Sr. Simone: “Donald Trump Need Not Be Afraid of Immigrants, Refugees, and Children”

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NETWORK Calls on President Trump and Congress to Live the Christian Call to Welcome the Stranger

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1485375077583{margin-top: 15px !important;}”]For Immediate Release: January 25, 2017 
Contact: Ashley Wilson, 202-601-7856

Download as a PDF.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –In response to President Trump’s Executive Orders on immigration, NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice Executive Director Sister Simone Campbell, SSS issued the following:

“Catholic teaching is very clear: we are called to welcome the stranger. We are also called to love our neighbor. President Trump’s actions today are antithetical to our faith.

“When Nuns on the Bus visited the U.S. /Mexico border in 2014, we walked along the wall and listened to the stories of communities that have been torn apart for decades. That is the reality experienced by border communities: the wall is there and it affects the daily life and commerce of the people. Federal appropriations for border security have grown to $3.8 billion in FY2015, from $263 million in FY1990, and fencing exists for hundreds of miles along our southern-border.

Be aware: any fear-mongering done by Trump administration officials is based on ‘alternative facts’ and simply not the reality of our nation.

“President Trump’s attacks on Sanctuary Cities are also falsely motivated by fear: studies have shown that Sanctuary Cities are in fact safer. His executive order, if not found unconstitutional, would dismantle a faith-based tradition that supports the dignity of all people.

“Donald Trump need not be afraid of immigrants, refugees, and children.

“Unafraid, the Catholic Sisters and community of NETWORK Lobby will continue to do all we can to welcome refugees and immigrants in accordance with our core faith belief to welcome the stranger. As we anticipate additional executive actions in the coming days, aimed at Muslims, refugees, and DACA-recipients, Catholics in Congress would do well to remember what Pope Francis said when he addressed Congress, “We, the people of this continent, are not fearful of foreigners, because most of us were once foreigners.” We call on Congress to do all they can to protect the vulnerable in our world, which include refugees, immigrants, and children.

“We also acknowledge that many people who will suffer as a result of President Trump’s actions are already our neighbors, positively contributing to our churches and our communities. While we wait for common-sense immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship for the undocumented immigrants currently in the U.S., we urge Congress to pass safeguards like the BRIDGE Act. The BRIDGE Act is just one of many safeguards our community needs in an unstable Donald Trump presidency. We must do all we can to show love to our neighbors.”

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NETWORK, advocates for justice inspired by Catholic sisters, educates, organizes, and lobbies for economic and social transformation. They have a more than 40-year track record of lobbying for critical federal programs that support those at the margins and prioritize the common good. www.networklobby.org

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