General secretary calls on president to reverse course
Following President Trump's declaration of a national emergency to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, General Secretary Susan Henry-Crowe called on the president to reverse the declaration.
Earlier today, President Trump declared a national state of emergency to construct a border wall. In addition to creating a false sense of emergency, this action runs counter to the substance of just immigration policy.
As stated in United Methodist Resolution 3281 “Welcoming the Migrant to the U.S.,” The United Methodist Church stands in opposition to the building of a wall between the United States and Mexico. The United Methodist Church calls for immigration policy to be rooted in migrant welfare, moral hospitality and human rights, acknowledging that “the people of God are called to love sojourners in our midst, treating them ‘as if they were one of your citizens’ and loving them as we do ourselves (Leviticus 19:33-34 NRSV).”
The declared state of emergency for a border wall is unnecessary and immoral. Communities on both sides of the border oppose a wall, which would disrupt and destroy many homes and sites. The real moral emergencies consist in the ongoing separation of thousands of children from their parents, migrants detained in inhumane conditions, asylum seekers being prevented from claiming refuge in the U.S., and further militarizing the border.
We call on the president to reverse the declaration of a national state of emergency and to pursue immigration policy rooted in justice. We will continue to stand with people who are migrating and border communities affected by these unjust policies.
