Advocacy Continues for Keeping Families Together

United Methodists continued another day of advocacy for immigrant families separated by the Trump Administration's "zero tolerance" policy that separates parents from children at U.S. borders.

An ad hoc group of United Methodist laypeople and clergy made good on their promise to file a complaint against U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for violations of church law. Reaction to the complaint was mixed on social media, where many applauded the move as a prophetic witness, but also doubted it would have much effect.

Faculty and staff of United Methodist-related Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University issued a statement denouncing "zero tolerance" as an immigration policy that disproportionately affects Latino/a and Hispanic populations. The statement also opposes the policy changes that no longer grant asylum status to people fleeing domestic or gang violence.  A link to the statement was posted on the seminary's Facebook page.

Titled "Statement on the U.S. Department of Justice’s Immigration Policiesby executive board members of The Center for the Study of Latino/a Christianity and ReligionsPerkins School of Theology – Southern Methodist University," the June 19 document read in part:

"The executive board members signing this statement categorically affirm that AG Sessions’ interpretation contradicts basic assumptions of theological academic research and collaborative efforts emerging from its study of Christianity and other religions widely practiced among the Latino/a community. These research and collaborative efforts affirm that the Divine’s impulse is to beckon Creation towards a holy, diverse community shaped by compassion, mercy and justice for one another. In Matthew 37:40 Jesus teaches, “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all your soul and with all mind. This is the greatest commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”