Faith in the Borderlands: A Reflection by AmyBeth Willis

Ten feet from the red-iron beams of the wall that separate Sasabe, Sonora, México, from Sasabe, Arizona, the Reverend John Fife, Moderator of the 204^th General Assembly (1992), read from his tattered Bible, “For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.” As a Presbyterian pastor, John has committed his life to breaking down dividing walls; in 1982, he sparked the idea of the Sanctuary movement with his friend Jim Corbett, a Quaker. For almost a decade, Sanctuary volunteers helped immigrants fleeing the civil wars in Central America to cross into the U.S. unnoticed. They built a network of churches and synagogues that helped transport people to safety, all over the nation. At the time, John was the pastor of Southside Presbyterian in Tucson, AZ. In that decade, over 14,000 people slept at Southside as the first stop in the journey to a more safe and secure life in the United States.

As he read from Ephesians, I thought, “This. This is what faith looks like.”

I stood at that wall as a member of the Presbyterian Immigrant Solidarity Delegation to the Southwest border with PC(USA) Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons and Director for Public Witness J. Herbert Nelson. Our primary mission was to show support for and be in solidarity with two Presbyterian congregations providing Sanctuary to undocumented immigrants, Southside Presbyterian in Tucson, AZ and University Presbyterian in Tempe, AZ. These efforts are part of Sanctuary 2014, a nationwide faith-based movement that has sought to protect 10 immigrants from deportation and separation from their families.

Southside Presbyterian, now under the leadership of Rev. Alison Harrington, has taken up the mantle again in leading the efforts to stand beside undocumented immigrants. In May of 2014, Daniel Neyoy Ruiz, a spouse and father, sought protection from deportation under Southside’s roof. After one month, he received a stay of removal and was able to leave the Sanctuary of the church.

In August of last year, Rosa Robles Loreto sought Sanctuary at Southside for the same reason. During our visit, we sat down with Rosa and heard her story. After she landed in Border Patrol custody because of a minor traffic stop by Tucson police, she was detained for three months in an immigrant detention center, followed by two years of waiting for the court’s decision. In August, she received it: a final order of deportation. Seeing no other alternative, she entered into Sanctuary at Southside, away from her two boys and husband, unable to leave the house of worship.*

On our journey, we learned about the many ways church and community members have walked alongside Rosa and her family. They maintain a twenty-four hour presence at the church in their ‘Solidarity Suite.’ People visit and share meals with Rosa. They also hold a nightly prayer vigil. We were present for one of these vigils, at which we sang, “Lord, Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary.” We prayed and lit candles for all of the immigrants in Sanctuary. During the vigil, I again thought, “This. This is what faith looks like.”

L to R: Stephanie Quintana (Southside member) and Rosa

Members of the Presbyterian delegation and Southside members singing at the vigil with Rosa and husband Gerardo.

After four months, Rosa remains strong and is a light for the other immigrants living in Sanctuary.** More than that, Rosa tells her story, aware that she represents thousands of other undocumented mothers and fathers who could be separated from their children any day by deportation. As she spoke of her gratitude for the welcome and home she has found at Southside, I thought, “This. This is what faith looks like.”  Her faith could move mountains: she has not given up hope that relief will come. Hers is a testimony to the kind of faith to which God calls us.

For those four days in December, I felt the power of all these individuals’ faith. John, Rosa, Alison, and members of Southside all have faith in what is not yet seen. This faith compels them to act, and lives are changed as a result.

L to R: Rev. J. Herbert Nelson, Teresa Waggener, Olivia Hudson-Smith, AmyBeth Willis, Rosa Robles-Loreto,
Rev. Alison Harrington, Rev. Gradye Parson, and Rev. Toya Richards- Jackson

*  The rationale behind the Sanctuary movement is that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has policy forbidding immigration officers from entering places of worship to make an arrest.

** After six months, Rosa remains in Sanctuary at Southside. Her latest petition for a stay of removal was denied. 

Stand with Rosa by taking action here. Look for more ways to support her case in the coming weeks.

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AmyBeth Willis is a Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in the Office of Public Witness. She primarily works on policy issues of immigration, money in politics, and hunger and nutrition. She served as a YAV in Tucson, AZ, 2013-2014, where she worked at Southside Presbyterian. She helped with Daniel Ruiz’ Sanctuary case.

Luis Lopez Acabal Leaves Sanctuary After PCUSA Delegation Visit

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is proud to announce that Luis Lopez Acabal was able to leave the protection of Sanctuary at University Presbyterian Church in Tempe, Arizona on Friday, December 12. He is one of nine immigrants this year to shield themselves from deportation as part of the new Sanctuary Movement. From September 4 of this year to last Friday, 100 days exactly, Luis lived inside University Presbyterian to prevent his deportation and separation from his family. Luis is eligible for deportation relief through the Obama administration’s Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) Program, announced on November 20, because he is stepfather to his wife Mayra’s two children.

J. Herbert Nelson, Director of the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness stated, “We greatly rejoice in this good news. It sends a signal that the work we do in Washington, D.C., in local congregations, and across the denomination is necessary when our immigrant brothers and sisters are being denied human dignity and full inclusion in society. Luis, his family and the congregation of University Presbyterian demonstrated courage and a deep faith conviction by claiming the power of sanctuary. It is this type of courage that will make the PCUSA more relevant in these times.”

Our delegation with Luis, Rev. Ledermann, and church members. 

A delegation of Presbyterian leaders, including Rev. Gradye Parsons (PCUSA General Assembly Stated Clerk), Rev. J. Herbert Nelson II (PCUSA Office of Public Witness Director), Teresa Waggener (PCUSA Office of Immigration Director), Rev. Toya Richards Jackson, (Office of General Assembly Associate for Communications), Randy Hobson (Office of General Assembly Web Services Coordinator) and AmyBeth Willis (Office of Public Witness Young Adult Volunteer), met with Luis, Mayra, Pastor Eric O. Ledermann,  and congregation and community members on Thursday, December 4 during their Immigrant Solidarity Pilgrimage to the border.

Luis left Guatemala at the age of 17, fleeing because a local gang threatened his life. He applied for asylum, but was denied.  Here, he has made a life, working in maintenance in schools. He fell in love and married Mayra Canales, a legal resident from Mexico and mother of two U.S. citizen children, one of whom has autism. Luis has become father to her two children, Kevin (5) and Kimberly (2). He is the sole breadwinner for the family, allowing Mayra to act as a full time caregiver for their children. Kevin has thrived in the new family setting and some of his autism-related behaviors have diminished. Luis’ support as a loving husband and parenting partner has made a huge difference in Mayra’s battle with depression and anxiety. When Luis was ordered to leave the country, University Presbyterian stepped up to provide Sanctuary to him. The congregation has embraced him and his family for 100 long days, recognizing that his deportation threatens not only his life but the wellbeing of his family.

Mayra & Luis with daughter Kimberly. Credit: Alonso Parra, Left Lamp Media

Luis is happy to be home, but remains in legal limbo as he waits to apply for the new deferred action program, which grants temporary relief from deportation and a work permit. In reflecting on this great news, Rev. Eric Ledermann, pastor of University Presbyterian said, “I am thrilled that Luis gets to go home and be with his family. However, our work is not done. The President’s Executive Action is temporary and we still have a lot of work to do to fix the broken immigration system.”

Stated Clerk speaks on Sanctuary Movement

Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Press Conference Statement, Sanctuary, September 24, 2014

This morning, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) took part in a tele-press conference about the growing Sanctuary movement. Here are the remarks prepared by the Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly.

Consider two facts:

First, every day 1,000 people are deported from this country.

Second, three-fifths of the undocumented persons in this country have been here more than 10 years.

Think about that – more than 10 years.

So those at risk of deportation are known and beloved in our communities.

They are our friends and family.

Our church members and colleagues.

Our lives are inextricably intertwined.

We wear the same garment of destiny.

When faith bodies thought that comprehensive immigration reform was inevitable, we sadly stomached the daily disappearance of 1,000 of our brothers and sisters.

When President Obama held out Administrative action as an imminent form of relief, we bore the weight of the daily loss knowing that soon it would all be over.

After the President’s announcement on September 6^th to, again, delay administrative relief to those at risk of deportation, faith bodies began to question the morality of waiting and bearing the daily loss of our brothers and sisters any longer.

And so here we are, at this point in the faith history of this country where congregations intercede by offering sanctuary.

In the book of Matthew, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment of all. He answers, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The congregations involved in sanctuary are living out their love of neighbor by protecting families vulnerable to separation.

This denomination has a history of supporting churches that find sanctuary to be a moral response. We support Southside Presbyterian Church and University Presbyterian Church and pray for relief for Rosa Robles Loreto and Luis Lopez Acabal.

We are also honored to join with our interfaith partners across the United States in this sanctuary movement.

Passage of debt-ceiling bill prompts response from Stated Clerk

“programs that serve the common good are bearing the costs”

AUGUST 3, 2011

Office of the General Assembly

BY SHARON YOUNGS

Communications Coordinator

LOUISVILLE

The Reverend Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), issued a statement today (Wednesday) in response to the bill signed by President Obama yesterday that will increase the debt-ceiling by more than $2 trillion and cut a roughly equivalent amount of spending from the U.S. budget.

In the statement, Parsons writes, “While I am pleased that the nation no longer faces the impending financial peril of default on our national debt, I am deeply troubled by the deficit-reduction package that Congress passed to get us to this place.”

According to Parsons, the budget package “does little to address the underlying causes of our mounting deficits.”

Parsons had joined a number of religious leaders in Washington the previous week to urge Congress “to enact a deficit-reduction plan that would require a greater contribution from those who have been blessed with plenty, and not to sacrifice the poor and vulnerable on the altar of political ideology or deficit reduction.”

The ecumenical and interfaith leaders had also reminded legislators that religious communities and charitable organizations do not have the resources to make up the difference between the spending cuts and the “growing and monumental need caused by a severe recession, anemic recovery, and systemic inequity.”

Parsons writes, “Private charity needs public partnership in order to answer our call to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison.”

The Stated Clerk acknowledges helpful measures within the bill – exemptions for low-income programs, as well as and a reduction in military spending, which will help to push the country toward seeking “new and innovative initiatives for peace around the world.”

Parsons concludes his statement by inviting Presbyterians to join the effort. “United by our shared commitment to Micah’s call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, and to the common good for our brothers and sisters around the world, we must urge our elected leaders to protect the vulnerable and restore equity in a society where imbalance of wealth has become the norm.”

The full text of the Stated Clerk’s statement:

This week, Congress approved and the President signed into law a bill that couples a $2.1-$2.4 trillion increase to the U.S. debt ceiling with about equivalent spending cuts. While I am pleased that the nation no longer faces the impending financial peril of default on our national debt, I am deeply troubled by the deficit-reduction package that Congress passed to get us to this place. With the enactment of this bill, we see ahead a few rays of light in an otherwise bleak landscape.

Together with our ecumenical and interfaith partners, the PC(USA) has been firm in calling on decision-makers in Washington to enact a plan for a just and compassionate budget. Last week, I joined other faith leaders to meet with Congressional leadership and their staff. During those meetings, we urged them to make responsible decisions that would protect the most vulnerable at home and around the world. We asked them to enact a deficit-reduction plan that would require a greater contribution from those who have been blessed with plenty, and not to sacrifice the poor and vulnerable on the altar of political ideology or deficit reduction. 

In addition, we reminded our elected leaders that we who engage in ministries of charity and mercy cannot meet the overwhelming need alone. Private charity needs public partnership in order to answer our call to feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and visit those in prison. As earnestly as we will try to fill gaps in services left by government spending cuts, we simply do not have the resources to respond to the growing and monumental need caused by a severe recession, anemic recovery, and systemic inequity.

The new law of the land is far from answering these concerns. On the contrary, it does little to address the underlying causes of our mounting deficits, while making severe cuts that will harm millions of people who depend on our humanitarian aid and the social safety net. It contains no increased revenues, fails to address the inequities in our tax code, and does not attempt to control growing health care costs. It places the burden of deficit reduction on programs that not only serve low-income and vulnerable people in the U.S., but also that provide international humanitarian aid, protect God’s good creation, conduct medical research, ensure food safety, and strengthen our transportation infrastructure. In short, programs that serve the common good are bearing the cost.

On a positive note, a significant portion of the spending cuts will likely come from the defense budget, thereby pushing our nation toward rethinking our defense strategy and seeking new and innovative initiatives for peace around the world. Likewise, exemptions for some low-income programs have also been included in the “enforcement” part of the bargain, protecting some important programs like Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Unemployment Insurance from bearing the brunt of deficit reduction.

If nothing else is clear from the rancorous debate that culminated in this week’s final deal, it is that we still have a good deal of work to do. This deficit-reduction package sets up several deadlines by which Congress must meet more deficit reduction targets. This means that the Appropriations process ending in September as well as the deliberations of the new bipartisan, bicameral Joint Committee, which will meet throughout the fall, will be opportunities for us to continue raising the voice of the poor and vulnerable at home and around the world. In achieving exemptions for some low-income programs and in convincing Members of Congress to consider “the least of these,” we have achieved much. We must build on this success to lift up programs and services that make a difference in the lives of people across the world: people in our pews, in our neighborhoods, in our partner churches, and in our global community.

I invite Presbyterians to join me in this effort. United by our shared commitment to Micah’s call to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, and to the common good for our brothers and sisters around the world, we must urge our elected leaders to protect the vulnerable and restore equity in a society where imbalance of wealth has become the norm.

From www.pcusa.org