The U.S. Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph, of which the Congregation of St. Joseph is a member, has issued the following public statement, calling for the the welcome and humane treatment of arriving migrants:
The U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St Joseph aligns with the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in opposing the current administration’s continued denigration of those fleeing untenable situations in their home countries through an executive order which will block those seeking asylum in the U.S. Known in the media as the “refugee caravan,” these courageous people — mothers, fathers, children, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles — have fled tyranny, persecution and violence in search of a safe place for themselves and their families. Just as our own ancestors did, they have fled home cultures of corruption and exploitation looking for the American dream.
As women religious, we reject the rhetoric of fear and policy of division that poisons our politics today. We choose instead to embrace an America that is filled with hope for a nation united for the common good. We stand with Pope Francis who calls us to, “promote the dignity of all our brothers and sisters, particularly the poor and the excluded of society, those who are abandoned, immigrants and those who suffer violence and human trafficking.”
We urge the administration to manage refugee arrivals humanely and in a manner that respects their dignity and rights under U.S. and international law and to:
• Allow migrants to approach our border and ask for protection in the United States and to be admitted for processing in a timely manner.
• Ensure that asylum seekers have access to legal counsel and receive a fair resolution of their claim.
• Guarantee that parents and children stay together after they are apprehended. Holding families indefinitely in detention or detaining parents while releasing their children violates the values of this nation and the standards set forth in the Flores settlement.
• Eschew detention of those awaiting adjudication of their asylum petitions in favor of alternatives that are more humane and more cost efficient.
• Direct Homeland Security to cooperate with faith-based and humanitarian organizations who are prepared to assist asylum-seekers.
The United States has a long and proud history of welcoming immigrants and sheltering refugees. We Sisters of St. Joseph live and work that all may be one — one with God, with one another, and all creation — and welcome the ‘dear neighbor’ without exception. We have been blessed to be able to accompany and serve migrant communities across this country, and we will continue to welcome them as our faith requires.
Actions You Can Take:
Contact Your Representatives: Tell Congress to stop funding hate at our borders here.
Speak Out: against family detention here.
Post: Your support of migrants and immigrants on social media. Share posts that tell your friends and family that you support those seeking asylum in the United States.
Vote: For candidates in the midterm elections who believe in the just and humane treatment of ALL immigrants.
Pray: For all those who are traveling to the United States seeking asylum.
Support: The Sisters of Saint Joseph of Lyon/Province of Mexico, who minister in the “Albergue Decanal Guadalupano” shelter in Veracruz, Mexico. Learn more here.
You can read the original statement from the U.S. Federation of the Sisters of St. Joseph here.
The Congregation of St. Joseph is dedicated to love of the dear neighbor, without distinction. We believe that we are all one people, and we work to bring all people together in love of God and one another. Learn more about our immigration efforts here.
