General Synod supports immigration reform
Written by W. Evan Golder June 26, 2007
On the same day that the United States Senate voted to reconsider stalled immigration legislation, General Synod delegates voted with only a handful of nay votes to support a resolution advocating for a humane immigration policy. The resolution declared that "the Militarized Border Enforcement Strategy of the United States government has been ineffective and inhumane."
Although the resolution acknowledged the existence of other immigrant communities that deserve our support and prayers, its primary concern was with immigrants from Latin America. Since 1993, when the United States began its current blockade strategy of border enforcement, more than 3,000 men, women and children have died attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexican border.
The resolution presented to delegates was a combination of three resolutions on this issue, originally presented, respectfully, by the Central Atlantic, Illinois and Southern California Nevada Conferences.
Under the leadership of the Rev. Rodney Sutton, Sr., of First Grace UCC in Akron, Ohio, the approximately 150 delegates on the immigration resolution committee heard presentations on each resolution. Nancy Escue spoke for Central Atlantic, the Rev. Michael Mulberry for Illinois, and the Rev. Art Cribbs for Southern California Nevada.
Sutton then led the delegates through a two-session process from which the single resolution emerged.
Along with Sutton, the Rev. Laura Westby of First Congregational UCC in Danbury, Conn., helped present the resolution to Synod delegates.
"We're motivated by the 3,000 who have died," she said, "the need for resources for our people, and the need for collaboration with other groups concerned with this issue.
"We see this as an issue of faith," she said.
The resolution calls for local churches "to advocate for a policy that allows immigrant workers and their families to live and work in a safe, legal, orderly and humane manner through an Employment-Focused immigration program (as opposed to employer-focused) that guarantees basic international workers' rights to organization, collective bargaining, job portability, religious freedom, easy and safe travel between the United States and their homeland, achievable and verifiability paths to residency, and a basic right of mobility."
It also urges conference ministers and local churches to seek out opportunities for face-to-face dialogue with immigrant communities, and that they study the immigration issue with such films as "El Norte" and "Babel" and books such as "The Devil's Highway" by Luis Alberto Urrea.
It also called for all UCC settings to join others in advocating for justice and providing services for those in the undocumented community most in need, e.g., abandoned immigrant children, abused women, and families facing or involved in the deportation process.