As we approach the season of Epiphany, we are reminded again of the story of those wise travelers who sojourned through many lands and borders in search of a newborn king. We are reminded and admonished that after they found the infant Jesus, his mother, and Joseph, the true peril of their mission began. Herod’s anxiety and paranoia led to one of the worst infant massacres recorded in the gospel text, and those earnest pilgrims’ story transformed the holy family’s existence into a family much like so many today seeking asylum in other lands and, in particular, in our southern border.
Therefore, on behalf of MARCHA (Metodistas Asociados Representando la Causa Hispano Americana) and the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry of the United Methodist Church, we join our partners at the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church in a call for the humane and sacred treatment of migrants, refugees and those who seek asylum at our borders as a recognition that the same Jesus who sojourned with his family on that fateful night, can still be found in the faces of all the families showcased across our tv screens and social media spaces.
Along with this, we stand in opposition to the State of Texas SB.4 law signed by Governor Greg Abbott, which allows police officials to arrest and charge migrants with a misdemeanor or more serious offenses if they do not agree to leave by order of a state judge. This law incentivizes racial profiling and further limits the rights of due process for migrants fleeing unthinkable violence, poverty, and death.
Furthermore, we oppose the inhumane treatment of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by Governor Abbott in transporting migrants to other states without their knowledge or consent, only to abandon them on the streets without concern about the extreme cold weather and safety issues they would face.
We call on this administration to recall and not abandon the Judeo-Christian principles we so ardently claim to be a part of our country’s founding and consider the sacred lives of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers when engaging in budget negotiations and stricter border security measures. Instead, we urge this administration to consider prayerfully those measures that will lead to a safe and just resolution with a path toward effective immigration solutions, funding to be able to process asylum and refugee claims faster and more effectively, and intentional steps to work with countries of origin to understand and combat the reasons for this mass migration.
We call on members of the House and Senate to negotiate in good faith with this administration, not in the hopes of gaining political points but in the spirit of their shared citizenship of the world and with the deep conviction of what it means to build the beloved community.
The gospel of Matthew tells us that Herod tempted the wise men to carry out his evil intentions toward the Christ child and his family. However, in a dream, an angel warns them not to return to Herod, and instead, they choose to return by “another route.” Their courage and conviction should inspire all of us to choose another route, one filled with compassion, justice, mercy, and the belief that we are all made in the image of our creator and endowed with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
We call on all Methodists everywhere to join us in this call to action and prayer and sign the petition in the link below.
https://chng.it/QsjbWnfr6M
