Bless the Ballot Week 6 #2: Immigration Reform
Matthew 5:10-11
“Blessed are those who are persecuted. for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Matthew 5:10-11
Stories from our Congregation - Immigration Reform by Cassie Estassi
The Old and New Testament of the Bible tell stories of refugees fleeing their homelands because of persecution. The most recognizable biblical refugee story is of Jesus himself; Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt with newborn Jesus to escape King Herod’s wrath.
My own family history involves a story of seeking refuge. As Christians living in a Middle Eastern country that was hostile to Christians, my father and his family found a new home in the United States in the 1960s thanks to the sponsorship of a Christian organization.
Now, as an immigration lawyer defending individuals and families seeking asylum in the United States, I hear stories of people fleeing their homeland on a daily basis. People I’ve worked alongside include teenagers and families fleeing gang violence, or identifying as political activists, members of the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minorities, and women and children fleeing domestic violence. All made the difficult choice to leave their homelands in search of safety in the United States.
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As Forefronters ushering in the next 500 years of Christianity, we’re called to cultivate a just and generous expression of the Christian faith. Within our call to faith, we’re called to construct an asylum system that’s welcoming and that upholds human dignity; the kind of system that would welcome Jesus, welcome my own family as it did years ago, and welcome the persecuted today.
But the current administration’s numerous changes to the asylum system have been anything but just and generous. The asylum system before 2016 was already unjust and harsh for many, but Trump and those in office have attempted to utterly decimate the system of protection for those seeking refuge in a way that no previous administration has.
To name just a few highlights, the administration has made it harder for those fleeing domestic violence to win asylum; has effectively closed off our Southern border to asylum seekers, causing refugee camps to proliferate at the U.S.-Mexico border; and proposed rules that would make it functionally impossible for anyone to win asylum again and again.
These constant attacks on the asylum system have been not only exhausting and demoralizing to me as an advocate, but more importantly, if implemented, would ultimately mean that my clients would be deported to the dangers of their home countries.
When Forefronters cast their ballots on November 3 (or vote early!), I hope that we’ll remember the call to cultivate a just and generous expression of our Christian faith. That we’ll resist the system of oppression that has been bolstered by this administration. And that we’ll remember the persecuted.
These election day decisions can play into our overall voting plan. We are challenging all of our Justice League members to make a voting plan and we encourage you to join along with us, by following the guidelines below:
Forefront relies on your financial generosity. To give click here. Thank you for supporting our vision for a just and generous expression of the Christian faith.