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"The biblical tradition regarding the alien guides our response
as Church of the Brethren people when we deal with the immigrants in our
land...We live with the hope that we will someday have a community of
justice, peace and love. This hope gives us the courage to be faithful to
the One who calls us to live out that hope through love for our neighbors
and our enemies. We pray for God's help as we seek to do justice, to love
tenderly, and to walk humbly with God among peoples of all nations."
After this week's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
announcement, many of us are asking how we can support DACA recipients and
fight for fair legislation. The end of DACA impacts our friends and family;
read one Church of the Brethren DACA story here. We
are sad and angry that DACA recipients have to face this uncertainty and
fear. The President's decision allows for a six-month window in which
Congress can pass the Dream Act of 2017, which would create a legal path to
citizenship for those who qualified for the DACA program. We must use this
opportunity to tell Congress how important the Dreamers are to the Church
of the Brethren!
The first thing you can do is call your Representative and Senators,
and tell them that you would like a clean passage of the Dream Act of 2017.
Call 866-961-4293. Please call 3 times, so that you can be connected with
your Representative and both of your Senators.
Sample Script:
"I'm your constituent from [City, State]. I support the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and strongly oppose President
Trump's announcement to end it. DACA has provided nearly 800,000 immigrant
youth the opportunity to work, raise a family, and pursue their dreams. I
urge you to support a clean passage of the Dream Act of 2017
(S.1615/H.R.3440) and do everything in your power to protect immigrant
youth."
If you will be in Washington, D.C, we can also set up meetings with
your legislators so that you can tell them why you believe in the clean
passage of the Dream Act. E-mail us at vbateman@brethren.org
if you would like to get a meeting on the Hill.
It is also important that you be vocal about your support for the
Dream Act of 2017 on social media, using the hashtag #DreamAct, and
including your Senators' and Representative's handles. Today, many
legislators are expected to share DACA stories on the House/Senate
floors--you can also tweet your support for their advocacy!
In addition to these calls, meetings, and vocal support of the Dream
Act, you can host vigils, organize letter writing parties, and coordinate
advocacy trips for your communities. Please continue to pray for and with
DACA recipients across the country as they face this time of uncertainty.
In Christ's peace,
Victoria Bateman
Peacebuilding and Policy Associate
Church of the Brethren, Office of Public Witness
Washington, D.C.
For more information about the public witness
ministries of the Church of the Brethren, contact Nathan Hosler, Director,
Office of Public Witness:
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