NCC governing board presses immigration reform

["Philip Jenks" <pjenks@ncccusa.org>]

NCC Governing Board presses call for immigration reform

See: www.ncccusa.org/news/100922gbimmigration.html

New York, September 23, 2010 -- For the second time in two years, the 
Natio nal Council of Churches Governing Board has issued a call to 
government off icials and church leaders to take action on 
"comprehensive immigration refo rm."

The first resolution, issued in September 2008, expressed support for 
legis lation to reform the nation's immigration system and for local 
congregation s in national and local advocacy for immigrants and 
their families. The 200 8 resolution was also endorsed by the board 
of Church World Service (CWS) a nd adopted by the NCC/CWS General 
Assembly in November 2008.

The current resolution, "A Call to Action on Comprehensive 
Immigration Refo rm," was issued in response to SB 1070, the Arizona 
law intended to mandate  local police to determine the nationality of 
persons they detain, which ma ny fear would lead to racial profiling 
by police, social service providers  and members of the community.

"Since the enactment of this harsh legislation in Arizona," the 
resolution  reports, "faith leaders from around the country traveled 
together to that s tate to stand in solidarity with immigrants and 
return to their communities  with first hand accounts of the fear 
that is plaguing the immigrant commun ity."

Noting the "terror and fear" in immigrant communities caused by the 
Arizona  law, and the threat of similar legislation in two dozen 
states across the  country, the Governing Board declared "as persons 
of faith ... we must reco mmit ourselves to stand with our immigrant 
brothers and sisters, our neighb ors, to do all we can to enact 
immigration reform."

The board's statement committed members "to engage national, state 
and loca l legislatures to voice our opposition to Arizona's 
anti-immigrant SB 1070  and similar laws that have been introduced in 
more than 22 states."

"Moreover, we commit ourselves to help educate our communities about 
the da ngerous consequences such laws have on our nation and local 
communities, an d we commit to one another to join in prayer and 
advocacy for those who are  harmed by unjust legislation as well as 
for those who are working to overt urn it."

The resolution called on the president and Congress "to recommit 
themselves  to the comprehensive, effective and humane reform of 
immigration laws and  enforcement structures" and called upon member 
communions and "millions of  faithful Christians who worship in our 
churches to actively engage national , state and local legislatures 
to insist on comprehensive immigration refor m at every level."

The resolution was adopted by unanimous voice vote during the 
Governing Boa rd's two day meeting near the Newark, N.J., Airport 
September 20-21.

The resolution was presented via telephone hook-up by the NCC's 
Immigration  Task Force: David A. Leslie, executive director of the 
Ecumenical Ministri es of Oregon; Jen Smyers, Church World Service; 
and Jan Olav Flaaten, execu tive director of the Arizona Ecumenical 
Council.

Read the full text of the resolution at 
www.ncccusa.org/NCCpolicies/immigra tionreform092110.pdf

A resolution on the war in Afghanistan was returned to the NCC 
Justice and  Advocacy Commission for revision after several 
substantive revisions were r equested by board members. The 
Afghanistan resolution will be resubmitted t o the board for action 
at its November 9 meeting in New Orleans.

The meeting of the Governing Board was presided over by the Rev. 
Canon Peg  Chemberlin, President of the National Council of Churches.

Other items coming before the Governing Board this week included an 
update  on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG) by 
Katherine Marsh all, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's 
Berkeley Center for Religio n, Peace and World Affairs and Visiting 
Professor in Georgetown's Governmen t Department.

The UN Summit to review progress for meeting the goals was taking 
place in  New York at the time of the Governing Board meeting. 
Included in the presen tation was an update on how the NCC has 
actively promoted study of the MDG,  and how the goals relate to 
current programs, such as the fistula campaign . The NCC's study 
guide is online and available from Friendship Press.

The board also heard a report of the August 21-20 trip by NCC and CWS 
leade rs to Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela to study the plight of 
millions of di splaced persons caused by political violence in 
Colombia.

Participants included NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon and CWS 
Board  chair Bishop Johncy Itty. NCC Secretary José Luis Casal, an 
organizer of  the trip, submitted a written report. See 
www.ncccusa.org/pdfs/colombiaecua dorvenezuela.pdf

The board also approved resolutions to merge the U.S. Conference for 
the Wo rld Council of Churches with the National Council of Churches 
and heard rep orts from the Council's program commissions.  
  
Study papers that will be discussed at the Centennial Gathering of 
the Nati onal Council of Churches and Church World Service November 
9-11 in New Orle ans were reviewed by board members. The papers 
include "Christian Understan ding of Creation in an Age of 
Environmental Crisis;" "Christian Understandi ng of Unity in an Age 
of Racial Diversity;" and "Christian Understanding of  War in an Age 
of Terrorism."                     

Since its founding in 1950, the National Council of the Churches of 
Christ  in the USA has been the leading force for ecumenical 
cooperation among Chri stians in the United States. The NCC's 36 
member faith groups -- from a wid e spectrum of Protestant, Anglican, 
Orthodox, Evangelical, historic African  American and Living Peace 
churches -- include 45 million persons in more t han 100,000 local 
congregations in communities across the nation.

NCC News contact:  Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2228 (office), 
646-853-4212 ( cell), pjenks@ncccusa.org