Stay of removal issued for three immigrants who resided in US ‘sanctuary’
RNS Three immigrants who have resided in houses of worship to avoid deportation were granted one-year stays of removal this week, a move faith-based immigrant rights advocates framed as a “Christmas gift” years in the making. Among the immigrants is Jeanette Vizguerra, who has resided at First Unitarian Society of Denver since spring 2019. According […]
US presidential candidates visits woman taking sanctuary in a church; other Democratic candidates voice support
RNS An undocumented woman living in an Ohio church to avoid deportation met with Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro on Tuesday , one of several Democratic White House hopefuls now signaling support for her cause and the New Sanctuary Movement. Castro visited Columbus Mennonite Church in Columbus, Ohio, to meet undocumented Mexican immigrant Edith Espinal ahead of […]
US denomination ELCA declares self a “sanctuary church body”, marches to ICE building in Milwaukee
RNS More than 500 years ago, a monk named Martin Luther nailed 95 theses outlining his grievances with the Roman Catholic Church to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. On Wednesday afternoon, members of the mainline Protestant denomination bearing Luther’s name taped 9.5 theses – expressing their concern for immigrants and refugees – […]
Iraqi refugee in New Mexico leaves church sanctuary after two years
RNS Kadhim Al-bumohammed, a 66-year-old Muslim refugee from Iraq who trained tens of thousands of US soldiers in Arabic and Arab culture, walked out of an Albuquerque, New Mexico, church basement last month a free man. Al-bumohammed had spent two years inside of First Congregational United Church of Christ seeking sanctuary from deportation. Kadhim Al-bumohammed, […]
US immigration officials accused of targeting faith leader and religious groups
RNS For Rev Kaji Douša, senior pastor of Park Avenue Christian Church in New York, crossing the US-Mexico border is a fairly uneventful activity. A former San Diego resident, she had passed through the US Customs and Border Protection checkpoints many times in the past without incident. But in early January, as she crossed going […]