United Methodists support immigrants and undocumented workers
-14/10/06
Still concerne
United Methodists support immigrants and undocumented workers
-14/10/06
Still concerned about proposed changes to US immigration law, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is repeating its call for truly just migration policies. The action came at the mission agency’s 9-12 October 2006 annual meeting in Stamford.
The Board of Global Ministries, which both funds and supports programmes assisting immigrants and undocumented workers, also wants the denomination as a whole to educate itself about undocumented workers “and how the church is and can continue responding to the economic, social, political, legal and spiritual challenges they encounter,” the agency’s directors said.
In April 2006, the board’s directors asked Congress “to refrain from passing laws relating to immigration that would divide families, make felons out of millions of workers now in the US who are without green cards or visas, encourage mistreatment of immigrants or criminalize the efforts of the Christian church, other faith traditions and social service organizations to help people in need, regardless of their citizenship status.”
The renewed call, initiated by the board’s Hispanic/Latino Ministries Task Force, asks the Bush administration and Congress to pass legislation that does not violate those principles. United Methodists are asked to write state and federal government officials to encourage the revision of immigration laws “which negatively impact individuals, families and entire communities.”
Board directors also support the demilitarization of the US-Mexico border. “In particular, we oppose the construction of further walls and other obstacles on the border that endanger lives of immigrants,” they stated.
[Also on Ekklesia: Migration is a matter of justice – Jonathan Bartley challenges our love affair with immigration controls; Are Immigration controls moral? – Vaughan Jones questions wheter they are; Unions and churches combine to defend Polish migrants; Global churches focus on peace theology and migration; Bishop urges action from government over care for migrant workers; European and US churches offer fresh support to immigrants; Cardinal suggests UK amnesty for illegal immigrants; New international initiative on migrant’s rights; Methodist church and trade unions team up against exploitation; Global migration needs pluralism not religious sectarianism; Cardinal deplores ëextreme and shameful povertyí in Britain; French resistance to unjust asylum laws; Churches express solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers Churches in the US pledge solidarity with migrants; Churches express solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers; Church group expresses concern over global recruitment of migrant workers; Methodists add warning over election treatment of asylum issue; Howardís ‘false’ anti-immigrant claims defy UN and churches; Photo row highlights discrepancy between churches and politicians; Catholic bishops in US say they will break immigration law; Churches call for asylum justice as UK loses on Zimbabwe asylum case; Churches told how to offer protection to asylum seekers]
United Methodists support immigrants and undocumented workers
-14/10/06
Still concerned about proposed changes to US immigration law, the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries is repeating its call for truly just migration policies. The action came at the mission agency’s 9-12 October 2006 annual meeting in Stamford.
The Board of Global Ministries, which both funds and supports programmes assisting immigrants and undocumented workers, also wants the denomination as a whole to educate itself about undocumented workers “and how the church is and can continue responding to the economic, social, political, legal and spiritual challenges they encounter,” the agency’s directors said.
In April 2006, the board’s directors asked Congress “to refrain from passing laws relating to immigration that would divide families, make felons out of millions of workers now in the US who are without green cards or visas, encourage mistreatment of immigrants or criminalize the efforts of the Christian church, other faith traditions and social service organizations to help people in need, regardless of their citizenship status.”
The renewed call, initiated by the board’s Hispanic/Latino Ministries Task Force, asks the Bush administration and Congress to pass legislation that does not violate those principles. United Methodists are asked to write state and federal government officials to encourage the revision of immigration laws “which negatively impact individuals, families and entire communities.”
Board directors also support the demilitarization of the US-Mexico border. “In particular, we oppose the construction of further walls and other obstacles on the border that endanger lives of immigrants,” they stated.
[Also on Ekklesia: Migration is a matter of justice – Jonathan Bartley challenges our love affair with immigration controls; Are Immigration controls moral? – Vaughan Jones questions wheter they are; Unions and churches combine to defend Polish migrants; Global churches focus on peace theology and migration; Bishop urges action from government over care for migrant workers; European and US churches offer fresh support to immigrants; Cardinal suggests UK amnesty for illegal immigrants; New international initiative on migrant’s rights; Methodist church and trade unions team up against exploitation; Global migration needs pluralism not religious sectarianism; Cardinal deplores ëextreme and shameful povertyí in Britain; French resistance to unjust asylum laws; Churches express solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers Churches in the US pledge solidarity with migrants; Churches express solidarity with migrants and asylum seekers; Church group expresses concern over global recruitment of migrant workers; Methodists add warning over election treatment of asylum issue; Howardís ‘false’ anti-immigrant claims defy UN and churches; Photo row highlights discrepancy between churches and politicians; Catholic bishops in US say they will break immigration law; Churches call for asylum justice as UK loses on Zimbabwe asylum case; Churches told how to offer protection to asylum seekers]