Greetings,
I have been alerted that there will be a series of Immigrant and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in at least one of our cities, along with other major cities, this coming Sunday, July 14, 2019.
The following is important information from Bishop Minerva G. Carcano:
“We have been aware that the Trump administration continues to find ways to target immigrants in unnecessarily aggressive and extremely punitive ways. We have now learned that ICE will be conducting raids in multiple cities including cities in your areas: Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco.
The raids are expected to start this coming Sunday. ICE will be targeting individuals with final orders and unaccompanied children who have “aged out”. ICE is expanding their targets.
Churches are asked to sign up here to participate in a response effort called Sacred Resistance. This effort is being managed by our partners at Church World Service.
This is part of a broader call for us to pray and take action for the protection of immigrants from the national level.”
In addition to the many ways that we can stand with our migrant siblings, we in the California-Pacific Conference have also been active in such work. I have previously stated my support of sanctuary and I am aware of many of our related projects and initiatives including:
- DACA and Other Resources
- You Are Not Alone Unaccompanied Migrant Children Program and Welcome Centers
- Christ Ministry Center / San Diego Safe Harbors Network
- El Centro/ Calexico Cooperative Ministry with Asylum Seekers
- San Fernando Valley Refugee Children Center
- El Faro Border Church
In these times, may we act with a vision of a new world brought about by the courage of a new church.
Be the Hope,
Bishop Grant J. Hagiya
Los Angeles Area Resident Bishop
