Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published by Aimée Santillán from Frontera Dispatch/Hope Border Institute on Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
As Congress grapples with ongoing funding negotiations, the discourse surrounding immigration is growing increasingly corrosive. The glaring omission of a resolution for many long-term immigrants, including Dreamers and farm workers from last week’s Senate bill, which collapsed, marks a significant shift in the political landscape. This absence, once championed by progressives, sets a precedent from which it may be difficult to walk back. It was striking to witness President Biden’s reversal on his campaign promise to “restore our moral standing in the world and our historic role as a safe haven for refugees and asylum seekers.”
This moment of difficulty is where faith can really shine. It has long been communities and people which have embraced migrants with dignity, irrespective of the political cost. Even during these disheartening negotiations, it has been reassuring to see how faith communities have pushed back, offering hospitality and a different vision.
One thing is clear – the border cannot be shut down. And people will continue to seek safety, which is a fundamental human right. As our executive director, Dylan Corbett, recently emphasized, “You’re not going to solve anything at the border when you start from the premise that migration is a threat to our country or that migrants are people to be feared.”
The cruelty needs to stop. We can choose to welcome people with dignity, in a humane and orderly manner, or persist in constructing walls that only perpetuate suffering and chaos, while failing to address the root causes driving people to seek safety. Faith calls us to recognize the dignity of every human being and to confront the scourge of racism that plagues our immigration system. It beckons us to extend compassion and hospitality to those who seek refuge. It would be fitting in this way during this Black History Month to honor the rights and lives of Black, Brown, and Indigenous people seeking safety at our border.
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