Yesterday, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to continue barring the majority of refugees seeking asylum from entering our country, including those refugees who have current ties to refugee resettlement agencies, while they wait to hear the case in mid-October. I am deeply disappointed by this decision and believe that it does not reflect who we are called to be as a nation.
There are currently over 65 million refugees across the world fleeing war, famine, violence, and persecution. To turn our backs on them out of a misguided fear that we will be safer if we close our borders is cruel and unjust. The facts do not support this fear. I am not against reviewing and strengthening our vetting procedures – which are already the most stringent in the world – but I believe we can do this and still do our part to extend a hand to those suffering all around the world.
As the people of God and members of the Jesus movement, I believe it is our responsibility to welcome the stranger with open arms and reach out to those who are suffering.
Yesterday, I had the great blessing to visit Ellis Island in New York Harbor. That is the United States I am proud to be part of. I believe we need to have this courage and compassion now.
With this most current decision, I surely hope the administration will give as much energy and work to actually correcting whatever it is they believe is wrong with the current vetting system as they are to fighting to keep the refugees of this world from finding compassion on these shores. At this moment I do not know what it means for our Refugee Resettlement Office, but as I know I will share it
Pray and Act.
Blessings,
+Greg
With all due respect Greg, where is your compassion for those in need who reside in the US? Where is your compassion for those with mental health issues who are in need? Do you believe that we have sufficient resources to fix all of the worlds problems? I am glad that you are getting out to see parts of the world and were able to visit Ellis island but please remember that to equate the immigration process in place when Ellis Island was established, and the Statue of Liberty was given to the US by France, to immigration today ignores the fundamental differences in the world today from the world and immigration in 1886.