We urge you to oppose passage of the SAFE Act and any other legislation that would criminalize the hospitality that is at the heart of our mission to love and welcome the newcomer. We are hopeful you will work with your colleagues in passing legislation that places greater emphasis on compassion, unity, and God’s love for all seeking protection and opportunity. Sincerely, National Organizations and Leaders
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 17:33:40 +0000
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